Essential

Themes ::: theme_essential
Maintained by Gareth J BarnardGareth J Barnard
Essential is a clean and customizable theme. Essential is tested and tried by thousands of users, and ranks number one by site usage for all available third party themes.
Latest release:
2435 sites
484 downloads
357 fans
Current versions available: 12

This plugin is up for adoption, please see 'Plugins adoption programme'.

The "Essential" Moodle Theme
=========================

Please note: Essential has reached 'End of life' at Moodle 3.6 - last version for.  Please read moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=385903.

Do not attempt to install the theme beyond Moodle 3.6, you will break your site!

With 2.5 now released Julian thought it time to take the opportunity to build a new theme that would push the new theme engine to it's limits a bit.  With that in mind he introduced the new "Essential" theme.  Now Julian has left us for Canvassian adventures, David and Gareth took over development and maintenance.  And now David has left for pastures new, Gareth continues to maintain and make improvements.

The idea of this theme is to make the site look as little like Moodle as possible. In this specific instance, it would be used on sites where Moodle would potentially serve as a company homepage rather than just a course list.

Cool things to know about the theme.

  • It attempts to load as many as possible icons from a font.
  • Most of what you think are "graphics" are actually the Font Awesome font (fontawesome.io).
  • The slider on the front page is completely customisable through theme settings.
  • I am really trying to push what Bootstrap (twitter.github.io/bootstrap/) Grids can do.  As such the theme is fully responsive.
  • The footer is all custom Moodle regions.  This means blocks can be added.
  • The theme can use Google web fonts (fonts.google.com) to give it that extra bit of shazam!
  • Social network icons appear at the top of the page dynamically based on theme settings.
  • The entire colour scheme can be modified with theme settings.

Support:

The theme comes with NO support.  Please see the 'Support' section in 'README.md' file that comes with the theme.  This is because the theme is complex and I regret that I don't have the time / resources to freely assist with questions pertaining to specific enhancements / changes / knowledge improvement.

I will investigate genuine bugs and issue fixes in a timescale set by myself.  I will only explain / report my findings at my own discretion.  You MUST state the Essential and Moodle versions as I'll only ask for them and that delays time - in software bug fixing there is no 'latest' version as your 'latest' could be different to my 'latest', so please don't use that word or similar like 'current'.

Reporting issues:

Please read the 'Reporting issues' section in 'README.md' file that comes with the theme before posting / contacting me.  If there is any missing information then I'll only ask for it which will delay you getting a solution to your problem.

Video Promo:


Properties:


In versions 2.9.1.22, 3.0.1.15, 3.1.1.7 and above.


Versions:

Please note that previously the version for Moodle 2.6 was 2.7.x as well, but since these versions are now separated we also lowered the displayed version number.
 

Moodle Version

Essential Version

Status

2.5 2.5.8 Last release for M2.5
2.6 2.6.11 Last release for M2.6
2.7 2.7.9.5.3 Last release for M2.7
2.8 2.8.1.11 Last release for M2.8
2.9 2.9.1.24
Last release for M2.9
3.0 3.0.1.17 Last release for M3.0
3.1 3.1.1.12 Last release for M3.1
3.2 3.2.1.5 Last release for M3.2
3.3 3.3.1.5 Last release for M3.3
3.4 3.4.1.5 Last release for M3.4
3.5 3.5.1.5 Last release for M3.5
3.6 3.6.1.0 Last release for M3.6
3.7+ End of life Please see: moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=385903
 

Potential privacy issues

Google CDN fonts can be set to be used.

Screenshots

Screenshot #0
Screenshot #1

Contributors

Gareth J Barnard
Gareth J Barnard (Lead maintainer)
Julian Ridden
Julian Ridden: Original author
David
David Bezemer: Contributor
Please login to view contributors details and/or to contact them

Comments RSS

Comments

  • baraa abd el-hady
    Wed, 21 Feb 2018, 8:55 AM
    can we add a courses carousel or how can i use the silder and make anther instant as a courses carousel
  • Gareth J Barnard
    Wed, 21 Feb 2018, 7:13 PM
    Hi Baraa abd el-hady,

    It would be possible to have a courses carousel, just use the existing code as an example and modify as you wish.

    Kind regards,

    Gareth
  • Mathieu Pelletier
    Thu, 8 Mar 2018, 3:31 PM
    Hi Gareth,
    I notice you have updated Essential for support for 3.4, but the release indicator still only indicates 3.3. Just an FYI. As always, thanks for the amazing work on Essential.
  • Gareth J Barnard
    Thu, 8 Mar 2018, 6:51 PM
    Release indicator?
  • Gareth J Barnard
    Sun, 15 Apr 2018, 7:17 PM
    Dear Gabriela,

    That's not a Moodle or indeed the Essential theme. And as far as I can search, there is no Moodle on that site. So taking a hunch that this is spam to get the site listed higher up on search engines. Reporting to moderator for peer review.

    Gareth
  • Gareth J Barnard
    Sun, 15 Apr 2018, 8:16 PM
    Hi Gabriela,

    Ok, silly question, do you want to run Moodle as a means of providing a training site? As that is what it does. It is not a generic content management system like Wordpress, Drupal or Joomla. If you need Joomla themes then please visit their site. Essential theme for Moodle runs on Moodle and not Joomla.

    Gareth
  • Animal the muppet
    Fri, 4 May 2018, 6:15 PM
    How is compatibility with 3.5?
  • Gareth J Barnard
    Fri, 4 May 2018, 7:24 PM
    Untested with M3.5.
  • Gareth J Barnard
    Mon, 7 May 2018, 4:24 AM
    Dear Kacper,

    Ok, that is a Wordpress site, this is a 'Moodle' theme! So not even the same software. With respect like a previous post then a hunch this is spam and just a means to get higher up on search engines.

    Gareth
  • Emmanuel Del Moral G
    Mon, 21 May 2018, 8:26 PM
    hello, when will it be compatible with moodle 3.5?
  • Gareth J Barnard
    Mon, 21 May 2018, 8:28 PM
    Hi Emmanuel

    When I get it done.

    Kind regards,

    Gareth
  • cosimo
    Mon, 18 June 2018, 2:15 AM
    First of all congratulations, you have created a GREAT theme. I would like to ask you for information. Is it possible to move the block currently to the left in the central area to have more space in the input of resources and activities and navigation on the left? Thank you very much and congratulations again.
    Cosimo
  • Gareth J Barnard
    Mon, 18 June 2018, 2:35 AM
    Dear Cosimo,

    Thank you for your kind words. The theme comes with no support, please see the readme file for details.

    Kind regards,

    Gareth
  • cosimo
    Mon, 18 June 2018, 2:05 PM
    He Hareth, Thanks for the answer, unfortunately in the file read me I found no indication on how to move the block left in the center, a pity because it is really a fantastic theme but, the fact of having the central block on the left of even small size will not allow me to use it in courses.
    If someone of good will can give me some indication I thank him in advance, I am very keen to use this theme. Thanks and good day

    Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator
  • Gareth J Barnard
    Mon, 18 June 2018, 11:09 PM
    Hi Cosimo,

    The readme file details information about support and not how to move the block left in the center.

    Kind regards,

    Gareth
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