---
name: contentbox-cfml-theme-development
description: "Use this skill when creating or customizing ContentBox themes, including theme structure, metadata/settings, layout and view composition, collection templates, widget overrides, and theme lifecycle callbacks."
applyTo: "**/*.{cfc,cfm,cfml}"
---
# ContentBox Theme Development (CFML)
Build custom themes for ContentBox CMS using CFML. Themes control the visual presentation of all public-facing content — blog entries, pages, archives, search results, and error pages.
## Theme Structure
A ContentBox theme is a directory under `modules_app/contentbox-custom/_themes/` (custom) or `modules/contentbox/themes/` (core) containing:
```
MyTheme/
├── Theme.cfc ← Theme metadata, settings, lifecycle callbacks
├── screenshot.png ← Theme preview image (shown in admin)
├── layouts/
│ ├── blog.cfm ← MANDATORY: Blog entry layout
│ └── pages.cfm ← MANDATORY: Page layout
│ ├── maintenance.cfm ← Optional: Maintenance mode layout
│ └── search.cfm ← Optional: Search results layout (defaults to pages)
├── views/
│ ├── index.cfm ← MANDATORY: Home page (blog entry listing)
│ ├── entry.cfm ← MANDATORY: Single blog entry with comments
│ ├── page.cfm ← MANDATORY: Single page rendering
│ ├── archives.cfm ← MANDATORY: Blog archives view
│ ├── error.cfm ← MANDATORY: Error display
│ ├── notfound.cfm ← Optional: Entry not found view
│ └── maintenance.cfm ← Optional: Maintenance mode view
├── templates/
│ ├── entry.cfm ← Collection template for entry iterations
│ ├── category.cfm ← Collection template for category iterations
│ └── comment.cfm ← Collection template for comment iterations
├── widgets/ ← Theme-specific widget overrides
│ └── MyWidget.cfc ← Overrides core widgets of the same name
└── includes/ ← Help files, assets, etc.
```
## Theme.cfc
The `Theme.cfc` defines metadata, settings, and lifecycle callbacks:
```cfml
component {
// Theme Metadata
this.name = "My Custom Theme";
this.description = "A beautiful custom theme for ContentBox";
this.version = "1.0.0";
this.author = "Your Name";
this.authorURL = "https://example.com";
this.screenShotURL = "screenshot.png";
// Theme Settings — array of setting structs
this.settings = [
{
name : "siteTitle",
defaultValue : "My Site",
type : "text",
label : "Site Title:",
required : true,
group : "General"
},
{
name : "primaryColor",
defaultValue : "#3b82f6",
type : "color",
label : "Primary Color:",
group : "Colors"
},
{
name : "showSidebar",
defaultValue : true,
type : "boolean",
label : "Show Sidebar:",
group : "Layout"
},
{
name : "layoutStyle",
defaultValue : "grid",
type : "select",
label : "Entry Layout:",
options : "grid,list,masonry",
group : "Layout"
},
{
name : "footerText",
defaultValue : "",
type : "textarea",
label : "Footer Text:",
group : "General"
}
];
/**
* Called when the theme is activated
*/
function onActivation(){
// Run setup logic, create default content, etc.
