Do you want a feature-rich multipurpose WordPress theme for your website? Uncode is a pixel perfect WordPress theme that comes with tons of built-in homepage templates and 1-click demo importer. In this Uncode theme review, let’s take a detailed look at its functionalities and determine if it is the best choice for your site.
We were looking for a good looking, creative and multi-purpose WordPress theme to develop one of our client website. After looking at many theme options from different marketplaces, we finally finalised the attractive options offered by Uncode theme. We have then purchased this theme and built a beautiful corporate website using Uncode theme and here is a genuine review for those who are looking for buying the theme.
About Uncode WordPress Theme
Uncode is one of the bestselling WordPress themes in the ThemeForest marketplace. It is released by Undsgn, a creative team of WordPress developers who are located in Italy and Sweden.
The Uncode theme allows you to take full control over your layouts and designs using its Options systems.
The theme is also bundled with many premium WordPress plugins, including Visual Composer, the most powerful page builder plugin that allows you to build pages on your site the way you want.
Uncode also helps you to showcase your portfolio as a custom post type. This theme could be the best choice for anyone who wants to display portfolio with beautiful sliders.
Purchasing and Installing Uncode Theme
You can purchase the Uncode theme from Themeforest marketplace for $59. The cost is for a single site license with six months of free support. Though the theme was advertised as a multi-purpose theme, definitely the portfolio capabilities make the theme more popular than any other reasons.
After you have purchased Uncode theme from ThemeForest, you first need to download the Uncode files from your ThemeForest account. Navigate to your ThemeForest downloads tab and find Uncode – Creative Multiuse WordPress Theme. Clicking the download button displays two options:
- All files & documentation downloads a folder that contains everything.
- Installable WordPress file only downloads the installable WordPress theme file.
What’s included
Visual Composer is one of the popular drag and drop page builder plugins for WordPress. And Uncode theme is nothing but a customized version of Visual Composer plugin. Note that the theme will not work without Visual Composer. Below is a listing of what is included in the main files download, and a brief description of each item:
- Uncode.zip: contains the Uncode WordPress theme.
- Uncode-child.zip: contains the child theme file used only for code changes.
- Documentation: contains the Uncode theme, Layer Slider, and Revolution Slider documentation.
- Plugins: contains the Premium Sliders plugins zip file.
- Licensing: contains the item general license.
- Licenses: contains the commercial licenses for the developer plugins included with the theme.
With the Uncode Theme you can also get the Uncode WPBakery Page Builder plugin, a tailored and extended version of WPBakery Page Builder, so you don’t have to buy a version of WPBakery Page Builder to work with Uncode, this is just part of the package.
With the Uncode Theme you can also get all the layouts and pages you see in the main demo site, once you install the demo contents you have an exact replica of the demo site just with placeholders images.
The Uncode Demo uses free and stock images that are NOT included in the download package. Those images are for demo purposes only. Once you install the Demo Content placeholders, images can easily be added as needed.
Included Plugins
The Uncode package include the following plugins:
- Uncode Core (required): Uncode Core Plugin for Undsgn Themes.
- Uncode WPBakery Page Builder (required): Extended version of WPBakery Page Builder. Take full control over your WordPress site, build any layout you can imagine.
- Visual Composer Clipboard: Clipboard and template manager for WPBakery Page Builder (Visual Composer).
- VC Particles Background: particle.js backgrounds for WPBakery Page Builder.
- Slider Revolution: Slider Revolution is an innovative, responsive WordPress Slider Plugin that displays your content the beautiful way whether it’s a Slider, Carousel, Hero Scene or even a whole Front Page.
- LayerSlider WP: LayerSlider is a premium multi-purpose content creation and animation platform. Easily create sliders, image galleries, slideshows with mind-blowing effects, popups, landing pages…
- Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order:Order Categories and all custom taxonomies terms (hierarchically) and child terms using a Drag and Drop Sortable javascript capability.
- Contact Form 7: Just another contact form plugin. Simple but flexible.
- Related Posts for WordPress: Related Posts for WordPress, the best way to display related posts in WordPress.
- Uncode Privacy Plugin: privacy extension for Undsgn themes.
