Chapter 9. Theming Elgg

In Elgg, a theme sets the visual design of your website: its layout, color scheme, graphics, typography, and behavior. The first thing you notice when visiting a website is its visual design. If it uses flashing text and rainbow colors, then you assume the site is stuck in the 1990s. In fact, you may assume the site's content is just as stale as its design and not give the site a second look. This is one reason why using the right theme for your site is so important. People quickly judge websites based on appearance.

A theme does more than make a pretty picture. It also creates the user interface of your website. It draws the user's attention to the important information. It makes it easy to navigate the site and perform common tasks. When people look at your site, you want them thinking slick or clean. When they use your site, intuitive, efficient, or fun should be the top descriptions.