Introducing the WordPress Site Starter Project

Starting a new custom-themed WordPress project at Viget often meant repeating the same setup and configuration tasks, eating into development time before we could focus on building meaningful features. To streamline this process, we created the WordPress Site Starter—a modern, custom block theme pre-configured with essential development tools and reusable components to accelerate project launches.

About the WordPress Site Starter

Our goal was to build scalable WordPress sites efficiently while maintaining flexibility. We refined our development workflow by integrating tools like DDEV, Vite, and Tailwind, which improved performance and simplified setup. However, optimizing the technical foundation wasn’t enough—we also needed a structured approach to design and content. This led us to develop a reusable component system that standardizes key UI elements, ensuring consistency and efficiency across projects.

Building a Scalable Component System

As we expanded our client base, we faced a challenge: our workflow was optimized for large, bespoke projects, making it difficult to efficiently support smaller-budget clients. Custom design and development work limited our ability to scale.

The solution was a reusable component system that standardizes both design and functionality across projects. Developed with insights from our Content Strategy team, this system prioritizes usability, flexibility, and efficiency. Through research and real-world experience, we identified a set of essential components that address common editorial and design needs—offering more than what standard Gutenberg blocks provide.

Unlike default WordPress blocks, which are often generic and require additional customization, our curated set of blocks is designed to be immediately useful across a variety of projects. These blocks incorporate best practices for accessibility, responsiveness, and editorial control, reducing the need for additional configuration. By defining these components early, we ensure that teams can quickly assemble high-quality pages with consistent design and functionality, making content management more intuitive for editors and reducing development overhead.

Progress, Not Perfection

The WordPress Site Starter isn’t a static tool—it’s a living system that evolves with our team’s ongoing improvements. As we encounter new challenges, we refine and iterate, introducing new components, enhancing performance, and improving editorial experiences.

To ensure sustainability, we’ve established clear governance and maintenance processes. Regular audits assess the relevance of existing components, while internal and client feedback informs updates. Versioning strategies allow seamless adoption of new enhancements without disrupting existing projects. By treating the Site Starter as an evolving framework rather than a fixed product, we ensure it remains a valuable solution for modern WordPress development.

What’s Included

• Vite Integration: A fast build tool that streamlines JavaScript and CSS workflows.
• Tailwind CSS: Pre-configured for a modern, utility-first styling approach.
• DDEV: A container-based local development environment for consistency across setups.
• Dynamic theme.json: A modular approach to managing WordPress block theme settings.
• Custom Blocks: A set of pre-built blocks for immediate use.
• Blocks Toolkit: Our very own tool that simplifies the creation of custom blocks. (Read more about the Blocks Toolkit here!)
• Viget MU Plugin: Enhancements, tweaks, and bug fixes, packaged into a built-in must-use plugin. (Full disclosure: there are some WP Admin branding changes in this plugin)

Get Started Today

WordPress Site Starter eliminates tedious setup, allowing developers to focus on building. With minimal requirements, getting started takes just a single command and a few simple steps. For detailed documentation, a full feature list, and installation guides, visit the GitHub repository.