![Header Blueprint vs Stencil](https://www.brandlabs.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/blog-bp-stencil.jpg)
Why should you make the switch? Stencil isn’t just a different BigCommerce framework — it’s an upgrade and a better overall foundation for your ecommerce site. For some, Stencil is faster, more efficient to build with, and easier to work with compared to Blueprint.
If you’re looking for a more-technical review of Stencil for BigCommerce, check out our blog article about the differences and advantages of selecting: BigCommerce – What Stencil Does to “Build” a Theme
7 Major Benefits of BigCommerce Stencil
![blog-2018-05-14-icon-amp AMP Icon](https://www.brandlabs.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/blog-2018-05-14-icon-amp-1.png)
1. AMP FOR MOBILE
A strong benefit as Google up-ranks sites that are AMP enabled, and of course this feature alone makes your site load super fast. Having AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) on your website provides a better mobile browsing experience, compared to traditional responsive HTML.
![blog-2018-05-14-icon-localdev Code Development Icon](https://www.brandlabs.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/blog-2018-05-14-icon-localdev-1.png)
2. LOCAL DEVELOPMENT
With Stencil we can develop locally and show you changes prior to deployment to production.
![blog-2018-05-14-icon-templates Template Icon](https://www.brandlabs.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/blog-2018-05-14-icon-templates-1.png)
3. VERY FAST TEMPLATES
Everything is bundled, minified, and parsed into a very small package.
![blog-2018-05-14-icon-cms CMS Icon](https://www.brandlabs.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/blog-2018-05-14-icon-cms-1.png)
4. EASIER CONTENT MANAGEMENT
To manage content, you may end up messing with panels, snippets, and HTML markup in Blueprint. Stencil has its own sub-templates. In general, the files are laid out for a better user-experience and it is easier for developers to make changes. BigCommerce Stencil also has a translation file for content that is contained within the theme itself.
![blog-2018-05-14-icon-handlebars handlebar Mustache Icon](https://www.brandlabs.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/blog-2018-05-14-icon-handlebars-1.png)
5. HANDLEBARS AND MORE API’S
Part of the BigCommerce Stencil template framework is the inclusion of Handlebars and the inclusion of more API content.
![blog-2018-05-14-icon-faster Clock Icon](https://www.brandlabs.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/blog-2018-05-14-icon-faster-1.png)
6. STENCIL IS FASTER AND MORE EFFICIENT
Web pages on Stencil load much faster, and faster pages mean better rankings and happier customers. For example, a 1-second delay in loading time can result in a 7% reduction in conversions, meaning if your ecommerce store does $10,000 a day, a 1-second delay could cost you more than $250,000 a year. Stencil websites typically load almost a full second faster than Blueprint websites.
![blog-2018-05-14-icon-logic JavaScript Icon](https://www.brandlabs.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/blog-2018-05-14-icon-logic-1.png)
7. LOGIC
Stencil uses Handlebars templating language, which makes it logic-based as well as flexible enough to work with. It has rich options for front-end development, which are driven by JavaScript events. It’s the best option for local development and redesign, as it is done with minimal coding.
Stencil isn’t just a different BigCommerce framework — it’s an upgrade and a better overall foundation for your ecommerce site. Essentially, the top features of BigCommerce Stencil are:
- Stencil is framework, not a set of loosely connected templates
- Theme’s can be packaged up as single units
- Use of WebPack is available
- Logic in theme files
- Use of local development
- A sleek and modern technology stack
- Potential for continuous delivery and continuous integration (CI/CD)