}
/**
* Called when the theme is deactivated
*/
function onDeactivation(){
// Cleanup logic
}
/**
* Called when the theme is deleted
*/
function onDelete(){
// Cleanup logic
}
}
```
### Setting Types
| Type | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `text` | Single-line text input (default) |
| `textarea` | Multi-line text area |
| `boolean` | Checkbox toggle |
| `select` | Dropdown select box |
| `color` | Color picker |
### Setting Struct Keys
| Key | Required | Description |
|-----|----------|-------------|
| `name` | Yes | Setting name (saved as `cb_themeName_settingName`) |
| `defaultValue` | Yes | Default value |
| `type` | No | HTML control type (default: `text`) |
| `label` | No | HTML label (defaults to `name`) |
| `required` | No | Whether the setting is required (default: `false`) |
| `title` | No | HTML title attribute |
| `options` | No | For `select`: comma-separated list or array of values, or array of `{name, value}` structs |
| `optionsUDF` | No | UDF name (no parentheses) that returns options, e.g., `getColors` |
| `group` | No | Group name for organizing settings |
| `groupIntro` | No | Description text for a group |
| `fieldDescription` | No | Description for an individual field |
| `fieldHelp` | No | HTML for a modal help popup (use `loadHelpFile()` helper) |
## Accessing Theme Settings in Views
Theme settings are available via the `cb` helper:
```cfml
<!--- Get a theme setting --->
#cb.getThemeSetting( "siteTitle" )#
#cb.getThemeSetting( "primaryColor" )#
<!--- With fallback default --->
#cb.getThemeSetting( "showSidebar", true )#
```
## Layout Files
### blog.cfm — Blog Entry Layout
```cfml
<cfoutput>
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>#cb.getContent().getTitle()# — #cb.getThemeSetting( "siteTitle" )#</title>
#renderView( view = "_assets/head" )#
</head>
<body>
#renderView( view = "_assets/header" )#
<main class="container">
#renderView()#
</main>
#renderView( view = "_assets/footer" )#
</body>
</html>
</cfoutput>
```
### pages.cfm — Page Layout
Similar structure to `blog.cfm`, used for rendering static pages.
## View Files
### index.cfm — Home Page
```cfml
<cfoutput>
<!--- Render entries using collection template --->
#cb.renderCollection(
template = "entry",
collection = prc.entries,
counter = prc.start,
totalItems = prc.totalRecords
)#
<!--- Pagination --->
#cb.paginator(
totalRecords = prc.totalRecords,
maxRows = prc.maxRows,
page = prc.page,
pageLink = cb.siteURL() & "/page/{page}",
align = "center"
)#
</cfoutput>
```
### entry.cfm — Single Blog Entry
```cfml
<cfoutput>
<cfset entry = cb.getContent()>
<article class="entry">
<header>
<h1>#entry.getTitle()#</h1>
<div class="meta">
By #entry.getAuthor().getFullName()#
on #dateFormat( entry.getCreatedDate(), "mmmm d, yyyy" )#
</div>
</header>
<div class="content">
#entry.getHTMLContent()#
</div>
<!--- Categories --->
<cfif entry.getCategories().recordCount>
<div class="categories">
#cb.renderCollection(
template = "category",
collection = entry.getCategories()
)#
</div>
</cfif>
<!--- Comments --->
#cb.widget( "CommentForm" )#
</article>
</cfoutput>
```
### page.cfm — Single Page
```cfml
<cfoutput>
<cfset page = cb.getContent()>
<article class="page">
<h1>#page.getTitle()#</h1>
<div class="content">
#page.getHTMLContent()#
</div>
</article>
</cfoutput>
```
### archives.cfm — Archives View
```cfml
<cfoutput>
<h1>Archives</h1>
<!--- Monthly archives --->
<div class="archives-by-month">
#cb.renderCollection(
template = "entry",
collection = prc.entries
)#
</div>
<!--- Pagination --->
#cb.paginator(
totalRecords = prc.totalRecords,
maxRows = prc.maxRows,
page = prc.page
)#
</cfoutput>
```
### error.cfm — Error Display
```cfml
<cfoutput>
<div class="error-page">
<h1>Error</h1>
<p>#prc.errorMessage ?: "An unexpected error occurred."#</p>
<a href="#cb.siteURL()#" class="btn">Return Home</a>
</div>
</cfoutput>
```
## Collection Templates
Templates in `templates/` are used with `cb.renderCollection()`. Each template receives:
- `_counter` — Current iteration index (1-based)
- `_items` — Total number of items in the collection
