The Future is bright for Joomla 5 (and beyond)…

EPISODE IV: UIKit, Gavern, and Gantry Frameworks

As we have seen in the last 3 episodes in this series, you have options in building a Joomla 5.x website:

1. Core + Built-In template of Cassiopeia, custom fields, tags etc and opt for the great built-in option: Joomla's Built-in Content Templates Page Builder.

2. You could opt for the very popular Helix Ultimate 2.x framework and possibly its accompanying SP Page Builder (Free or Pro) or the often updating Astroid Framework or even T4… 

But as we get into more frameworks, it is clear that there are different philosophies and approaches to interacting with Joomla for your template… and in this episode, we will talk about one framework which definitely takes a unique approach to how it works with and inside Joomla: UIKit (and its accompanying YooTheme Pro). 

Checking in on TemplateJoomla’s latest totals, there are 1651 templates for Joomla 5 (1058 templates based on Helix Ultimate…, 46 based on UIKit, 24 based on Gavern and 24 based on Gantry). 

Like previously, I recommend you go back to EPISODE II: Helix Ultimate by JoomShaper to review the 7 categories and what we will cover in each, I will however leave below the Title of each Category and number of points for each.

1: Features and Functionality (out of 10 points)
2: Performance and Optimization (out of 10 points)
3: Ease of Use and Learning Curve (out of 10 points)
4: Compatibility and Integration (out of 5 points)
5: Security and Updates (out of 5 points)
6: Customizability and Flexibility (out of 5 points)
7: Unique Selling Points and Differentiators (out of 5 points)

To try to compare each framework one from the other, I have given each number 
of points out of 5 or 10 depending on the importance/category

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The UIKit Bundle by YooTheme
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The UIKit Framework is unlike any of the other frameworks reviewed previously. It can’t be installed as a Joomla extension, is a very lightweight CSS & JS bundle which is combined with Vue.js and sees the light only through YooTheme Pro which can really work as both a Template Framework and a Page Builder. As a result, I will be mostly talking about YooTheme Pro vs the UIKit Framework itself…

SCORE:  37 out of 50 points

1: Features and Functionality - ( 7 out of 10 )

1. What sort of baked-in or companion builder is included or available if any?
   UIKit 3.21.9 - (last update Aug. 2024) is not installable as a Joomla extension, and so you must use purchase YooTheme Pro to have access to what the framework can do (and it can do a LOT).
   
   Sadly, there is unfortunately no free or trial version of YooTheme Pro and it also is by far the most expensive Page Builder/framework combination.
   
2. How does the framework handle layouts (including grid systems, columns, and rows)?
   UIKit itself has built-in capabilities for 10 column layout and comes with 81 components to do a variety of things: Accordion, Badge, Dropbar, Grid, Lightbox, Overlay, Slideshow, Video and so many more… 
   
   YooTheme Pro on the other hand supports natively a 12 column layout and has 35 built-in elements that you can Drag and Drop in place… (and there are even extensions to YooTheme Pro that can go bring that up to 24 columns and so much more !)
   
   Image credit: yootheme.com
   
   
3. Can modules be easily added, removed, and configured within the framework?
   This is not a concept that exists in UIKit. YooTheme Pro is very powerful in how it handles modules, it can handle modules by Module Position, it can handle Custom Modules, a special Builder Module and a super powerful Dynamic Content concept.
   
   
4. Since all modern frameworks support responsive design thankfully, how customizable and easy is it to manipulate or adjust?
   YooTheme Pro supports many responsive capabilities Responsive: Grid Layouts, Styling, Header Layouts and is also Retina Ready.
   
   
5. How closely or well does it work with the Joomla Core?
   This is probably one of YooTheme Pro’s most powerful and best sets of features, between the fact that Joomla Articles can use layouts created in YooTheme Pro, its Dynamic Content feature that allows displaying specific fields from articles and categories in the page builder and its ability to pull in data from Joomla's built-in custom fields - YooTheme Pro works very well with the Joomla Core.
   
