Underwind, a modern WordPress starter theme for developers using Tailwind CSS
Build bespoke WordPress themes faster with a clean foundation and a modern front-end workflow.
Underwind combines the reliability of WordPress standards with the speed of today’s best tooling — without unnecessary abstraction or design constraints.
Vite · Tailwind CSS · Alpine.js · WordPress
What is Underwind?
Underwind is a modern, utility-first WordPress starter theme designed for developers who want full control over their projects.
It merges the proven foundation of _underscores with a high-performance development environment powered by Vite, Tailwind CSS, and Alpine.js — giving you a clean canvas that stays out of your way while you build exactly what your project needs.
No pre-built UI.
No opinionated design system.
Just a solid starting point for modern WordPress development.
Why Underwind?
⚡ Modern Development Experience
Enjoy near-instant updates and fast builds with Vite and Hot Module Replacement. Spend less time waiting and more time building.
🎨 Utility-First Styling
Style directly in your markup with Tailwind CSS. Rapidly prototype, refine, and scale your designs without bloated stylesheets.
🧩 Lightweight Interactivity
Alpine.js provides reactive UI behavior with minimal overhead — perfect for WordPress themes that don’t need heavy JavaScript frameworks.
🏗 Clean WordPress Foundation
Built on _underscores, Underwind follows WordPress best practices, semantic HTML, and modern PHP standards.
🛒 WooCommerce Ready
Hooks and styles are already in place to support WooCommerce, making e-commerce integrations smooth and consistent.
✅ Code Quality Built In
ESLint, Prettier, and PHP_CodeSniffer are configured out of the box to help you maintain a clean, consistent, and professional codebase.
Designed for Your Workflow
Underwind adapts to how you already work.
- Clone the repository
- Install dependencies
- Start the development server
- Build and deploy a production-ready theme
You get a fast local development experience and a clean, optimized output ready for any WordPress environment.
Developer Experience First
Underwind is built for developers who value clarity, performance, and maintainability.
- Hot Module Replacement for instant feedback
- Modular PHP structure to keep templates clean
- Clear separation of logic and presentation
- No unnecessary abstractions or locked-in patterns
You decide how your theme looks, behaves, and scales.
Get Started in Minutes
Clone the theme, install dependencies, and start developing:
git clone https://github.com/melasistema/underwind.git your-theme-name
cd your-theme-name
npm install
composer install
npm run dev
When you’re ready for production, build a fully optimized release with a single command.
Who Is Underwind For?
Underwind is ideal for:
- WordPress developers building custom themes
- Agencies creating bespoke client projects
- Developers who want modern tooling without abandoning WordPress
- Projects where performance and maintainability matter
Underwind is not for:
- No-code or drag-and-drop workflows
- Pre-designed themes or visual builders
- Users looking for ready-made UI components
Open Source & Future-Focused
Underwind is open source and licensed under GPLv2 or later.
It is designed to evolve alongside modern WordPress development while remaining lightweight, understandable, and adaptable. You’re free to customize, extend, and shape it to fit your needs — today and in the future.
Start Building with Confidence
Use Underwind as the foundation for your next WordPress project and focus on what really matters: creating great experiences.