What is the difference between framed and frameless cabinets?

A framed cabinet has a solid wood frame across the front of the box, which the door sits against. A frameless cabinet has no frame, so the door covers the whole box edge. Frameless gives you noticeably more usable width in every cabinet and a flush, continuous look across a run. Framed is more traditional, offers a far wider choice of door profiles, and is more forgiving when a wall is out of square, which most walls in older homes are.