The Sage WordPress theme is the foundation of my WordPress development process. Over the years, I’ve refined a modern workflow that allows me to build websites that are fast, scalable, and SEO-friendly. Over the years, I’ve experimented with multiple workflows, and today my go-to choice is the Sage theme framework by Roots. Sage isn’t just a starter theme—it’s a modern development environment that brings together the best practices from the wider web ecosystem.
In this post, I want to walk you through my process for building WordPress websites with Sage, from project planning to final deployment.
Discovery & Planning
Every project starts with understanding the client’s goals. Before writing any code, I spend time clarifying:
- Who the target audience is
- What features or integrations are required
- What the long-term scalability goals look like
This ensures the website is not just visually appealing but also aligned with business objectives.
Why I Prefer the Sage WordPress Theme
- The Sage WordPress theme is not a traditional starter theme—it’s built for modern developers.
- Blade templating helps me keep code DRY and organized.
- Built-in asset management with modern tools like TailwindCSS and Webpack improves workflow.
- Compared to other starter themes or builders, Sage gives me full control and avoids unnecessary bloat.
Setting Up the Sage WordPress Theme
Once the project scope is clear, I spin up a new Sage 10 project. Sage provides:
- Blade templating (inspired by Laravel) → cleaner, more maintainable templates
- Modern front-end tools → Webpack, TailwindCSS, and PostCSS for asset compilation
- Composer support → managing dependencies like you would in Laravel or Symfony
This setup means the site isn’t stuck in outdated WordPress practices—it’s built with the same standards used in modern web development.
Designing with Flexibility in Mind
I design with content blocks in mind, not rigid page templates. Using ACF (Advanced Custom Fields) or Gutenberg blocks, I create flexible layouts that allow clients to:
- Build pages without touching code
- Reuse components like hero sections, testimonials, or CTAs
- Maintain design consistency across the site
This approach gives clients freedom without sacrificing design quality.
Development Workflow with Sage WordPress Theme
My coding workflow with Sage typically follows these steps:
- Blade templates → For modular, reusable views
- SCSS or Tailwind → For clean, scalable styling
- Custom Post Types (CPTs) & ACF → For structured content management
- Hooks & Filters → To extend WordPress core cleanly (without bloating with plugins)
- Git version control → For collaboration and deployment safety
This ensures the codebase stays clean, future-proof, and easy to maintain.
Performance & SEO Optimization
I pay close attention to:
- Page speed → optimizing images, enabling caching, and reducing unused CSS/JS
- Mobile-first design → testing across devices and breakpoints
- SEO foundations → semantic HTML, schema markup, and fast load times
The result: websites that not only look good but also rank well and convert better.
Deployment & Training
For deployment, I often use Trellis or GitHub Actions to push projects live. After launch, I provide clients with:
- Documentation for managing their content
- Training sessions if needed
- Ongoing support for updates or scaling
Final Thoughts
Building with Sage allows me to combine the power of WordPress with a modern developer’s toolkit. My clients get websites that are:
✅ Fast
✅ Scalable
✅ Easy to manage
✅ Beautifully designed
If you’re looking for a WordPress developer who can deliver modern, performance-driven websites, I’d love to chat. Contact me here.