   
6. What customization options are available, such as typography, color schemes, and animations?YooTheme Pro has all of the trimmings such as Google Fonts (including local loading) and styles, various typography features and much more…
   

2: Performance and Optimization - ( 9 out of 10 )

1. How does the framework perform in terms of page load speed, and other KPIs and what optimization techniques are built-in if any?
   YooTheme Pro supports many built-in features to help with performance: file compression of course, as well as Lazy Loading, Next-Gen Image formats, Local Hosting of Google Fonts and Srcset for Images...
   
   
2. Does the framework provide built-in SEO optimization features or reminders, such as meta tags, structured data, canonical URLs and more?
   YooTheme Pro does a bit more than most here with Meta Tags Management, Open Graph Support, Schema Markup, Clean and Semantic HTML and more…
   
   
3. How well does the framework adapt to mobile devices, and are there any features to enhance mobile user experience?
   YooTheme Pro is quite good with adapting to all sorts of different devices from smartphones to Tablets to Large Desktop. While it is quite good in this respect, there has been some difficulties for some users to get good performance scores on Mobile however.
   
   
4. Which browsers are supported, and how well does the framework handle cross-browser compatibility issues?
   All major modern browsers are supported. It even has good accessibility support by supporting keyboard navigation and ARIA roles.
   
   

3: Ease of Use and Learning Curve - ( 7 out of 10 )

1. How intuitive and user-friendly is the framework's interface, and what kind of learning curve can users expect?
   YooTheme Pro is quite appreciated by those that have managed to understand it and get used to the way it works… but it has a steep learning curve, one that is steeper than most alternatives - combined with its Paid only approach, not as user-friendly as it could be. 
   
   
2. What kind of documentation, tutorials, and support resources are available for the framework?There is a dedicated website for UIKit and a dedicated page for YooTheme Pro giving highlights to the framework/Page Builder as well as a Documentation, Help Videos and a Discord channel. There is also a considerable network of YooTheme Pro experts that can be hired.
   
   
3. How active and engaged is the community surrounding the framework?
   The community around YooTheme Pro (and YooTheme’s other products: WidgetKit, and ZOO) is quite strong, active and has a real fervor in the products. 
   
   
4. What support exists for the framework and how good is it?
   As a paid only product, one definitely expects great support - and YooTheme provides Documentations, Help Videos, Community Support, a dedicated Discord Channel but there has been some concerns about the support responsiveness as well as recently some poor handling from a customer experience standpoint. 
   
   

4: Compatibility and Integration -  ( 3 out of 5 )

1. Which Joomla versions are supported by the framework or does it have native Joomla 5 support (i.e. without the need of B/C plugin)?
   Joomla 5 obviously and without the need for the compatibility plugin (but it also supports Joomla 4).
   
   
2. How well does the framework integrate or play with popular Joomla extensions?
   There is quite a bit of support in the JoomlaSphere with other component providers with specific support for YooTheme Pro.
   
   
3. How well does it handle Accessibility?
   I was very sadly surprised to see that when I tested 6 of the recent YooTheme templates with tools like Wave, there were quite a lot of accessibility errors. When you add your own content, you will have to make sure to look and make sure to follow accessibility best practices to achieve your desired results.
   

5: Security and Updates -  ( 3 out of 5 )

1. What security features do the frameworks offer, if any?
   There is no specific information on the website about any built-in security features for this framework.
   
   
2. How frequently are updates released, and what kind of support is provided for security patches and bug fixes?
   Over the last 6 months, there have been 24 updates to YooTheme Pro and 30 updates to the UIKit framework. So, while there may be some delays in support responsiveness, YooTheme Pro and UIKit are some of the most actively updated.
   
   
3. How do the framework developers handle vulnerability disclosure, and what kind of transparency can users expect?
   There is no official vulnerability disclosure procedure that I could find for YooTheme Pro.
   

6: Customizability and Flexibility -  ( 4 out of 5 )

1. How easily can the framework be customized to meet specific project requirements?
   YooTheme Pro is very customizable with native 12 column support (and 24 column support via one of its many extensions), an export feature, and so much more - it is probably one of the most powerful frameworks you could choose for a complex project if you can get past the rather steep learning curve.
   
   
2. What kind of flexibility does the framework offer in terms of layout, design, and functionality?
   The framework’s backend interface is broken down into 6 areas: Layout, Style, Builder, Menu, Modules, and Settings and hides a plethora of features in each.
   
