

Barley
Barley is a WordPress theme built for news websites, blogs and content creators who want a clean, modern look. It centers on readable story layouts and a drag and drop homepage builder, so you can arrange your front page around the content you publish most.
- Version
- 1.8
- Released
- Feb 4, 2024
- Developer
- bkninja
- Type
- WordPress theme
- Licence
- GPL
- Included in
- Every plan, or $3.99 on its own
What’s new in Barley 1.8
- FixedFixed social counter
- FixedFixed Gallery Post Type
- FixedFixed some CSS issues
- ImprovedBIG UPDATE: Improved the speed of the theme, Optimize for SEO
What it does
Running a news site or busy blog means presenting a lot of posts without overwhelming readers. This theme gives you a clutter-free design that keeps the focus on stories and media, whether you cover technology, breaking news, product reviews or lifestyle topics. Instead of locking you into a fixed homepage, it includes the BKNinja Composer, which lets you pick modules and drag them into the order you want.
The theme is responsive and built on the Bootstrap framework, so layouts adapt from desktops to phones, and you can choose whether sidebars show on smaller screens. Ajax post loading brings in more articles without a full page reload, and sticky sidebars keep widgets, ads or navigation in view as visitors scroll. Documentation is included to help you set up and customize the site.
Best for
- News websites covering current events or technology
- Bloggers publishing lifestyle stories or product reviews
- Content creators wanting a custom drag and drop homepage
Features
Build a custom homepage by selecting modules and dragging and dropping them into place, so your front page follows your own layout rather than a preset one.
Readers can load additional posts on the page without a full reload, which keeps them browsing your archive and latest stories in one place.
Pages adapt to desktops, tablets and smartphones, with an option to control whether the sidebar appears on smaller screens.
Widgets, ads or navigation in the sidebar stay visible as visitors scroll down long articles and listing pages.
The theme is built on Bootstrap and is compatible with WordPress 5.x, giving it a mobile-first structure for responsive design.
A modern, clutter-free look puts headlines, text and media first, giving news and review content a professional appearance.
Detailed guides walk you through setting up and customizing the theme to match your site.
Questions about Barley
Can I design my own homepage layout with this theme?
Yes. The BKNinja Composer lets you build the homepage by choosing modules and dragging and dropping them into the order you like, so you are not tied to a single preset layout.
Will my site work well on phones?
Barley is fully responsive and built on the Bootstrap framework, so layouts adjust to smaller screens. You can also control whether the sidebar is shown on mobile devices.
What kinds of sites is this theme suited to?
It is designed for news websites, blogs and content creators. It works well for coverage of technology trends, breaking news, product reviews and lifestyle stories, with a clean layout that keeps the focus on reading.
How does the Ajax post loading work?
Additional posts load dynamically on the current page without a full reload, so visitors can keep scrolling through more articles without waiting for a new page to open.
Is Barley free?
The code of Barley is licensed under the GPL, so anyone may use, change and share it. GPL Feast is a paid service: a plan or a single purchase gives you the download and automatic updates. The developer's own support, licence key and online services are not included.
Which version of Barley is this?
Version 1.8, released Feb 4, 2024. New versions appear here when the developer publishes them, and members get them as automatic updates.
How do I update Barley?
Install the free GPL Feast Updater on your site and connect it with your API key. It installs new versions of Barley automatically and keeps a backup, so you can roll back.
More from bkninja







