# Native theme support
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/native-theme-support/47494
**Category:** Feature
**Tags:** rfc
**Created:** [July 19, 2016, 6:38am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/native-theme-support/47494 "2016-07-19T06:38:35Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@sam](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sam)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2016, 11:01am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/native-theme-support/47494/21 "2016-11-05T11:01:22Z")
We will get there, but probably not for the upcoming release, hoping for some time in first quarter of 2017, no promises.
---
### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2016, 5:21pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/native-theme-support/47494/22 "2016-11-05T17:21:22Z")
In the meantime there are browser plugins that will shift any site from light to dark as needed.
---
### Author:  [@erlend\_sh](https://meta.discourse.org/u/erlend_sh)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2016, 6:38pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/native-theme-support/47494/23 "2016-12-09T18:38:49Z")
Some things I’m still not seeing answered in the basic spec:
1. Could a theme bring its own [custom plugin outlets](https://meta.discourse.org/t/adding-plugin-outlets-using-site-customizations/32727)?
2. Reiterating what @Oskar asked:
> [@Oskar](#):
>
> Also, is overwriting or extending handlebars templates something that is encouraged? If so, themes should have an easy way to do so.
Do we want to support [custom templates](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-customize-discourse-templates/34813) in the v1 of themes? I certainly think it makes sense to bundle that in there. For example, if you style your theme around a custom [desktop\_category\_page\_style](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-style-the-categories-page/49030) that you’ve added, the template and theme are basically codependent.
---
### Author:  [@sam](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sam)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2016, 9:34pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/native-theme-support/47494/24 "2016-12-09T21:34:21Z")
> [@erlend\_sh](#):
>
> Could a theme bring its own custom plugin outlets?
Yes, absolutely
> [@erlend\_sh](#):
>
> Do we want to support custom templates in the v1 of themes?
Well, this is already supported in site customizations, no reason not to support it in themes.
---
### Author:  [@sam](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sam)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2017, 3:01pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/native-theme-support/47494/25 "2017-04-12T15:01:56Z")
First iteration of native themes is now merged per this [giant commit](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/commit/3dcad123f5a7cf0de3c4a57554a752b96a214943).
Following up with specific #howto topics to explain the new system
---
### Author:  [@sam](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sam)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2017, 3:01pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/native-theme-support/47494/26 "2017-04-12T15:01:59Z")
> [@Structure of themes and theme components](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-develop-custom-themes/60848):
>
> Discourse supports [native themes](https://meta.discourse.org/t/native-theme-support/47494/26) that can be sourced from a .tar.gz archive or from a remote git repository including [private repositories](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-source-a-theme-from-a-private-git-repository/82584). An example theme is at: [GitHub - discourse/discourse-simple-theme: Sam's simple discourse theme · GitHub](https://github.com/SamSaffron/discourse-simple-theme) The git repository will be checked for updates ([once a day](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/blob/main/app/jobs/scheduled/check_out_of_date_themes.rb)), or by using the Check for Updates button. When changes are detected the Check for Updates button will change to the Update to Latest. [image] To create a theme you need to foll…
[Previous page](https://meta.discourse.org/t/native-theme-support/47494.md?page=1)