HarvardSites WordPress Theme

Moving from the Legacy WordPress Theme to the HarvardSites Design System Theme

In January 2025, HWP launched the new HarvardSites WordPress design system–based theme. Effective July 1, 2025, all newly created HarvardSites WordPress sites must use this theme. The design system-based theme provides the same components, layouts, and accessibility standards as HarvardSites Drupal, ensuring consistency across platforms. The legacy WordPress theme (based on the “Flex” theme) is no longer being offered for new sites. Existing sites using the legacy theme will continue to function, but all new development is focused on the design system theme.

Why we are standardizing

The legacy theme served as an earlier foundation for WordPress sites at Harvard. While it offered flexible layouts, it was built before the HarvardSites Design System was established. As a result: 

  • Sites using the legacy theme look and behave differently from newer HarvardSites sites
  • Accessibility and branding were harder to maintain consistently
  • Custom CSS or one-off modifications sometimes caused sites to behave unexpectedly, and those customizations are more likely to break as the theme ages
  • Updates and support required custom work outside of our current standards

By moving all new sites to the HarvardSites design system theme, we now have a single, unified standard across both WordPress and Drupal. This reduces the risk of future breakage, improves consistency, and makes it easier for site owners to get support.

Benefits of the HarvardSites design system theme

The HarvardSites design system theme brings:

  • Consistency across platforms – Shared components and layouts across WordPress and Drupal.
  • Built-in accessibility – All components are designed to meet Harvard’s accessibility standards.
  • Streamlined support – Shared documentation, training, and updates apply across both CMS platforms.
  • Future-ready development – New components and features will be delivered through the design system.

What this means for your site

  • New sites: During FY25, HWP transitioned from using the legacy theme to the new HarvardSites Design System theme. Effective July 1, 2025 (FY26) all new sites will require the HarvardSites Design System theme.
  • Existing sites: Sites using the legacy theme (based on Flex) will continue to function. However, because the legacy theme will be deprecated, no new sites will be created with it.
    • HWP is unable to support site customizations or CSS code added to a site that is using the Flex theme.

We will share more information during FY26 about the timeline and process for retiring the legacy theme and helping site owners prepare for migration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Policies

Read our terms of use and Harvard’s digital accessibility policy.

Terms of Use
HarvardSites WordPress platform Terms of Use and who is eligible to use the platform.