Aside from the famed WordPress and Joomla,  one of the most popular CMS solutions available is Drupal. Although every CMS lets you choose templates for the creation of your website, and many of them have similar features regarding design function, Drupal appears to be a lot more user friendly in the themes aspect of site creation than it’s competitors.

Perhaps the most beneficial aspect of Drupal is that all the themes associated with a site can be managed within one centralized database. While most people should be able to learn the process, the following information should expedite the process for you.

Selecting a Drupal Theme

The first thing that needs to be done in regards to site creation with Drupal is the selection of your theme. Finding a theme online is a very easy process. Simply conduct a web search with the keywords “Drupal themes,” or similar, and you fill find many results in a short period of time. Before you make your final decision and decide on a theme, make sure you know whether or not  the theme is compatible with your particular CMS. In some cases you may need to download a newer theme, or ‘downgrade to a previous version of your CMS in order for the theme to work. If you can’t find a specific theme that you would like to use, then you always have the option of hiring a freelancer to help you create a fully customized theme designed specifically for your website.

Custom Drupal Themes

If you know some PHP, HTML and CSS then you should be able to design an attractive template yourself. If you need help with the creation of your template you can find guidance on many Drupal forums, or you can hire a coder to help you out with the project. One of the ways you can make a custom theme simply is by using a predesigned template and then modifying certain parts of it to your liking. Every theme can be modified, and simply changing the header should be enough to give your site a completely unique look. If you find a theme that has a background that you like, do not be afraid to download it and experiment with the different elements of it to produce your own custom theme.

Utilizing Your Theme

Once you have created or selected your Drupal theme it’s time to install it on your website. Since each theme is different you’ll need to become acquainted with the various aspects of your theme. The best way to do this is to read the support documentation that came with your theme, which will usually be located in a README file. To install the theme go into your Drupal administrative interface and find the upload themes section. After you have uploaded the theme, activate it and adjust any settings that may have come with the theme. Different themes come with different settings, so make sure you explore the Drupal interface to find out what kind of options you have with your particular theme.