Theming

After your development environment is fully set up, you can start building the skeleton of your theme module. In this chapter, you will discover how to:

• Enable/disable the Website Builder’s standard options and templates.

• Define the colors and fonts to use for your design.

• Get the most out of Bootstrap variables.

• Add custom styles and JavaScript.

Theme module

Odoo comes with a default theme that provides minimal structure and layout. When you create a new theme, you are extending the default theme.

Remember to add the directory containing your module to the addons-path command-line argument when running Odoo in your development environment.

Technical naming

The first step is to create a new directory.

website_airproof

Note

Prefix it with website_ and use only lowercase ASCII alphanumeric characters and underscores.

In this documentation, we will use Airproof (a fictional project) as an example.

File structure

Themes are packaged like any Odoo module. Even if you are designing a basic website, you need to package its theme like a module.

website_airproof
├── data
├── i18n
├── lib
├── static
│   ├── description
│   ├── fonts
│   ├── image_shapes // Shapes for images
│   ├── shapes // Shapes for background
│   └── src
│       ├── img
│       │   ├── content // For those used in the pages of your website
│       │   └── wbuilder // For those used in the builder
│       ├── js
│       ├── scss
│       └── snippets // custom snippets
├── views
├── __init__.py
└── __manifest__.py

Folder	Description
data	Presets, menus, pages, images, shapes, … (*.xml)
i18n	Translations (*.po, *.pot)
lib	External libraries (*.js)
static	Custom assets (*.jpg, *.gif, *.png, *.svg, *.pdf, *.scss, *.js)
views	Custom views and templates (*.xml)

Initialization

An Odoo module is also a Python package with a __init__.py file containing import instructions for various Python files in the module. This file can remain empty for now.

Declaration

An Odoo module is declared by its manifest file. This file declares a Python package as an Odoo module and specifies the module’s metadata. It must at least contain the name field, which is always required. It usually contains much more information.

/website_airproof/__manifest__.py

{
   'name': 'Airproof Theme',
   'description': '...',
   'category': 'Website/Theme',
   'version': '15.0.0',
   'author': '...',
   'license': '...',
   'depends': ['website'],
   'data': [
      # ...
   ],
   'assets': {
      # ...
   },
}

Field	Description
name	Human-readable name of the module (required)
description	Extended description of the module, in reStructuredText
category	Classification category within Odoo
version	Odoo version this module is addressing
author	Name of the module author
license	Distribution license for the module
depends	Odoo modules must be loaded before this one, either because this module uses features they create or because it alters resources they define
data	List of XML files
assets	List of SCSS and JS files

Note

To create a website theme, you only need to install the Website app. If you need other apps (Blogs, Events, eCommerce, …), you can also add them.

Default options

First, try to construct your theme by using Odoo’s default options. This ensures two things:

1. You do not re-invent something which already exists. For example, as Odoo provides an option to add a border on the footer, you shouldn’t recode it yourself. Instead, enable the default option first, then extend it if needed.

2. The user can still use all of Odoo’s features with your theme. For example, if you recode the border on the footer, you may break the default option or make it useless, giving the user a bad experience. Also, your recode might not work as well as the default option, as other Odoo features may rely on it.

Tip

• Use four spaces per indentation level.

• Do not use tabs.

• Never mix spaces and tabs.

See also

Odoo coding guidelines

Odoo variables

Odoo declares many CSS rules, most entirely customizable by overriding the related SCSS variables. To do so, create a primary_variables.scss file and add it to the _assets_primary_variables bundle.

Declaration

/website_airproof/__manifest__.py

'assets': {
   'web._assets_primary_variables': [
      ('prepend', 'website_airproof/static/src/scss/primary_variables.scss'),
   ],
},

By reading the source code, variables related to options are easily noticeable.

<we-button title="..."
   data-name="..."
   data-customize-website-views="..."
   data-customize-website-variable="'Sidebar'"
   data-img="..."/>

These variables can be overridden through the $o-website-value-palettes map, for example.

Global

Declaration

/website_airproof/static/src/scss/primary_variables.scss

$o-website-values-palettes: (
   (
      // Templates
      // Colors
      // Fonts
      // Buttons
      // ...
   ),
);

Tip

That file must only contain definitions and overrides of SCSS variables and mixins.

See also

Primary variables SCSS

Fonts

You can embed any font on your website. The Website Builder automatically makes them available in the font selector.

