What Is Kadence? Why It’s Our Favorite WordPress Theme Framework

If you’ve ever felt limited by your WordPress theme, or frustrated by design tools that don’t quite do what you need, it’s time to meet Kadence.

Fast, flexible, and incredibly customizable, Kadence is the foundation behind every WordPress theme we design at 17th Avenue Designs. It gives you total control over your website’s layout, design, and functionality—without needing to touch a single line of code. Whether you’re a blogger, creative, or entrepreneur, Kadence makes it simple to build a site that’s as beautiful as it is powerful.

Ready to find your dream Kadence theme? Explore our full lineup of feminine WordPress Themes.

What is Kadence?

Kadence is a powerful theme framework and block system that allows for endless customization possibilities. You can customize every aspect of your site with no code: layout, fonts, colors, and so much more. And Kadence is completely free for you to use, so no additional purchase is required! A Pro version is available that offers some neat features, but these features are not used/shown in our theme demos.

So what is Kadence exactly, and how does it fit in WordPress? To break it down, we like the analogy of a car:

Your hosting company is your garage – it’s where all of your website’s files are stored for safekeeping.
Your domain (yourwebsite.com) is your license plate – it’s how people find you on the web.
WordPress is the engine of your car – it provides all the essential underlying functions needed to run your website.
Kadence is the body of your car – it adds the basic structure and core features to your website, such as navigation and accessibility.
A child theme (like ours!) adds the design and pretty, extra elements to your car – think paint, a fancy touchscreen radio, heated steering wheel, luxurious leather seats. Child themes make your website beautiful, unique, and all you! Child themes also allow you change the appearance of your website safely, so you won’t lose your changes when updating Kadence.

You can learn more about Kadence in our FAQ and on the Kadence website.

Why Use Kadence?

We chose Kadence as the basis for our themes for several reasons:

Lightweight and FAST. Many theme frameworks are bulky and slow, but not Kadence. It’s ultra lightweight, ensuring your site loads quickly across all devices. A fast site makes for a better user experience and improved SEO.
Unlimited Customization Options. Kadence offers complete flexibility — change fonts, colors, layouts, headers, navigation, and footers effortlessly. You have the creative freedom to style your site exactly as you envision without being limited by rigid templates.
No Coding Required. With Kadence, you don’t have to touch a line of code. Every aspect of customization happens in the user-friendly Theme Customizer and Block Editor, making design changes easy.
Hassle-Free Updates. Keeping your site secure is crucial. Kadence makes it simple to stay current, with easy-to-manage updates for the theme and its plugins. Regular updates mean a safer site, protecting you from vulnerabilities.
Drag-and-Drop Page Building. Kadence integrates seamlessly with the Block Editor, offering a drag-and-drop experience that’s both intuitive and powerful. Easily and quickly create beautiful, unique pages that let your content shine — no experience required!
Responsive and Mobile-Friendly. Your site will look perfect on any device. Kadence themes are fully responsive, automatically adjusting for an optimal viewing experience on phones, tablets, and desktops.
WooCommerce Integration. Extensive WooCommerce features and customization options are built right into Kadence, allowing you to create a fully customized, high-converting shop. Visit the Shop page in one of our theme demos to check it out!
SEO-Optimized. Kadence is built with SEO best practices in mind, ensuring that your site’s code is clean and search-engine-friendly. This makes it easier for your content to rank higher on Google.
Excellent Support and Community. Kadence has a strong community behind it and awesome support. If you run into any questions, you’re not alone — there’s a wealth of resources, guides, and support forums to help you out.

17th Avenue + Kadence = 🙌🏻😍🎉

So, we’ve covered how great Kadence is. What does 17th Avenue bring to the table? While Kadence offers a solid foundation, the default setup can feel… well, boring. If you’re after a cookie-cutter business-bro look, Kadence has you covered with their starter templates. But that’s not our style. 😘

At 17th Avenue, we specialize in creating beautiful, feminine WordPress themes that are as functional as they are stylish. Our themes blend aesthetic with purpose, and are thoughtfully designed to elevate your content, boost conversions, and drive sales. Whether you’re a creator, influencer, business owner, coach, or shop, you’ll find a theme that you love and aligns with your goals.

But honestly, our themes are just the beginning! We back them up with some of the best theme documentation and tutorials in the industry. Our easy-to-follow guides and videos make setup a breeze, even if you’re brand new to WordPress. Plus, your theme purchase includes access to our private WordPress Video Library—a fantastic resource to help you navigate WordPress and the Block Editor with confidence.

Most importantly, we’re here for you. Run into a roadblock or have questions? Our support team is just a ticket away, always ready to offer quick, friendly support!

Want to learn more about what makes our themes different from other Kadence options? Here’s a closer look at why a 17th Avenue theme is worth the investment.