Documentation
Everything you need to install WP Masterbase, activate a license and ship client sites — from the first Composer command to deployment.
Getting started
WP Masterbase is a commercial WordPress theme framework you consume as a Composer dependency, not a theme you drop into wp-content/themes by hand. Each client project is its own repository that requires the package and installs it under the active theme during deploy.
You will need a WordPress install (6.0 or newer), PHP 8.2, Composer 2, and a valid WP Masterbase license key from your dashboard. With those in place, getting a project running takes a single require and a one-time activation.
- WordPress
6.0+and PHP8.2 - Composer
2.xwith access to the package repository - A license key (Login → [your dashboard])
Installation via Composer
Add WP Masterbase to your project’s composer.json and install it. The package is served from the framework’s own package repository, so make sure that repository is declared in your project before requiring it.
$ composer require 7sd/wp-masterbase
# installs to vendor/7sd/wp-masterbase
✓ wp-masterbase installedOn deploy, the package is synced from vendor/7sd/wp-masterbase into your active theme. Until a license is activated the framework shows a setup guide and keeps its features dormant — so installation and activation are two distinct steps.
License activation
Open the WP Masterbase panel in WP Admin and paste your license key. The framework validates it against the license API and stores a short-lived access token; the token is refreshed automatically as it expires, so you activate once and forget about it.
What activation unlocks
- The full feature set of the framework (dormant until the license is active)
- Access to the add-on catalog and updates through the license API
- Theme, agency and white-label settings in the admin panel
If a key is rejected, confirm it matches the plan tier for this project and that the site can reach the license API. Your key lives in [your account portal].
Add-ons
Add-ons are optional modules — Cloudflare Stream, Global Sections and a native Gutenberg block library — installed and kept current from your dashboard. Every add-on in the catalog is covered by your plan; there are no per-module fees.
Open WP Masterbase → Add-ons, pick a module and install it in one click. Updates are delivered through the license API alongside the framework, so there are no manual downloads. See the Add-ons page for the full catalog.
Blocks
The Gutenberg block library lets your team compose pages directly in the editor with modern, lightweight blocks — no page-builder bloat. Blocks are editor-native and composable, so layouts are built the WordPress way and stay portable across projects.
Working with blocks
- Insert blocks from the standard editor inserter
- Each block renders on the front end with its own minimal styles
- Long-form and legal content is handled by the dedicated Prose block
Deployment
Deployment runs through your project’s CI pipeline: install PHP dependencies, build the front-end assets, then sync the framework into the active theme. Compiled assets carry their own metadata files so dependencies and cache-busting are resolved automatically.
$ composer install --no-dev
$ cd assets && npm ci && npm run build
# sync framework into the active theme
✓ build complete — ready to deployPoint your pipeline’s deploy target at [your server / host] and keep secrets out of the command history — load them from a gitignored environment file and store them as secured variables in CI.
FAQ
Do I install WP Masterbase as a theme?
No — you require it as a Composer package and sync it into the active theme on deploy. That keeps client projects clean and updatable.
What happens before a license is active?
The framework shows a setup guide and keeps its features dormant. Activate the license once and everything comes online.
Are add-ons extra?
No. Every add-on in the catalog is included with your plan — install only what each project needs. More questions are answered on the contact page.