Declaration

/website_airproof/static/src/scss/primary_variables.scss

$o-theme-font-configs: (
   <font-name>: (
      'family': <css font family list>,
      'url' (optional): <related part of Google fonts URL>,
      'properties' (optional): (
         <font-alias>: (
            <website-value-key>: <value>,
            ...,
         ),
      ...,
   )
)

Use

/website_airproof/static/src/scss/primary_variables.scss

$o-website-values-palettes: (
   (
      'font':                             '<font-name>',
      'headings-font':                    '<font-name>',
      'navbar-font':                      '<font-name>',
      'buttons-font':                     '<font-name>',
   ),
);

Google fonts

/website_airproof/static/src/scss/primary_variables.scss

$o-theme-font-configs: (
   'Poppins': (
      'family':                         ('Poppins', sans-serif),
      'url':                            'Poppins:400,500',
      'properties' : (
         'base': (
            'font-size-base':           1rem,
         ),
      ),
   ),
);

Custom fonts

First, create a specific SCSS file to declare your custom font(s).

/website_airproof/__manifest__.py

'assets': {
   'web.assets_frontend': [
      'website_airproof/static/src/scss/font.scss',
   ],
},

Then, use the @font-face rule to allow you custom font(s) to be loaded on your website.

/website_airproof/static/src/scss/font.scss

@font-face {
   font-family: '<font-name>';
   ...
}

/website_airproof/static/src/scss/primary_variables.scss

$o-theme-font-configs: (
   'Proxima Nova': (
      'family':                         ('Proxima Nova', sans-serif),
      'properties' : (
         'base': (
            'font-size-base':           1rem,
         ),
      ),
   ),
);

Tip

It is recommended to use the .woff format for your fonts.

Colors

The Website Builder relies on palettes composed of five named colors. Defining those in your theme ensures it stays consistent.

Color	Description
o-color-1	Primary
o-color-2	Secondary
o-color-3	Extra
o-color-4	Whitish
o-color-5	Blackish

Declaration

/website_airproof/static/src/scss/primary_variables.scss

$o-color-palettes: map-merge($o-color-palettes,
   (
      'airproof': (
         'o-color-1':                    #bedb39,
         'o-color-2':                    #2c3e50,
         'o-color-3':                    #f2f2f2,
         'o-color-4':                    #ffffff,
         'o-color-5':                    #000000,
      ),
   )
);

Add the created palette to the list of palettes offered by the Website Builder.

$o-selected-color-palettes-names: append($o-selected-color-palettes-names, 'airproof');

Use

/website_airproof/static/src/scss/primary_variables.scss

$o-website-values-palettes: (
   (
      'color-palettes-name':              'airproof',
   ),
);

Color combinations

Based on the previously defined five color palettes, the Website Builder automatically generates five color combinations, each defining a color for the background, text, headings, links, primary buttons, and secondary buttons. These colors can be customized later by the user.

The colors used in a color combination are accessible and can be overridden through the BS $colors map using a specific prefix (o-cc for color combination).

/website_airproof/static/src/scss/primary_variables.scss

$o-color-palettes: map-merge($o-color-palettes,
   (
      'airproof': (

         'o-cc*-bg':                     'o-color-*',
         'o-cc*-text':                   'o-color-*',
         'o-cc*-headings':               'o-color-*',
         'o-cc*-h2':                     'o-color-*',
         'o-cc*-h3':                     'o-color-*',
         'o-cc*-h4':                     'o-color-*',
         'o-cc*-h5':                     'o-color-*',
         'o-cc*-h6':                     'o-color-*',
         'o-cc*-link':                   'o-color-*',
         'o-cc*-btn-primary':            'o-color-*',
         'o-cc*-btn-primary-border':     'o-color-*',
         'o-cc*-btn-secondary':          'o-color-*',
         'o-cc*-btn-secondary-border':   'o-color-*',

      ),
   )
);

Note

For each o-cc*, replace the * with the digit (1 - 5) corresponding to the desired color combination.

The default text color is o-color-5. If the background is too dark, it will automatically change to the o-color-4 color.

See also

Color combinations SCSS

Demo page

The Website Builder automatically generates a page to view the color combinations of the theme color palette: http://localhost:8069/website/demo/color-combinations

Bootstrap variables

Odoo includes Bootstrap by default. You can use all variables and mixins of the framework.

If Odoo does not provide the variable you are looking for, there could be a Bootstrap variable that allows it. Indeed all Odoo layouts respect Bootstrap structures and use Bootstrap components or their extensions. If you customize a Bootstrap variable, you add a generic style for the whole user website.

