How to Install an Astro Theme

In WordPress, you install a theme onto an existing site. In Astro, a theme is a complete starter project. You begin with its files, then edit them directly.

Step 1: Choose a theme

Browse the Astro themes directory. Open the demo, and check when the theme was last updated. Favour themes that have been updated recently.

Step 2: Create a project from it

The official starter templates work with a single flag:

npm create astro@latest my-site -- --template blog

For a theme hosted on GitHub, you use its GitHub address instead:

npm create astro@latest my-site -- --template owner/repo

Replace owner/repo with the name shown on the theme’s GitHub page. We tested the official templates on Astro 7.4, but not every third-party theme.

Step 3: Install and run it

If you skipped installing dependencies, install them now. Then start the dev server:

cd my-site
npm install
npm run dev

Step 4: Make it yours

Every theme is organised a little differently, but these are good places to start:

• README.md explains how the theme works.
• src/consts.ts or a similar file often holds your site’s name.
• src/content usually holds the demo posts.
• src/styles usually holds colours and fonts.

Replace the demo content first. It’s the fastest way to see how a theme fits together.

Frequently asked questions

Can I switch themes later?

It isn't one click, because a theme is your whole project. You'd start a new project from the theme and move your content across.

Are Astro themes free?

Many are. The official directory has both free and paid options.