   
3. Can the framework be extended or modified using custom code or third-party plugins?
   There is a quite active community of 3rd party extensions for YooTheme Pro that do a lot of different things.
   

7: Unique Selling Points and Differentiators -  ( 4 out of 5 )

1. What sets this framework apart from the others, and what unique features or benefits does it offer?
   YooTheme Pro sets itself apart by its Dynamic Content, tight integration with Joomla and substantial 3rd party extensions support.
   
   
2. How does the framework approach common problems or challenges in Joomla website construction, and what innovative solutions do they provide?
   The most innovative feature in YooTheme Pro is its interface and dynamic content but those are also its most difficult aspects to learn and get used to.
   

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Gavern by Gavick / JoomlArt
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After reviewing the Gavern Framework more thoroughly and seeing that it was truly a Joomla 3 framework at its core updated to function pretty well under Joomla 5 and seeing also that only 24 templates that are made with it combined with the lack of development by Joomlart in too many years, I have decided not to do a thorough evaluation of the Gavern Framework.

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Gantry 5 by RocketTheme
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The Gantry 5 Framework by RocketTheme is a very capable framework with a capable backend and while it only also has 24 templates, and its future is uncertain recent updates to the Framework warrants a thorough look.

A quick overview video about the Gantry Framework.
 
SCORE:  38 out of 50 points

1: Features and Functionality - ( 8 out of 10 )

1. What sort of baked-in or companion builder is included or available if any?
   None.  While there is no companion or specific Visual Page Builder by RocketTheme, Gantry can be used easily with SP Page Builder, Quix, and others :).
   
   
2. How does the framework handle layouts (including grid systems, columns, etc)?
   Gantry 5 has an easy and very clean, modern and visually appealing layout manager that makes it pleasant to work with.
   
   
   Image credit: gantry.org / RocketTheme
   
   
3. Can modules be easily added, removed, and configured within the framework?
    It is very easy to add either 1 component area or any number of modules right from the Layout screen.
   
   
4. Since all modern frameworks support responsive design thankfully, how customizable and easy is it to manipulate or adjust?
   Gantry is a mobile-first framework with many options to make it easy to support Phone, Tablet and Desktop views with Default and Custom breakpoints.
   
   
5. How closely or well does it work with the Joomla Core?
   For the framework itself, Gantry is not as close to the Joomla Core as some other frameworks - and doesn’t seem to support Joomla 5 child templates. Gantry is pretty actively developed and is designed to work very well and closely with J5!
   
   
6. What customization options are available, such as typography, color schemes, and animations?
   Gantry has many customization options. Its backend has 6 sections: Layout, Styles, Page Settings, Assignments as well as Outlines and Menu. Beyond that, Gantry 5 has a unique concept of Particles and Atoms. Particles are modular components that can be added to a page's layout and Atoms are specialized particles that do not render visually on the front end but serve to execute scripts or functions. 
   

2: Performance and Optimization - ( 8 out of 10 )

1. How does the framework perform in terms of page load speed, and other KPIs and what optimization techniques are built-in if any?
   Gantry 5 is designed to be lightweight, fast, modern and great for SEO and performance.
   
   
2. Does the framework provide built-in SEO optimization features or reminders, such as meta tags, structured data, canonical URLs and more?
   Gantry 5 is just like most other frameworks mainly sits on top of and relies on the Joomla Core. Joomla is great with SEO so you are starting from a great starting point.
   
   
3. How well does the framework adapt to mobile devices, and are there any features to enhance mobile user experience?
   Gantry 5 supports Bootstrap 5, has a mobile first approach and a fluid layouts approach - as well as breakpoints for small phones, big phones, tablets, medium & large size computer screens.
   
   
4. Which browsers are supported, and how well does the framework handle cross-browser compatibility issues?
   The 4 Major modern browsers are supported by Gantry 5: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and Microsoft Edge with specific testing to make sure the framework works as it should.
   
   

3: Ease of Use and Learning Curve - ( 8 out of 10 )

1. How intuitive and user-friendly is the framework's interface, and what kind of learning curve can users expect?
   Gantry has a modern UI, and is easy to get around and understand. The Particles and Atoms concepts while a great extensible addition can sometimes complicate the interface a bit.
   