Use a dedicated file added to the _assets_frontend_helpers bundle to override Bootstrap values and not the primary_variables.scss file.

Declaration

/website_airproof/__manifest__.py

'assets': {
   'web._assets_frontend_helpers': [
      ('prepend', 'website_airproof/static/src/scss/bootstrap_overridden.scss'),
   ],
},

Use

/website_airproof/static/src/scss/bootstrap_overridden.scss

// Typography
$h1-font-size:                 4rem !default;

// Navbar
$navbar-nav-link-padding-x:    1rem!default;

// Buttons + Forms
$input-placeholder-color:      o-color('o-color-1') !default;

// Cards
$card-border-width:            0 !default;

Tip

That file must only contain definitions and overrides of SCSS variables and mixins.

Warning

Don’t override Bootstrap variables that depend on Odoo variables. Otherwise, you might break the possibility for the user to customize them using the Website Builder.

See also

Bootstrap overridden SCSS

Demo page

http://localhost:8069/website/demo/bootstrap

Views

For some options, in addition to the Website Builder variable, you also have to activate a specific view.

By reading the source code, templates related to options are easily found.

<we-button title="..."
   data-name="..."
   data-customize-website-views="website.template_header_default"
   data-customize-website-variable="'...'"
   data-img="..."/>

<template id="..." inherit_id="..." name="..." active="True"/>
<template id="..." inherit_id="..." name="..." active="False"/>

Example

Changing the menu items’ horizontal alignment

/website_airproof/data/presets.xml

<record id="website.template_header_default_align_center" model="ir.ui.view">
   <field name="active" eval="True"/>
</record>

The same logic can be used for others Odoo apps as well.

eCommerce - Display products categories

<record id="website_sale.products_categories" model="ir.ui.view">
   <field name="active" eval="False"/>
</record>

Portal - Disable the language selector

<record id="portal.footer_language_selector" model="ir.ui.view">
   <field name="active" eval="False"/>
</record>

Assets

For this part, we will refer to the assets_frontend bundle located in the web module. This bundle specifies the list of assets loaded by the Website Builder, and the goal is to add your SCSS and JS files to the bundle.

Styles

The Website Builder together with Bootstrap are great for defining the basic styles of your website. But to design something unique, you should go a step further. For this, you can easily add any SCSS file to your theme.

Declaration

/website_airproof/__manifest__.py

'assets': {
   'web.assets_frontend': [
      'website_airproof/static/src/scss/theme.scss',
   ],
},

Feel free to reuse the variables from your Bootstrap file and the ones used by Odoo in your theme.scss file.

Example

/website_airproof/static/src/scss/theme.scss

 blockquote {
   border-radius: $rounded-pill;
   color: o-color('o-color-3');
   font-family: o-website-value('headings-font');
 }

Interactivity

Odoo supports three different kinds of JavaScript files:

• plain JavaScript files (no module system),

• native JavaScript module, and

• Odoo modules (using a custom module system).

Most new Odoo JavaScript codes should use the native JavaScript module system. It’s simpler and brings the benefit of a better developer experience with better integration with the IDE.

Important

Odoo needs to know which files should be translated into Odoo modules and which files should not. It’s an opt-in system: Odoo looks at the first line of a JavaScript file and checks if it contains the string @odoo-module. If so, it will automatically be converted to an Odoo module.

/** @odoo-module **/

Declaration

/website_airproof/__manifest__.py

'assets': {
   'web.assets_frontend': [
      'website_airproof/static/src/js/theme.js',
   ],
},

Note

If you want to include files from an external library, you can add them to the /lib folder of your module.

Tip

• Use a linter (JSHint, …).

• Never add minified JavaScript libraries.

• Add 'use strict'; on top of every Odoo JavaScript module.

• Variables and functions should be camelcased (myVariable) instead of snakecased (my_variable).

• Do not name a variable event; use ev. instead. This is to avoid bugs on non-Chrome browsers, as Chrome is magically assigning a global event variable (so if you use the event variable without declaring it, it will work fine on Chrome but crash on every other browser).

• Use strict comparisons (=== instead of ==).

• Use double quotes for all textual strings (such as "Hello") and single quotes for all other strings, such as a CSS selector .x_nav_item.

• Always use this._super.apply(this, arguments).

See also

• Odoo JavaScript coding guidelines

• Overview of the Odoo JavaScript framework

• Odoo Experience Talk: 10 Tips to take your website design to the next level!