[JENKINS-63661] Add sub-types of themes

[jenkins-infra-bot]

I recently found the Theme manager plugin and started trying to port the Material theme plugin to be a managed theme. I used the Dark theme as an example and saw that it changes two things, the main UI theme and the code box theme (I think it borrows from an IntelliJ theme?).

The Material theme also changes two things, the main UI theme and the icons used through the website. This made me think it would be nice if the Theme Manager allowed for theme sub-types. I think this would have two main benefits:

• Would make it easier for a developer to add their own sub-theme, as they can focus on the specific area of the UI they want to change (say the coding window).
• Would allow users more customisation options, as they could pick and choose between different main UI theme, Icon theme, code window theme.

Sorry if this is planned/already raise (I looked but could find anything with covers it).

---

Originally reported by canuck1987, imported from: Add sub-types of themes

• assignee: timja
• status: Open
• priority: Minor
• component(s): theme-manager-plugin
• resolution: Unresolved
• votes: 0
• watchers: 3
• imported: 20251212-090250

Raw content of original issue

I recently found the Theme manager plugin and started trying to port the Material theme plugin to be a managed theme. I used the Dark theme as an example and saw that it changes two things, the main UI theme and the code box theme (I think it borrows from an IntelliJ theme?).

The Material theme also changes two things, the main UI theme and the icons used through the website. This made me think it would be nice if the Theme Manager allowed for theme sub-types. I think this would have two main benefits:

	
Would make it easier for a developer to add their own sub-theme, as they can focus on the specific area of the UI they want to change (say the coding window).
	
Would allow users more customisation options, as they could pick and choose between different main UI theme, Icon theme, code window theme.



Sorry if this is planned/already raise (I looked but could find anything with covers it).

1 attachment

• image-2020-09-21-12-49-38-063.png

  

[jenkins-infra-bot]

mhtouchette:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  That would definitely be a plus...
  
  Having sub-themes or customizable parts of a css within the configuration manager would allow us to benefit from the updates of the dark-theme plugin without having to merge changes done in the css evertytime.
  
  Taking our use-case as an example, we would only want to modify the corporate logo in the header.  Would be great no to have to bind ourselves on a local copy of the css just for that.
  

That would definitely be a plus...

Having sub-themes or customizable parts of a css within the configuration manager would allow us to benefit from the updates of the dark-theme plugin without having to merge changes done in the css evertytime.

Taking our use-case as an example, we would only want to modify the corporate logo in the header.  Would be great no to have to bind ourselves on a local copy of the css just for that.

[jenkins-infra-bot]

timja:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  mhtouchette customising the logo is probably a separate feature. 
  
  Please create a feature request here: https://github.com/jenkinsci/theme-manager-plugin/issues
  
  in regards to this request I don't really understand it, imo the user just wants to pick a theme, they don't want to make their own one like this. If you want different versions just write and publish one?
  
  It's likely more people will be monitoring github issues, if you raise a request in jira only I will be notified https://github.com/jenkinsci/theme-manager-plugin/issues
  

mhtouchette customising the logo is probably a separate feature.

Please create a feature request here: https://github.com/jenkinsci/theme-manager-plugin/issues

in regards to this request I don't really understand it, imo the user just wants to pick a theme, they don't want to make their own one like this. If you want different versions just write and publish one?

It's likely more people will be monitoring github issues, if you raise a request in jira only I will be notified https://github.com/jenkinsci/theme-manager-plugin/issues

[jenkins-infra-bot]

mhtouchette:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  We would want to be able to use the Built-in dark theme, with the exception of the corporate logo in the header, instead of having to edit our own css, like we currently do. 
  
  
  
  I thought this was a use-case that might have been shared by other users, and worth mentioning.  But I may be wrong.  Maybe most users just prefer using there own stylesheet!
  
  This Jira issue mentioned customisation options, which left me to believe that there was something common in our request.
  
   
  
  Thanks for the link on github issues!
  

We would want to be able to use the Built-in dark theme, with the exception of the corporate logo in the header, instead of having to edit our own css, like we currently do. 

I thought this was a use-case that might have been shared by other users, and worth mentioning.  But I may be wrong.  Maybe most users just prefer using there own stylesheet!

This Jira issue mentioned customisation options, which left me to believe that there was something common in our request.

 

Thanks for the link on github issues!

[jenkins-infra-bot]

timja:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  What I meant was that makes sense but as a different feature request.
  

What I meant was that makes sense but as a different feature request.

[jenkins-infra-bot]

canuck1987:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  > in regards to this request I don't really understand it, imo the user just wants to pick a theme, they don't want to make their own one like this. If you want different versions just write and publish one?
  The request is to allow people to provide parts of themes, like an icon pack, or a colour scheme or code editor themes as plugins. If someone wants to generate a new set of UI Icons, having to create the rest of the theme is a barrier to entry.
  
  The secondary benefit is if someone likes the Theme A, except for the Icons, they could just load the colour scheme from Theme A, but use the Icons from Theme B - allowing them to customise their Jenkins Ui without creating a third theme.
  
  As an example, real world exampe I found out today that these themes (which are simple theme plugin themes):
  https://github.com/TobiX/jenkins-neo2-theme/blob/master/less/style.less
  https://github.com/afonsof/jenkins-material-theme/blob/master/less/style.less
  
  Actually import their icons from this theme:
  https://github.com/jenkins-contrib-themes/jenkins-core-theme/blob/master/less/images.less
  
  Seems like having a higher level 'material-icons' plugin would help with the maintenance of these themes. For example, if a new icon is required, it's fixed in the icon pack, not in each of the forked/updated themes.
  

> in regards to this request I don't really understand it, imo the user just wants to pick a theme, they don't want to make their own one like this. If you want different versions just write and publish one?
The request is to allow people to provide parts of themes, like an icon pack, or a colour scheme or code editor themes as plugins. If someone wants to generate a new set of UI Icons, having to create the rest of the theme is a barrier to entry.

The secondary benefit is if someone likes the Theme A, except for the Icons, they could just load the colour scheme from Theme A, but use the Icons from Theme B - allowing them to customise their Jenkins Ui without creating a third theme.

As an example, real world exampe I found out today that these themes (which are simple theme plugin themes):
https://github.com/TobiX/jenkins-neo2-theme/blob/master/less/style.less
https://github.com/afonsof/jenkins-material-theme/blob/master/less/style.less

Actually import their icons from this theme:
https://github.com/jenkins-contrib-themes/jenkins-core-theme/blob/master/less/images.less

Seems like having a higher level 'material-icons' plugin would help with the maintenance of these themes. For example, if a new icon is required, it's fixed in the icon pack, not in each of the forked/updated themes.

[jenkins-infra-bot]

timja:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  That’s possibly an artefact of neo2 theme being a fork of material theme.
  
  Can’t that be handled in the theme though? You could publish the css file as a library or npm package and then load it into your plugin at build time.
  
  I don’t want to invest too much time in icons as they’re getting reworked in Jenkins core soon, and most likely based on material I think. So hopefully the need to replace the dated icons decreases 
  

That’s possibly an artefact of neo2 theme being a fork of material theme.

Can’t that be handled in the theme though? You could publish the css file as a library or npm package and then load it into your plugin at build time.

I don’t want to invest too much time in icons as they’re getting reworked in Jenkins core soon, and most likely based on material I think. So hopefully the need to replace the dated icons decreases