- Uncode Dave’s WordPress Live Search: Extended version of Dave’s WordPress Live Search – Adds “live search” functionality to your WordPress site. Uses the built-in search and jQuery.
- WooCommerce: An eCommerce toolkit that helps you sell anything. Beautifully.
If you want to have a site like demo then most of the plugins are necessary to be installed on your site. But we strongly recommend activating only required plugins for you and not all. For example, you should only install either revolution or layer slider. Installing both slider plugins is not required on a single site unless you love to have both.
Theme Prerequisites
To use Uncode WordPress Theme, you must be running WordPress 4 or higher, PHP 5.6 or higher version (WordPress officially suggests to use PHP 7.3) and mysql 5 or higher version. Uncode has been tested with Mac, Windows and Linux. Below is a checklist of items your host needs to comply with to ensure proper Uncode operation:
- Ensure your web host has the minimum requirements to run WordPress.
- Make sure the latest version of WordPress is up and running.
- If necessary, you can download the latest release of WordPress from the official WordPress website.
PHP Configuration limits
Uncode is a heavy WordPress theme that requires you to set a memory limit to at least 64MB for proper functioning. If your WordPress memory limit is less than 64MB, you’ll be asked to increase the memory allocated to PHP upon installation.
Most of issues users have are related to Server Requirements not respected. Issues you may encounter, such as demo content fails when importing, page not rendered correctly and other oddity are related to excessively low PHP configuration limit settings of the server. Please note though that many hosts will try to keep the limits low to save their resources. You are paying for it however, and you should expect to be getting your money’s worth. These values are typically lower if you choose a low budget host. Before start check your System Status.You can either increase these limits on your own, or contact your web host and ask to have the limits increased to the following minimums:
- memory_limit 96M
- max_input_vars 3000
- max_execution_time 120
- post_max_size 32M
- upload_max_filesize 32M
- allow_url_fopen ON
- asp_tags OFF
Verify your PHP limits
You can check all your server setting under Uncode – System check menu.
You can always contact your host to ask what the current settings are, and have them adjusted if necessary. Some hosts will try to keep PHP limits low to conserve resources. Since are paying for those resources, you should rightfully expect to be getting your money’s worth.
Hosting Providers
Uncode and their other themes are severely tested by Envato prior to release to ensure correct operation under optimum circumstances. If however, you choose a host with limited capacity or capabilities, you may encounter problems due to a lack of adequate operational support.
We recommend using a host WordPress trusts to provide quality products and reliable service. When users ask us for recommendations, we suggest the following companies.
Please note that although we receive a small commission if you choose either of these companies, our recommendations are based strictly on the quality of their product and their services:
Important: We have also compiled a list of hosts we do not recommend, especially if you use a shared economic package. The list includes GoDaddy, Hostgator, 1&1 & iPage. An online search will reveal many posts regarding their poor performance with WordPress.
Installing Demo Content
Unlike most other themes, Uncode is not based on a variety of different demos. Instead, it consists of a single, integrated installation. Once you install the demo content, you will have an exact replica of the Uncode demo site with placeholder images. You can install the entire demo site, or if you choose you can install only those pages of interest to you. To make your workflow proceed as smoothly as possible, we suggest installing the entire demo, select the pages of interest, and remove the rest. By doing so, you can take modules from one page and use them in others. When you are finished, there is a utility you can use to remove the unused demo media with 1 click. You can also, as already mentioned, import single pages. This way, only the page you select will be imported along with other data like the Theme Options or the Widget. Remember, that if you should choose a page containing portfolio items, you will also need to import the portfolio posts.
The easiest way to import our demo content is to use the Demo Content Importer. The Demo Content Importer provides you with all of Uncode’s pages and posts, sample sliders, widgets, theme options, assigned pages, products (if WooCommerce plugin is active), and more.
Using this import feature is recommended for fresh installs. The automatic import will NOT replace existing content but it will merge your actual contents with Uncode demo contents. We always recommend running it on a fresh WordPress installation and no extra plugins active.
