Roots Sage 10 vs Roots Sage 9

A Comprehensive Comparison for Freelance WordPress Developers in Manchester

As a Freelance WordPress Developer in Manchester, staying ahead of the curve in your workflow is essential for delivering high-quality websites quickly and efficiently. Whether you’re working on a small local business website or a large-scale e-commerce platform, the tools you use in your development process can significantly impact your productivity and the quality of your work. One of the most powerful tools that have gained popularity among WordPress developers is the Roots Sage theme development framework.

Roots Sage is not just another WordPress theme; it’s a framework designed to optimise your development workflow by utilising modern development tools and best practices. With the recent release of Roots Sage 10, many developers are wondering how it compares to its predecessor, Roots Sage 9. In this blog post, we’ll dive deep into the differences between Roots Sage 10 and Roots Sage 9, exploring their features, improvements, and how they can impact your work as a freelance WordPress developer in Manchester.

Introduction to Roots Sage

Before diving into the comparison, it’s important to understand what Roots Sage is and why it’s a valuable tool for WordPress developers. Roots Sage is a starter theme for WordPress that incorporates modern development tools such as Blade, Webpack, and Composer to improve the development experience. Unlike traditional WordPress themes, Sage encourages a more structured and efficient approach to theme development by promoting the use of DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) principles and modular code.

For freelance WordPress developers in Manchester, this means faster development times, easier theme maintenance, and more control over the design and functionality of the websites you build.

Why Choose Roots Sage for WordPress Development?

• Modern Workflow: Sage uses modern PHP development standards, including Composer for managing dependencies and Webpack for compiling assets. This means you can streamline your workflow and avoid many of the repetitive tasks associated with WordPress development.
• Blade Templating: Instead of relying on traditional PHP for templating, Sage utilises Laravel’s Blade templating engine, which allows for cleaner, more readable code. Blade also enables you to create reusable components, making theme development more efficient.
• Enhanced CSS Management: With tools like Sass and Tailwind CSS integration, Sage gives you more control over your stylesheets, allowing for more modular and maintainable CSS.
• Bower and NPM for Package Management: Sage allows you to use popular JavaScript and CSS frameworks like Bootstrap and Tailwind CSS seamlessly in your projects.

Now that you understand the basics of Roots Sage and why it’s an attractive option for WordPress developers, let’s explore the key differences between Roots Sage 10 and Roots Sage 9.

Roots Sage 9: A Foundation for Modern WordPress Development

Roots Sage 9 has been a popular choice among WordPress developers for years due to its clean architecture, modern tools, and flexibility. Here are some of the standout features of Roots Sage 9 that made it a staple in many developers’ toolkits:

1. Blade Templating

One of the most significant advancements introduced in Sage 9 was the integration of Blade templating. Blade provides a cleaner syntax compared to traditional WordPress PHP templates and enables the use of reusable components. This made theme development faster and more maintainable, especially for developers working on larger projects or managing multiple client websites in Manchester.

2. Webpack for Asset Management

Sage 9 introduced the use of Webpack for managing assets such as CSS, JavaScript, and images. Webpack allows you to compile and minify your assets automatically, resulting in faster website load times and better performance, which is essential for SEO.

3. Modern Development Workflow

With Composer for dependency management and Webpack for asset bundling, Sage 9 pushed developers toward a modern development workflow, moving away from outdated methods of handling CSS and JavaScript. This workflow increased efficiency and reduced the time it takes to launch a project.

4. CSS Framework Support

Sage 9 supported the integration of popular CSS frameworks like Bootstrap and Tailwind CSS. This made it easy for developers to build responsive, modern websites without spending too much time on custom CSS.

5. Improved Code Organisation

Sage 9 introduced better code organisation by separating the theme into different directories for templates, assets, and functions. This made it easier for developers to manage their code, especially when working on complex projects with multiple contributors.

