# Overview

Personalize your PteroCA installation by managing themes and plugins.

## Overview

This section is for **administrators** who want to customize and extend their PteroCA installation by:

* Installing and managing themes
* Installing and managing plugins
* Configuring theme settings
* Configuring plugin settings

{% hint style="info" %}
**For Administrators, Not Developers**

This section covers **using** and **managing** themes and plugins. If you want to **create** custom themes or plugins, see [For Developers](https://docs.pteroca.com/for-developers/overview).
{% endhint %}

## Customization Options

### Themes

Change the visual appearance of your PteroCA panel:

#### [Theme Settings](https://docs.pteroca.com/customization-and-extensions/themes/theme-settings)

Configure theme appearance via Admin Panel → Settings → Appearance:

* Select active theme
* Upload logo and favicon
* Customize colors
* Configure dark mode
* Set MOTD (Message of the Day)

#### [Managing Themes](https://docs.pteroca.com/customization-and-extensions/themes/themes)

Install and switch between themes:

* Browse available themes
* Install themes from marketplace
* Upload custom themes
* Switch active theme
* Configure theme-specific settings

### Plugins

Extend PteroCA functionality with plugins:

#### [Plugin Settings](https://docs.pteroca.com/customization-and-extensions/plugins/plugin-settings)

Configure installed plugins via Admin Panel → Settings → Plugins:

* Plugin-specific configuration options
* Enable/disable plugin features
* API keys for plugin integrations

#### [Managing Plugins](https://docs.pteroca.com/customization-and-extensions/plugins/plugins)

Install and manage plugins:

* Browse verified plugins on [PteroCA Marketplace](https://marketplace.pteroca.com)
* Install plugins via ZIP upload or manual placement
* Enable/disable plugins
* Configure plugin settings
* Update plugins
* Uninstall plugins

## Getting Started

**To customize your theme:**

1. Navigate to: Admin Panel → Settings → Appearance
2. Upload your logo and favicon
3. Customize colors to match your brand
4. Save changes

**To install a plugin:**

1. Browse plugins on [PteroCA Marketplace](https://marketplace.pteroca.com)
2. Download plugin ZIP package
3. Navigate to: Admin Panel → Plugins
4. Upload plugin ZIP file
5. Configure plugin settings
6. Enable the plugin

{% hint style="success" %}
**Discover Extensions on Marketplace**

Visit [marketplace.pteroca.com](https://marketplace.pteroca.com) to browse:

* ✅ Security-scanned plugins
* ✅ Community-reviewed themes
* ✅ Free and premium extensions
* ✅ Version-compatible downloads
  {% endhint %}

## Safety and Best Practices

**Before installing themes or plugins:**

* ✅ Create a backup of your installation
* ✅ Verify theme/plugin is from a trusted source
* ✅ Check compatibility with your PteroCA version
* ✅ Test on a staging environment first (if available)

**Managing plugins:**

* Only install plugins you trust
* Keep plugins updated
* Disable unused plugins
* Review plugin permissions

**Theme customization:**

* Test theme changes before going live
* Keep custom logos and favicons reasonably sized
* Ensure color contrast meets accessibility standards

## Plugin Permissions

Some plugins require specific permissions to function. After installing a plugin:

* New permissions may appear in the permission list
* Assign plugin permissions to relevant roles
* See [Access Control](https://docs.pteroca.com/access-and-permissions/access-control) for managing permissions

## Troubleshooting

**Common issues:**

* Plugin won't enable: Check error logs and PHP requirements
* Theme not applying: Clear cache and refresh browser
* Logo not displaying: Check file size and format (PNG, JPG, SVG)
* Plugin settings not saving: Verify file permissions

For detailed troubleshooting, see individual pages.

## For Developers

Want to create your own themes or plugins?

See [For Developers](https://docs.pteroca.com/for-developers/overview):

* [Plugin Development](https://docs.pteroca.com/for-developers/plugins/getting-started)
* [Theme Development](https://docs.pteroca.com/for-developers/themes/getting-started)

## Related Documentation

* [Access Control](https://docs.pteroca.com/access-and-permissions/access-control) - Permissions for plugin/theme management
* [Core Configuration](https://docs.pteroca.com/core-configuration/core-configuration) - System settings
* [For Developers](https://docs.pteroca.com/for-developers/overview) - Creating themes and plugins


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