If this is your initial experience with Uncode, we strongly suggest you import all layouts. You will then have everything needed to begin, it makes it easier to understand how Uncode works, and you can avoid having to create everything from scratch. Whatever your choice, you have these methods available:
Wireframes Plugin
A good alternative for those who don’t want to import Demo Contents is the Wireframes Plugin which offers similar features but with a different approach. The Wireframes Plugin, bundled from Uncode version 2.1, allows you to easily import over 400 carefully designed section templates that can be easily combined to create a complete website or independent landing pages.
Light and Dark skins
When using Uncode you will see frequent references to Light and Dark skins. Skins are settings that allow you to switch your text color in accordance with the background and design you have in place. A Light skin setting refers to dark text on a bright background (usually used in bright layout). A Dark skin setting on the other hand, features bright text on a dark background (usually used in dark layout). The skin system makes it much easier to create sections featuring contrast.
Read more on Light and Dark Skins
Using Content Blocks
The Content Block is an Uncode feature not found in any other theme. They have created this unique Content Block feature to create and store selected Uncode WPBakery Page Builder content and replicate it across the site. The Content Block enables you to create sections of content that can be integrated into your pages. You can use the Content Block to create Header, Footer, Archive pages, or any part of any page you want to replicate across your site. The Uncode Content Block makes it possible to use Uncode WPBakery Page Builder in areas of a WP site that VC normally cannot operate in.
Ensure content blocks are not indexable by search engines by hiding them in Sitemap. You can do this easily with one of the SEO plugins like Yoast SEO. Do not delete the predefined content blocks, as they are required for different layouts of your site.
Customizing Global Theme Options
Navigate to “Uncode > Theme Options” and setup the global settings for individual post/page/portfolio layouts. Setup menu, header, content, sidebar, navigation, footer and custom fields details as needed for your site.
There are huge sets of options available under “Theme Options” for social profiles, custom CSS/JS, sidebars and performance improvements. For example, enabling “Adaptive Images” under “Performance” tab will help you to serve resized images on mobile devices for improving page speed.
Creating Individual Post / Page / Portfolio Items
Besides normal visual editor, Uncode theme has two important additional meta boxes. One is for adding medias using Visual Composer in carousel, stack and isotope format.
The other is a page options to change the global settings defined under “Theme Options”.
Getting Support
Uncode theme include a 6 months support period and free lifetime theme updates. Once the 6-month support period ends, you have an option to extend support coverage for an additional 6 or 12 months. If you choose to not extend your support, you will no longer be able to open new tickets or receive technical assistance, but you still have access to their online knowledge base.
They have an advanced, secure ticket system to handle your requests. Support is limited to questions regarding the theme’s features or problems with the theme. They will not provide support for code customizations or third-party plugins. If you need help with anything other than minor customizations of your theme, you can contact us for any custom developement.
Pro Vs Cons
Pros
- Theme comes with bundled plugins – Visual Composer, iLightbox, Slider Revolution and Layer Slider.
- With different content blocks, you can create any type of layouts you want for your site.
- Huge demo data allows reusability of predefined layouts and will save lot of time for you.
- Adaptive images option allows you to serve scaled images on mobile devices.
- Each part of the layout like menu, header, footer and content section can be customized to create unique layout for your site.
- Completely integrated with Visual Composer to build highly customizable layouts.
- Easy to create WooCommerce store and integrated with Contact Form 7.
- Responsive and retina supported.
Cons
- It will take some time for understanding the theme structure with content blocks.
- $59 is high compared to similar range of commercial themes.
- Installation of complete demo content needs sufficient PHP memory and max vars input of >3000. You should increase the resources using php.ini file or request your host to setup for you. Some of the hosts may not allow this especially when you are in a shared hosting environment.
- Visual Composer is customized to use as a mandatory plugin for the theme to work properly. This indicates, you will never be able to migrate to another theme later without buying Visual Composer plugin. Even you buy, it is not guaranteed that standard Visual Composer plugin will work when you change the theme.
- Google PageSpeed score of their demo content is around 30/70. Yes, the score is as low as 30 on mobile devices (it was 10 on our site). The reason is the adaptive image system will not work out of the box. You may need to configure the image sizes or install separate adaptive image plugin to serve resized images on mobile devices.
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