Roots Sage 10: Elevating WordPress Development to New Heights

With the release of Roots Sage 10, freelance WordPress developers in Manchester can now benefit from several new features and improvements that make theme development even more efficient and enjoyable. Here are the key updates in Sage 10:

1. Full Integration with Tailwind CSS

While Sage 9 offered support for Tailwind CSS, Sage 10 takes this integration to the next level. Tailwind CSS is now fully baked into the theme’s setup, making it easier than ever to create modern, responsive designs. Tailwind’s utility-first approach to styling allows for rapid prototyping and development, which is perfect for freelance developers who need to deliver projects quickly.

2. Vue.js and React Support

Sage 10 introduces first-class support for JavaScript frameworks like Vue.js and React. This means you can now build dynamic, single-page applications (SPAs) or interactive elements within your WordPress themes using these popular frameworks. For freelance WordPress developers in Manchester, this opens up new possibilities for building more complex and interactive websites without compromising on performance.

3. Enhanced Blade Templating

While Blade templating was already a major feature in Sage 9, Sage 10 builds on this by introducing even more powerful features, such as support for Blade components and slots. This allows you to create even more reusable code and improves the overall maintainability of your themes.

4. Improved Asset Management with Laravel Mix

Sage 10 replaces Webpack with Laravel Mix, a wrapper around Webpack that simplifies asset compilation. Laravel Mix comes pre-configured for common tasks such as compiling CSS and JavaScript, versioning files, and minifying assets. This means you can spend less time configuring Webpack and more time building your website.

5. Compatibility with WordPress Block Editor

With the increasing adoption of the WordPress Block Editor (Gutenberg), Sage 10 ensures better compatibility with blocks and block-based themes. Sage 10 allows you to integrate custom block patterns, styles, and layouts directly into your theme, ensuring that your clients have a seamless editing experience.

6. PHP 8 Compatibility

Sage 10 is fully compatible with PHP 8, the latest major version of PHP. PHP 8 introduces significant performance improvements and new features such as JIT (Just-In-Time) compilation, making your WordPress sites faster and more efficient. As a freelance developer, using the latest PHP version can also improve your workflow and reduce potential bugs or security issues.

Roots Sage 10 vs. Roots Sage 9: Key Differences

Now that we’ve explored the key features of both Roots Sage 9 and 10, let’s summarise the key differences between the two versions and how they can impact your work as a freelance WordPress developer in Manchester.

Feature	Roots Sage 9	Roots Sage 10
Templating Engine	Blade	Blade (with components and slots)
Asset Management	Webpack	Laravel Mix
JavaScript Frameworks	Basic support	Full support for Vue.js and React
Tailwind CSS	Optional integration	Full integration
WordPress Block Editor	Limited support	Full compatibility with block editor
PHP Compatibility	Compatible with PHP 7.x	Full PHP 8 compatibility
CSS Frameworks	Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS	Full Tailwind CSS support out of the box

Which Version Should Freelance WordPress Developers in Manchester Use?

Choosing between Roots Sage 9 and Sage 10 depends on your specific needs and the type of projects you’re working on as a freelance WordPress developer in Manchester. Here’s a quick guide to help you make the decision:

• If you’re working on legacy projects or prefer Bootstrap: Sage 9 might still be a good fit for you, especially if you’re comfortable with Webpack and prefer using Bootstrap for your CSS framework. Sage 9 is stable, reliable, and still widely used by many developers.
• If you’re building modern, interactive websites: Sage 10 is the way to go. With its full support for JavaScript frameworks like Vue.js and React, improved Blade templating, and full Tailwind CSS integration, Sage 10 is perfect for developers who want to push the boundaries of what WordPress can do.
• If you’re focused on performance and future-proofing your projects: Sage 10’s compatibility with PHP 8 and the WordPress Block Editor makes it the ideal choice for developers who want to ensure their projects are up to date with the latest technologies.

Conclusion: The Right Tools for Freelance WordPress Developers in Manchester

As a freelance WordPress developer in Manchester, choosing the right tools can make or break your workflow. Roots Sage has long been a favourite among developers due to its modern approach to theme development, and both Sage 9 and Sage 10 offer powerful features that can streamline your projects.