# Suggestions for achieving a custom layout without having to code everything
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/suggestions-for-achieving-a-custom-layout-without-having-to-code-everything/230787
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [June 22, 2022, 5:00pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/suggestions-for-achieving-a-custom-layout-without-having-to-code-everything/230787 "2022-06-22T17:00:41Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@JamesDb](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JamesDb)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2022, 5:00pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/suggestions-for-achieving-a-custom-layout-without-having-to-code-everything/230787/1 "2022-06-22T17:00:42Z")
Hey everyone,
I would like to make a custom landing page layout for the forum which displays the categories as boxes with the subcategories and the latest topics from that category in the same style as the latest topics section with the avatar image of the last poster
I would like to know if it’s possible to achieve this with any ready made theme components rather than having to make it myself
Here is a photoshop mockup of just one category
---
### Author:  [@keegan](https://meta.discourse.org/u/keegan)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2022, 5:09pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/suggestions-for-achieving-a-custom-layout-without-having-to-code-everything/230787/2 "2022-06-22T17:09:54Z")
I don’t think there are any theme components available currently that can get you to achieve this exact style. Though it shouldn’t be too difficult with some custom code.
That being said, perhaps you may achieve a similar output or another design that you like with some of these theme components or a combination of them:
- [Showcased Categories](https://meta.discourse.org/t/showcased-categories-theme-component/173524)
- [Category Icons](https://meta.discourse.org/t/category-icons-component/104683)
- [Enhanced category-box display component](https://meta.discourse.org/t/enhanced-category-box-display-component/156954)
- [Category Groups](https://meta.discourse.org/t/category-groups-component/200874)
- [Custom Category Boxes](https://meta.discourse.org/t/custom-category-boxes-component/144865)
- [Topic Count in Category Boxes](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-count-in-category-boxes-theme-component/187411)
- [Category List with Banners](https://meta.discourse.org/t/category-list-with-banners/201280)
- [Featured Categories Header](https://meta.discourse.org/t/featured-categories-header/203779)
---
### Author:  [@JamesDb](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JamesDb)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2022, 6:22pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/suggestions-for-achieving-a-custom-layout-without-having-to-code-everything/230787/4 "2022-06-22T18:22:46Z")
I already have the category icons and stuff. These are the views i currently have
I’m specifically looking for the following fearures
- Category boxes WITH subcategories AND latest topics (not featured topics)
- the option to choose how many columns of boxes there are (in my case 2 but on mobile it should be 1)
- latest topics show avatars (just like the “categories and latest topics” view)
- optionally the ability to make the box border take the category colour
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### Author:  [@Ahmed\_Gagan](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Ahmed_Gagan)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2022, 7:00pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/suggestions-for-achieving-a-custom-layout-without-having-to-code-everything/230787/5 "2022-06-22T19:00:52Z")
I think you should have a look at this component [Custom Category Boxes](https://meta.discourse.org/t/custom-category-boxes-component/144865)
It says it’s broken but it’s working fine in one of my clients [site](https://discuss.scarletsociety.com/categories)
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### Author:  [@JamesDb](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JamesDb)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2022, 8:45am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/suggestions-for-achieving-a-custom-layout-without-having-to-code-everything/230787/6 "2022-06-23T08:45:50Z")
> [@Ahmed\_Gagan](#):
>
> I think you should have a look at this component [Custom Category Boxes Component](https://meta.discourse.org/t/custom-category-boxes-component/144865)
I appreciate the suggestion but this component only allows you to change the background style of boxes.
It doesn’t address any of the things I’m looking for
> [@keegan](#):
>
> perhaps you may achieve a similar output or another design that you like with some of these theme components or a combination of them:
>
> - [Showcased Categories Theme Component](https://meta.discourse.org/t/showcased-categories-theme-component/173524)
> - [Category icons component](https://meta.discourse.org/t/category-icons-component/104683)
> - [Enhanced category-box display component](https://meta.discourse.org/t/enhanced-category-box-display-component/156954)
> - [Category Groups component](https://meta.discourse.org/t/category-groups-component/200874)
> - [Custom Category Boxes Component](https://meta.discourse.org/t/custom-category-boxes-component/144865)
> - [Topic Count in Category Boxes Theme Component](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topic-count-in-category-boxes-theme-component/187411)
> - [Category List with Banners](https://meta.discourse.org/t/category-list-with-banners/201280)
> - [Featured Categories Header](https://meta.discourse.org/t/featured-categories-header/203779)
Again I appreciate the suggestions, the “Enhanced category-box display component” addresses one of my lowest priority requests which is changing the colour of the box border but unfortunately none of the others.
The features I’m looking for are:
- Category boxes WITH subcategories AND latest topics (not featured topics)
- Latest topics show avatars (just like the “categories and latest topics” view)
- The option to choose how many columns of boxes there are (in my case 2 but on mobile it should be 1)
- Optionally the ability to make the box border take the category colour
---
### Author:  [@JamesDb](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JamesDb)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2022, 8:47am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/suggestions-for-achieving-a-custom-layout-without-having-to-code-everything/230787/7 "2022-06-23T08:47:02Z")
Perhaps then making a custom theme component is the only option. My concern then is maintaining it. I would like to know people’s thoughts on that
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### Author:  [@Ahmed\_Gagan](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Ahmed_Gagan)
#### Post date: [June 23, 2022, 8:57am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/suggestions-for-achieving-a-custom-layout-without-having-to-code-everything/230787/8 "2022-06-23T08:57:24Z")
> [@JamesDb](#):
>
> Perhaps then making a custom theme component is the only option
I think that’s right, you have to make a custom theme component. If you are going to use the component and you know the code maintenance is not a big deal.
If you are not going to code you have to hire someone who can maintain the component for you.