Documentation / User Interface / Theme Management

Theme Management

📅 Updated: May 27, 2025
👤 Author: LebCit
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Introduction

The Theme Management section allows you to customize your website's appearance, install new themes, and manage theme updates. Aether CMS provides an intuitive interface for working with themes, giving you complete control over your site's visual design.

Aether themes management page showing installed themes and tabs

Accessing Theme Management

To access the Theme Management page, click on "Themes" in the sidebar navigation. The Theme Management interface will load, displaying your installed themes and marketplace options.

Interface Overview

The Theme Management interface consists of several key components:

  1. Header Bar: Contains the title and upload button
  2. Tab Navigation: Toggle between "Installed Themes" and "Marketplace"
  3. Theme Grid: Displays available themes in a visual grid
  4. Theme Details Sidebar: Shows information about selected themes

Navigation Tabs

The Theme Management page is organized into two main tabs:

  1. Installed Themes: Shows themes that are currently installed on your site
  2. Marketplace: Allows you to browse and install new themes

Managing Installed Themes

The "Installed Themes" tab displays all themes currently installed on your site in a visual grid.

Theme Cards

Each theme is represented by a card showing:

  • Theme screenshot or preview
  • Theme title
  • Version information
  • Author name
  • Active status indicator (if currently in use)
  • Update badge (if updates are available)

Aether theme card showing preview, title, and information

Viewing Theme Details

To view detailed information about a theme:

  1. Click on a theme card in the grid
  2. The Theme Details sidebar will open, displaying:
    • Full theme preview
    • Title and description
    • Version information
    • Author information
    • Features list
    • Tags
    • Theme status (active or inactive)
    • Action buttons

Aether theme details sidebar showing theme information and action buttons

Theme Actions

From the Theme Details sidebar, you can perform several actions:

  1. Activate Theme: Apply the theme to your website
  2. Update Theme: Install available updates (appears only when updates exist)
  3. Delete Theme: Remove the theme from your site

Theme Updates

Aether CMS automatically checks for theme updates and provides visual indicators when updates are available:

  • Update badges appear on theme cards
  • Version comparison is shown in the details sidebar
  • Update buttons become available for themes with updates

To update a theme:

  1. Click on a theme with an update badge
  2. View the update information in the sidebar
  3. Click the "Update Theme" button
  4. Review the update details in the confirmation modal
  5. Confirm the update

Aether theme update confirmation showing version information and changelog

The update confirmation provides:

  • Current and new version numbers
  • Changelog information
  • Update confirmation button

Theme Marketplace

The "Marketplace" tab allows you to browse and install new themes for your site.

Browsing Themes

The marketplace provides several tools to help you find the perfect theme:

  • Search: Find themes by name or features
  • Category Filter: Browse themes by category
  • Sort Options: Sort by recently updated, name, or version

Theme Cards

Marketplace theme cards display:

  • Theme preview image
  • Title and description
  • Version information
  • Author name
  • Update date
  • "Installed" indicator (if already installed)
  • Tags

Installing Themes

To install a theme from the marketplace:

  1. Click on a theme card to view details
  2. Review the theme information in the modal
  3. Click "Install Theme"
  4. Wait for the installation to complete
  5. The theme will be added to your installed themes

Aether marketplace theme install modal

The installation process automatically:

  • Downloads the theme package
  • Extracts files to the appropriate location
  • Sets up necessary configuration
  • Makes the theme available for activation

Uploading Custom Themes

To upload a custom theme:

  1. Click the Upload Theme button in the top right corner
  2. The upload panel will appear with the following options:
    • Drag and drop the theme package onto the upload area
    • Click to browse and select the theme package from your device
  3. After selecting the theme package, it will appear in the preview area
  4. Click Upload Theme to begin the upload process

Aether theme upload panel

Theme Package Requirements

Custom theme packages must meet the following requirements:

  • Must be in .zip format
  • Must include a valid theme.json file with theme metadata
  • Should follow the Aether CMS theme structure

For more details, see Theme Structure

Theme Updates Management

Aether CMS includes a robust theme updates system:

Automatic Update Checking

The system automatically checks for updates to your installed themes. When updates are found:

  • Update badges appear on theme cards
  • Update notifications may appear
  • Update options become available in the theme details sidebar

Update Notifications

When theme updates are available, you'll see:

  • Update badges on theme cards
  • Update information in the theme details sidebar
  • Version comparison showing current and new versions
  • Update button in the theme actions

Aether themes update notification showing available updates

Applying Updates

To update a theme:

  1. Click on a theme with an available update
  2. Review the update information and changelog
  3. Click "Update Theme"
  4. Confirm the update in the confirmation dialog

Update Safety

The update system includes safety features:

  • Cannot update the currently active theme (must switch themes first)
  • Backup of theme files before updating
  • Update verification to prevent corrupted themes

Managing the Active Theme

The currently active theme is clearly indicated with an "Active" badge on its theme card. To change your active theme:

  1. Click on a different theme card
  2. View the theme details in the sidebar
  3. Click "Activate Theme"
  4. The site will immediately switch to the new theme

Aether active theme card indicator

Deleting Themes

To delete a theme:

  1. Click on the theme card to open the details sidebar
  2. Click the "Delete Theme" button
  3. Confirm deletion in the confirmation dialog

Note: You cannot delete the currently active theme. You must activate another theme first.

Aether active theme delete warning modal

Responsive Behavior

The Theme Management interface is fully responsive:

  • Desktop: Displays a grid of theme cards with multiple columns
  • Tablet: Adapts to show fewer columns
  • Mobile: Switches to a single column layout with optimized controls

Best Practices for Theme Management

  • Regularly check for updates to ensure your themes have the latest features and security fixes
  • Preview themes before activation to understand how they will affect your site's appearance
  • Consider creating a test environment before changing themes on a production site
  • Back up your site before making major theme changes
  • Keep unused themes to a minimum to maintain a cleaner, more manageable system