A feature of Plasma is the ability to theme desktop elements using Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). This means there is no need for theme authors to know C++ or any other programming language to create a great looking theme. They need only use common graphics tools many are already familiar with (e.g. Krita, Inkscape, The GIMP, Karbon, etc.). Depending on your prowess with such tools, a great looking plasma theme can be created in under an hour.

See also Plasma Theme Details.

Creating a Plasma Theme in 7 Easy Steps

Copy and rename an existing plasma theme folder. The new folder name can be the name of the theme. Installed themes are stored in share/apps/desktoptheme/ in either your .kde directory or your kde installation directory. You can also find Plasma themes on KDE-Look. Edit the metadata.desktop file in the theme folder to match your theme name. See Theme Storage if you need help. Open the SVG file associated with the plasma element you would like to theme (panel background, clock, etc.) in an SVG editor (e.g. Inkscape, Karbon). See Current Theme Elements if you need help understand what each SVG file does. Each SVG file may have several elements (e.g. objects with element id = left, right, top, topright, center, clock face, etc.). Modify existing elements OR delete and create replacement elements. Elements can be any SVG primitive or object group. Hint: You can embed raster images as SVG elements if you creatively prefer raster editors like Krita, the GIMP, etc. Remember to embed, instead of link, each image (inkscape: effects->images->embed all images). To make renaming of the theme elements easier is possible to use an Inkscape extension located at this address Check to make sure that the element id for each new element is correctly set. Hint: In Inkscape you can check the element id for each object by right-clicking on the object and choosing Object Properties. Add or remove any hint element you desire. It doesn't matter how these look, just that objects with the element ids matching the hint elements either exist or don't exist. See Backgrounds format for a description of available hint elements. Save the SVG file. Repeat steps 3 - 6 for any other plasma element for which you would like to create a new theme.

Testing the Theme

If you have not already done so, copy your new theme folder to the share/apps/desktoptheme directory in either your .kde folder or your kde install folder.

directory in either your .kde folder or your kde install folder. Choose the theme from the Configure Desktop dialog (may require kde restart) or edit your plasmarc file to point to the new theme.

file to point to the new theme. Carefully check the appearance of all new theme elements.

If you created separate non-composite themes (SVGs in the opaque folder), remember to test your theme with compositing (Desktop Effects) turned off.

Theme Colors

You can provide a plasma color scheme that will allow text, selected backgrounds and other items to blend well with your theme by supplying a colors file in your theme folder. See the colors file in the default theme for an example.

file in your theme folder. See the file in the default theme for an example. If the colors file is omitted, plasma will take on the current KDE system colors. Note: Theme SVGs will not be colorized unless they contain the 'hint-apply-color-scheme' element.)

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