- `{templateName}` — The object being rendered (e.g., `entry`, `category`, `comment`)
### templates/entry.cfm
```cfml
<cfoutput>
<article class="entry-preview">
<h2>
<a href="#cb.entryURL( entry )#">#entry.getTitle()#</a>
</h2>
<div class="meta">
#dateFormat( entry.getCreatedDate(), "mmmm d, yyyy" )#
by #entry.getAuthor().getFullName()#
</div>
<div class="excerpt">
#entry.getHTMLContentExcerpt()#
</div>
</article>
</cfoutput>
```
### templates/category.cfm
```cfml
<cfoutput>
<a href="#cb.categoryURL( category )#" class="category-tag">
#category.getCategory()#
</a>
</cfoutput>
```
### templates/comment.cfm
```cfml
<cfoutput>
<div class="comment">
<div class="comment-author">#comment.getAuthor()#</div>
<div class="comment-date">#dateFormat( comment.getCreatedDate(), "mmmm d, yyyy" )#</div>
<div class="comment-body">#comment.getComment()#</div>
</div>
</cfoutput>
```
## Widget Overrides
Place widgets in `widgets/` to override core widgets of the same name:
```cfml
<!--- widgets/Menu.cfc — overrides the core Menu widget --->
component extends="contentbox.models.ui.BaseWidget" singleton {
function init(){
setName( "Menu" );
setVersion( "1.0.0" );
setDescription( "Custom menu widget override" );
}
any function renderIt( string menuName = "main" ){
// Custom menu rendering
}
}
```
## The CB Helper
The `cb` helper (`CBHelper@contentbox`) is the primary API for theme development:
```cfml
<!--- Site info --->
#cb.site()# <!--- Current site entity --->
#cb.siteURL()# <!--- Site base URL --->
#cb.siteName()# <!--- Site name --->
<!--- Content --->
#cb.getContent()# <!--- Current content (entry/page) --->
#cb.entryURL( entry )# <!--- Entry permalink --->
#cb.pageURL( page )# <!--- Page URL --->
#cb.categoryURL( category )# <!--- Category URL --->
<!--- Theme settings --->
#cb.getThemeSetting( "name" )#
<!--- Widgets --->
#cb.widget( "WidgetName", { arg1 = "value" } )#
<!--- Rendering --->
#cb.renderCollection( template = "entry", collection = query )#
#cb.renderView( view = "partial" )#
<!--- Menus --->
#cb.menu( "main" )#
<!--- RSS feeds --->
#cb.rssURL()#
#cb.rssCommentsURL()#
<!--- Search --->
#cb.searchURL()#
#cb.searchURL( "query" )#
<!--- Subscriptions --->
#cb.subscribeURL()#
#cb.unsubscribeURL()#
```
## Theme Discovery and Registration
ContentBox discovers themes from two locations:
1. **Core themes**: `modules/contentbox/themes/`
2. **Custom themes**: `modules_app/contentbox-custom/_themes/`
The `ThemeService@contentbox` builds the theme registry at startup. Custom themes override core themes of the same name.
## Theme Switching
Themes can be switched per-site via admin settings. The active theme is resolved at runtime:
```cfml
<!--- In a handler or service --->
property name="themeService" inject="themeService@contentbox";
var activeTheme = themeService.getActiveTheme();
var themePath = themeService.getThemePath( activeTheme );
```
## Best Practices
1. **Always include mandatory files**: `Theme.cfc`, `blog.cfm`, `pages.cfm`, `index.cfm`, `entry.cfm`, `page.cfm`, `archives.cfm`, `error.cfm`
2. **Use `cb` helper** for all URL generation — never hardcode paths
3. **Use collection templates** for iterating over entries, categories, comments
4. **Group theme settings** logically using the `group` key
5. **Provide `screenshot.png`** for admin theme preview
6. **Use `loadHelpFile()`** for field help that reads from `includes/help/`
7. **Keep theme-specific widgets** in the theme's `widgets/` folder
8. **Test with multiple content types** — entries, pages, categories, search results
9. **Use `prc` scope** for handler-passed data in views
10. **Follow CFML compatibility** — target Lucee 5+ and Adobe ColdFusion 2018+
## Engine Compatibility
This skill targets **CFML engines** (Lucee 5+, Adobe ColdFusion 2018+). For BoxLang-specific syntax and features, see the BoxLang variant of this skill.
Key CFML considerations:
- Use `<cfoutput>` for variable interpolation in CFML templates
- Use `structKeyExists()` for safe struct access
- Use `listContains()` for list operations
- Use `arrayLen()` for array length
- Use `dateFormat()` and `timeFormat()` for date formatting