Whilst it is quick and easy to install and publish a new template as your default template, there are a number of things to consider both before and after you change template.
First things first.
Uninstall any old templates that are no longer being used.
Reason: not uninstalling old 3rd party extensions (including templates) will increase the risk of your website being compromised by hackers.
What should you do before changing Template?
Perform a full backup of your website.
Reason: any 3rd party extension has the potential to break your website.
Only use a Template obtained from a developer you trust.
If not previously used then at the very least you should check the Vulnerable Extension List.
There is a comprehensive check list at the following link.
Read more: How to install an Extension.
What should you do after changing Template?
First, don't uninstall the Template being replaced until you have checked the new one is performing as expected!
Once installed, and before going live, there are a few things to review.
Module Positions
Each Template has its own unique set of Positions.
Positions determine visibility of Modules.
So, after switching from one Template to another you may discover that some Modules are no longer visible in the front end.
Reason: some Modules are assigned to Positions which do not exist in the new Template.
Solution
Open each Module screen in your website's Dashboard.
Check which Position each Module is assigned to.
Re-assign those Modules which are not visible to a Position used by the new Template.
We illustrate how to assign a Module to a Position in our separate article.
The appearance of Modules may be influenced by the use of a Module Class,
The look and feel of Menus displayed by Menu Modules may also be influenced by the use of a Menu Class and Layout.
The fields for each of these are highlighted in the field below.
A new Template may not include the CSS code to assign the stated Menu Class or Module Class.
The Layout field may need to be changed to reflect the new Template; click the Layout field to see a list of Templates.
Choose the new Template from the list.
See image below.
Template Styles
Modern Templates include lots of settings that can be changed by means of a user friendly interface: the Site Template Styles screen in the website Dashboard.
Others can be changed by editing the underlying code via the Site Templates screen of the Dashboard.
You may need to make one or more changes to obtain a similar Look and Feel to that displayed by your previous Template.
Need help or advice: contact the Template developer.
We show how to view the:
- Site Template Styles screen, and
- Site Templates screen
in the introduction to this article.
Third Party Extensions
If your old template was purchased from a Template Club then it may well have used a number of 3rd party extensions which came with it.
Uninstalling the old template may not have automatically uninstalled these 3rd party extensions.
You should perform a manual check and uninstall all such 3rd party extensions.
Reason: each one poses a potential security risk to your website.
Google Analytics (if used)
Have you previously used Google Analytics with your website?
If yes then it is possible that you or your developer added the script directly to the old Template.
You will need to add the Google Analytics script to the new Template if you want continue monitoring website traffic using Google Analytics..
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