Table of Contents

  1. Introduction

  2. What Are Dolibarr Themes?

  3. Why Change the Theme?

  4. Default Themes Available in Dolibarr

  5. Activating a Theme from the User Interface

  6. Setting a Default Theme for All Users

  7. Customizing Theme Settings

  8. Creating Your Own Theme

  9. Modifying Existing Themes Safely

  10. Directory Structure of a Dolibarr Theme

  11. CSS and LESS in Dolibarr Themes

  12. Adding Custom Logos and Branding

  13. Theme Compatibility with Dolibarr Versions

  14. Responsive Design Considerations

  15. Using Community-Contributed Themes

  16. Troubleshooting Theme Issues

  17. Best Practices for Theming

  18. Multicompany Theme Configuration

  19. Security and Performance Considerations

  20. Conclusion


1. Introduction

The user interface (UI) of Dolibarr plays a key role in usability, efficiency, and branding. Dolibarr supports multiple themes, and administrators or developers can switch, customize, or create entirely new visual styles. This guide walks you through the entire process of changing and managing themes within Dolibarr.


2. What Are Dolibarr Themes?

Themes in Dolibarr are collections of stylesheets (CSS/LESS) and images that define how the application looks. A theme controls:

  • Colors and fonts

  • Menu layout

  • Button styles

  • Backgrounds and icon sets

Each theme resides in the /htdocs/theme/ directory and can be selected at the user or system level.


3. Why Change the Theme?

Reasons include:

  • Visual customization to reflect company branding

  • Improving accessibility for certain users

  • Enhancing usability on different screen sizes

  • Aligning Dolibarr UI with other business tools

A better UI can increase staff efficiency and satisfaction.


4. Default Themes Available in Dolibarr

Common built-in themes include:

  • Oblyon (modern and responsive)

  • Eldy (classic and widely supported)

  • MD (Material Design-inspired)

Each theme is maintained to align with Dolibarr’s core updates.


5. Activating a Theme from the User Interface

To change the theme for a user:

  1. Log in as the user

  2. Go to Top Right Menu > Personal Settings

  3. Under Display Options, select the preferred theme

  4. Save changes and refresh the page

This change only affects the current user.


6. Setting a Default Theme for All Users

To apply a theme system-wide:

  1. Log in as an administrator

  2. Go to Setup > Display

  3. Choose the default theme under Interface Options

  4. Optionally disable theme selection to enforce consistency

Useful for branding or standardizing appearance across teams.


7. Customizing Theme Settings

Some themes like Oblyon offer configurable elements:

  • Sidebar collapse

  • Icon set selection

  • Font size and spacing

These can be adjusted from the user settings or via the admin panel if supported.


8. Creating Your Own Theme

Steps:

  1. Copy an existing theme folder from /htdocs/theme/

  2. Rename it (e.g., mytheme)

  3. Update main.style.css.php and image references

  4. Set the theme name in theme.inc.php

Once in place, your theme appears in the dropdown list for selection.


9. Modifying Existing Themes Safely

To prevent issues:

  • Never edit core theme files directly

  • Instead, copy and override in a custom theme

  • Use browser dev tools to identify classes and selectors

Keep your modifications minimal for easier future upgrades.


10. Directory Structure of a Dolibarr Theme

Typical contents of a theme folder:

  • theme.inc.php: metadata

  • main.style.css.php: main CSS logic

  • img/: folder for logos, icons

  • style.css: fallback or extended styles

Some themes use LESS for easier style management.


11. CSS and LESS in Dolibarr Themes

Dolibarr supports dynamic CSS generation:

  • main.style.css.php builds styles using PHP variables

  • LESS files can be compiled if your theme supports it

Advanced users can use variables to control color schemes, font sizes, etc.


12. Adding Custom Logos and Branding

To change logos:

  1. Go to Setup > Company/Organization

  2. Upload a new logo file

  3. The logo will display in headers and PDF documents

For theme-specific logos, place them in the theme’s img/ directory and reference them in CSS.


13. Theme Compatibility with Dolibarr Versions

When upgrading Dolibarr:

  • Always test custom themes on staging first

  • Check for deprecated styles or new HTML structures

  • Review release notes for UI changes

Incompatible themes can cause display issues or broken layouts.


14. Responsive Design Considerations

Modern themes like Oblyon are mobile-friendly:

  • Test on different screen sizes

  • Use flexible widths and media queries

  • Avoid fixed pixel layouts for navigation bars

Ensure that tablets and smartphones display essential UI elements clearly.


15. Using Community-Contributed Themes

You can find themes on:

Before using a community theme:

  • Verify its compatibility with your version

  • Scan for unnecessary or unsafe scripts

  • Check for documentation and support options


16. Troubleshooting Theme Issues

Symptoms:

  • Blank pages or broken layouts

  • Missing icons or CSS not loading

Solutions:

  • Clear browser cache

  • Enable Developer Mode in Dolibarr

  • Check browser console for errors

  • Compare file permissions on server


17. Best Practices for Theming

  • Always work in a copy of an existing theme

  • Use version control (e.g., Git) to manage changes

  • Document your overrides for future updates

  • Test thoroughly in all major browsers

Keep design clean, readable, and consistent with business branding.


18. Multicompany Theme Configuration

If using the Multicompany module:

  • Each entity can be assigned its own theme

  • Useful for franchise models or subsidiaries

Configure this under Setup > Multicompany (when module is enabled).


19. Security and Performance Considerations

  • Minimize use of large background images or heavy fonts

  • Compress CSS files where possible

  • Avoid inline scripts that could pose XSS risks

  • Apply only necessary theme features to avoid bloat


20. Conclusion

Changing Dolibarr’s theme allows you to personalize the ERP interface for aesthetic, branding, or functional reasons. Whether you’re using a built-in theme, modifying an existing one, or developing a new design from scratch, understanding how themes work ensures smooth deployment and user satisfaction.