WordPress Tips

Recently, WordPress removed its featured themes page from the theme directory. Prior to that change, visitors would see this as the primary page when visiting the theme directory. WordPress has posted the popular themes list in its place. This affects only WordPress.org and not the WordPress admin for end-users.

First Change to WordPress Theme Page in 6 Years

This represents the first major change to this page in 6 years. In 2014, WordPress changed over to a randomized set of themes. Since then, many contributors and users have made many suggestions for an update. In so many ways, this key page is the face of WordPress, especially for new users searching for their first theme. Even so, WordPress passed over each suggestion no matter how good.

Eliminating the featured theme page is a difficult matter. It goes far beyond simply hiding the page on WordPress.org. There is an API endpoint that serves the list and core WordPress fetches themes directly from WordPress.org. Even if deleted from the software, users would still encounter backward compatibility for older versions of WordPress. At this point, deletion or elimination does not present a workable solution.

WordPress notes that hiding the page from the theme directory is only temporary. The expectation right now is that they will replace it with a properly-curated featured themes list.

What Became of the Curated Featured Themes List?

Last October, WordPress pursued a system for a curated feature themes list. The initial plan was for the team to work out the finer details and create a path forward. However, the idea seemed to fizzle out before it ever broke ground. There was little public mention of it after the excitement of the initial decision.

The idea for curated themes was that they would be the best of the best. How to define that presented a problem. At first glance, it meant that a theme had to exceed standard requirements while remaining unhindered by commercial interests. In retrospect, that level of scrutiny over a curated list may have been too difficult to execute. Curation does not mean perfection. Rather, curation may have been more successful if the team had focused on uniqueness.

The team failed to hold meetings with votes due to worry that people would be encouraged to vote solely for their own theme or a colleague’s theme. There was even worry that individuals might be offered payment for their vote. The system seemed too easy to rig. The team has had problems with these issues with previous programs.
The curated list based on their criteria would be too small to rotate regularly on the featured page. The team attempted to find other solutions. However, they were unsuccessful.

“It was a strain that we could not figure out a good solution where theme authors would be treated fairly,” said Carolina Nymark, a TRT representative. “Then we had a video meeting with [Josepha Haden, Executive Director of WordPress] where she said that the TRT team representatives should not have to select the featured themes. And it stopped there.”

Ari Stathopoulos, a TRT representative, mentioned the elephant in the room that the team was not addressing. “There would be significant drama if the list was manually curated,” he said. “If it’s done by reps, then those who were not selected would accuse reps of favoring some themes. If it was done by a rotating committee, the same. Authors would rather believe that they are a victim of some conspiracy rather than believe their theme is bad.”

A curated themes list may still happen. However, the theme review team is unlikely to handle it directly if the possibility arises again. It may go to some other team to make the call and play the role of the bad guy.