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OJS for EveryoneThe Practical GuidebookRSYN Research LLP

Themes & Plugins

Common questions about OJS themes, plugin customisation, and appearance configuration.

Are OJS themes sold on marketplaces sold under GPL?​

OJS itself is licensed under the GNU General Public Licence version 2 (GPL v2). Since themes are derivative works of OJS, they must also be distributed under a GPL-compatible licence.

In practice:

  • Free themes from the PKP Plugin Gallery are GPL v2 or later.
  • Commercial themes sold by third-party developers may combine GPL code (the OJS theme framework) with proprietary assets (fonts, icons, design elements). The licencing terms vary by seller — always read the licence before purchasing.

When in doubt, ask the theme vendor: "What licence covers this theme and its assets?"

Can I resell or redistribute an OJS theme I purchased?​

This depends entirely on the licence you purchased:

  • GPL themes: You may share or redistribute GPL-licensed themes freely. However, GPL does not entitle you to sell someone else's work under a commercial licence that isn't yours.
  • Commercial single-site licences: Typically prohibit redistribution or resale. You purchased the right to use the theme on one site.
  • Extended licences: Often permit use across multiple sites or as part of a service offering, but still may prohibit standalone resale of the theme itself.

Read your specific licence agreement before redistributing any purchased theme.

Is the cost for an OJS theme a one-time payment?​

For most commercial theme vendors, the initial purchase is a one-time payment that grants a perpetual licence to use that version of the theme. However:

  • Updates beyond the initial version may require an additional annual maintenance fee.
  • Support may be a separate subscription.
  • Extended licences (for use on multiple sites) cost more than single-site licences.

Clarify the payment structure with the vendor before purchasing.

Do OJS theme providers offer a demo site?​

Reputable theme vendors offer demo sites or screenshots so you can evaluate the theme before purchasing. If no demo is available, ask the vendor. Never purchase a commercial theme without being able to see how it looks in a real OJS installation.

The PKP Plugin Gallery shows screenshots of officially listed themes.

How do I install a purchased theme?​

There are two methods depending on how the theme is packaged:

Method 1: Plugin upload (recommended for most)

  1. Download the theme .tar.gz or .zip file from the vendor.
  2. Log in to OJS as Site Administrator.
  3. Go to Administration → Plugin Gallery (or Settings → Website → Plugins).
  4. Click Upload a New Plugin.
  5. Upload the theme file and click Save.
  6. Go to Settings → Website → Appearance → Theme and select the new theme.

Method 2: Manual FTP/server upload

  1. Unzip the theme files.
  2. Upload the theme folder to plugins/themes/ in your OJS root directory.
  3. The theme will then appear in the OJS Appearance settings.

What is your refund policy?​

Refund policies vary by vendor. Before purchasing:

  • Ask explicitly about the refund policy.
  • Understand that most digital theme vendors do not offer refunds after download, since the product cannot be "returned".
  • Reputable vendors may offer a refund within 14–30 days if the theme has a critical bug that cannot be resolved.

Always test a demo version before purchasing if available.

How do I pick the right theme?​

Consider these factors:

  1. Journal type — Medical/health journals may prefer clinical themes; humanities journals may prefer more design-forward options.
  2. OJS version compatibility — Confirm the theme supports your installed OJS version. Check the Plugin Compatibility Index.
  3. Responsiveness — The theme must work correctly on mobile devices.
  4. Accessibility — Themes should meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards.
  5. Customisation options — Does it offer colour scheme, font, and layout options without requiring code edits?
  6. Support quality — Check community reviews or forum posts about the vendor's support responsiveness.

Can a hosting provider help customise my journal's appearance?​

Many managed OJS hosting providers offer design services as an add-on:

  • Custom CSS to match your institution's visual identity.
  • Logo and header design.
  • Custom theme development.
  • Template customisation.

Ask your hosting provider about their design service options and pricing.

Can I customise my theme?​

Yes. The safest approach is to use a Custom Stylesheet rather than editing theme files directly:

  1. Go to Settings → Website → Appearance.
  2. Upload a .css file in the Custom Stylesheet field.
  3. Use CSS to override colours, typography, and spacing.

Editing theme files directly is not recommended — changes will be overwritten when the theme is updated. See the Customization Guide for examples.

Can I change theme colours?​

Many modern OJS themes offer configurable colour schemes in Settings → Website → Appearance (if the theme supports it). If not:

  • Use a Custom Stylesheet to override the theme's colour variables.
  • Example: a { color: #1a5276; } changes all link colours.

For more extensive colour changes, the theme's CSS variables (if it uses CSS custom properties) can be overridden concisely:

:root {
  --color-primary: #1a5276;
  --color-accent: #922b21;
}

Can I change theme fonts?​

OJS themes typically use web-safe fonts or Google Fonts. To change fonts:

  1. Add a @import for your preferred Google Font in your Custom Stylesheet.
  2. Override the font-family declarations for headings, body text, and navigation.

Example:

@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Merriweather&family=Open+Sans&display=swap');

body { font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; }
h1, h2, h3 { font-family: 'Merriweather', serif; }

What is Plugin Customization?​

Plugin customisation refers to configuring or extending OJS functionality through plugins rather than core code changes:

  • Enabling and configuring existing plugins (DOI, ORCID, Google Scholar, DOAJ export).
  • Installing third-party plugins from the Plugin Gallery.
  • Developing custom plugins to add new features (requires PHP development skills).

Plugins are the recommended way to extend OJS — they survive upgrades without requiring code merges.

What is Workflow Customization?​

Workflow customisation refers to adapting OJS's editorial workflow to match your journal's specific processes:

  • Configuring submission requirements and checklists.
  • Setting up custom review forms.
  • Defining stage-specific email templates.
  • Assigning roles and responsibilities.
  • Configuring review types per section.

This is all done through the OJS settings interface — no coding is required. See the Workflow Settings guide for details.

Further Reading​