   
2. What kind of documentation, tutorials, and support resources are available for the framework?There is an entire dedicated website to help promote, understand Astroid as well as a very active Github account, and Documentation.
   
   
3. How active and engaged is the community surrounding the framework?
   Gantry 5 has only 24 templates built with it for Joomla 5, but it has a rather active community. Thanks to RocketTheme and other providers, particles, atoms and more are developed. There was quite some concern in the last 18 months as to whether RocketTheme was going to continue altogether, let’s hope a recent July update of 15 Joomla templates to J5.1 is a sign of great things to come!
   
   
4. What support exists for the framework and how good is it?
   Gantry 5 has continuous development and support through multiple channels, at least Github, and Community Forums.
   

4: Compatibility and Integration -  ( 4 out of 5 )

1. Which Joomla versions are supported by the framework or does it have native Joomla 5 support (i.e. without the need of B/C plugin)?
   As of this writing, Gantry 5 requires the backward compatibility plugin to be turned on for Joomla 5 from what I have seen and from my testing - but it is supposedly being worked on as written in a post 2 months ago by RocketTheme.
   
   
2. How well does the framework integrate or play with popular Joomla extensions?
   Gantry 5 works very well with the other popular extensions from my testing.
   
   
3. How well does it handle Accessibility?
   When testing with tools like Wave, I found that most 6 recent templates made with Gantry 5 from RocketTheme had quite a few errors but this is probably due to the fact that RocketTheme released those more than 2 years ago. When you add your own content, you will have to make sure to follow accessibility best practices to achieve your desired results.
   
   

5: Security and Updates -  ( 3 out of 5 )

1. What security features do the frameworks offer, if any?
   Gantry 5 has been built to be secure and includes multiple security features into the framework.
   
   
2. How frequently are updates released, and what kind of support is provided for security patches and bug fixes?
   Over the last year, there have been 4 updates to the Gantry Framework, the most recent of which 5.5.19 was released some 3 months ago. With the relative lack of information and lack of new templates from RocketTheme, there is a certain uneasiness about the future but with a most recent update of 15 template to Joomla 5.1, there is hope of some renaissance…
   
   
3. How do the framework developers handle vulnerability disclosure, and what kind of transparency can users expect?
   There is no official process for reporting a vulnerability and I couldn’t find a Responsible Disclosure Policy for Gantry 5.

6: Customizability and Flexibility -  ( 4 out of 5 )

1. How easily can the framework be customized to meet specific project requirements?
   Gantry 5 has a lot of modern features and is easy to customize for your project thanks to  the additional support from other providers with Particles and Atoms.
   
   
2. What kind of flexibility does the framework offer in terms of layout, design, and functionality?
   The framework’s backend interface is broken down into 6 areas:  Layout, Styles, Page Settings, Assignments as well as Outlines and Menu.
   
   
3. Can the framework be extended or modified using custom code or 3rd-party plugins?
   Yes, thanks to Particles and Atoms, Gantry 5 can be extended and improved.

7: Unique Selling Points and Differentiators -  ( 3 out of 5 )

1. What sets this framework apart from the others, and what unique features or benefits does it offer?
   Gantry 5 has a lot of ammunitions to help you get the job done:, Bootstrap 5, Fontawesome 6, Twig-based Templating, YAML-based Configuration, SCSS / LESS support and support for Particles and Atoms, etc...
   
   
2. How does the framework approach common problems or challenges in Joomla website construction, and what innovative solutions do they provide?
   Gantry 5 is a modern, modular, optimized and extensible Framework which should allow you to tackle most if not all of your Joomla website projects.
   

So for this edition, after removing Gavern from a thorough review, it comes down to YooTheme and Gantry 5, each with their own strength - with Gantry 5’s future a bit unknown, and even if YooTheme is commercial only and has a steeper learning curve - it rises to the top 3 so far of the Best Frameworks/Page Builders for Joomla 5 right behind Helix Ultimate.

I hope that this episode was useful and that you will have fun creating a Joomla 5 website with one of the 1651 templates and one of these 2 frameworks.

See you next month for a deeper conversation on the last 4 frameworks: Extendible TM, GK Framework, YT Framework and Plazart Framework.