Stack to Build High Quality, Block Based WP Sites in 2024?

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I’m a full-stack developer for over a decade. I used Laravel, spent many years developing Symphony web apps with a company and a few years ago, I started freelancing. With a graphic designer partner, we create fully custom-designed websites. For efficiency, I began using WordPress.

**The Problem:** I started with Elementor, but switched to Divi due to some frustrating bugs and the appealing “preset” functionality (that Elementor lacks [since 2016](https://github.com/elementor/elementor/issues/965)). However, I found Divi even worse and decided to avoid custom site-builders entirely (I could write a whole article on why not to use Divi, but can’t go back to Elementor without presets). However, I dived deep into WordPress and discovered how fantastic the framework itself and Gutenberg are. Now, I work really confident with WP, even building custom plugins for our clients. So it’s time to up the game.

**The Question:** In 2024, what’s the most efficient and modern method to develop lightning fast, custom designed, WP-based websites (or WooCommerce shops) that are easy to maintain (like client-editable texts/images)? I’ve spent dozens of hours researching, considering everything from different NextJS headless solutions, Tailwind starter themes, to Bootstrap5 + Gutenberg Blocks solutions. The latter seems most appealing, but I have quite a few criteria. Is there a plugin/template combination, a stack, that can handle all of this?

* Gutenberg Block-based development (no outdated, sluggish sitebuilders)
* Aim to achieve or approach Google PageSpeed 4×100, even on mobile
* Need something similar to Divi presets, that one is is a game changer
* Ability to create custom “template pages” (like Post Template, custom 404, etc.)
* Ability to build global headers/footers, with exceptions for specific pages.
* Maybe some built in support for popups, carousels, etc. so save time (+1 for Bootstrap)
* WooCommerce support

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