> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.pressgang.dev/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.pressgang.dev/about/note-from-author.md).

# A Note from the Author

I’m [Benedict Wallis](https://benedict-wallis.com/), a senior freelance web developer based in Bristol, UK, and the author of PressGang. For over 20 years, I’ve worked with businesses and agencies to build websites, ecommerce stores and custom web applications.

## ❤️ A Labour of Love

PressGang is a labour of love more than fifteen years in the making.

It grew out of a simple goal: to make WordPress development more enjoyable, more maintainable, and faster to build and prototype with — without fighting the platform itself.

What started as a personal toolkit to consolidate reusable patterns across client projects gradually evolved into something more formal. Much of that work happened in delivery-focused agency environments, where clarity, consistency, and clean handover genuinely matter.

From early on, PressGang stood on the shoulders of giants — particularly [Timber](https://timber.github.io/docs/v2/) + [Twig](https://twig.symfony.com/doc/3.x/) 🌲 — whose separation of PHP logic from presentation fundamentally reshaped how I think WordPress themes should be structured.

In parallel, [Laravel](https://laravel.com/) strongly influenced my preference for explicit structure and convention over configuration.

## 🧠 Influences & Approach

PressGang doesn't try to turn WordPress into Laravel, nor does it attempt to reshape WordPress into something it isn't.

Instead, it borrows what translates well:

* Namespaced, PSR-4 autoloaded PHP
* Explicit configuration
* Clear architectural boundaries

All while working entirely within WordPress's native theme and runtime model, not around it ⚙️.

There's no attempt to hide WordPress, replace it, or abstract it beyond recognition — the goal is to work *with* WordPress, but in a way that feels modern, explicit, and maintainable.

## 🏗️ Where It Is Today

Today, PressGang is a modern WordPress parent theme framework designed for bespoke, long-lived professional websites.

At its core:

* Composer-based foundations
* Controller-driven context passed cleanly to Twig via Timber
* Clear extension points intended for child themes

It's deliberately opinionated but lightweight, avoiding heavy abstraction and hidden "magic" in favour of clarity and developer control.

## 🌍 Real-World Use

PressGang has been shaped almost entirely by real production work.

It's been used across hundreds of projects at several agencies I've worked with — many of whom adopted it and continued using it long after I'd moved on.

It has powered themes for:

* Global organisations
* Large brands
* Ecommerce stores
* SMEs
* Grassroots projects — including my local cyclocross league 🚴‍♂️

That long-term, real-world usage has been its strongest form of validation.

## 🤝 Working Together

Alongside maintaining PressGang, I offer [bespoke WordPress development](https://benedict-wallis.com/services/freelance-wordpress-developer/) and [WooCommerce development](https://benedict-wallis.com/services/freelance-woocommerce-developer/), including custom themes, plugins and integrations.

If you need help building with PressGang or improving an existing site, [explore my work and get in touch](https://benedict-wallis.com/).

## 🔗 Links

* [PressGang on GitHub](https://github.com/pressgang-wp/pressgang)
* [Read the docs](https://docs.pressgang.dev/)