Choosing a theme, and what does that really mean?

[Scorpio]

Let me start by saying; I'm not a Magento developer and I have no intention of becoming one. As a business user, I will forever be an ignorant newbie.

I'm looking to implement Magento for our business. Our Magento developer has asked us what theme we would like to use as a starting point. I have no idea how to even go about choosing a theme; in part because I really don't understand what a theme does. How do I know what aspects of the user experience the theme will impact? Is a theme merely the colours, fonts, and layout of certain elements on each page? Or does a theme have functional aspects to it as well? Can a theme fundamentally change the navigation or checkout experiece for example?

Is it typical for a client to have to simply "pick a theme" without any real understanding of what it is that they're picking or what the implications are of thier decision?

EDIT: We're on Magento 2.0 and I've just realised that there is a 2.0 forum. Any admins; feel free to move this post to the 2.0 forum.

[Mukesh Tiwari · Accepted solution]

Hi @Scorpio

There are two approaches for theme creation while developing a magento site.

1) Develop a theme from scratch :
This require a Magento a UI/UX designer and Magento front end developer.
This person develops the theme from scratch. Generally you have to provide her/him PSD files.
From these files the do the HTML slicing and develop html design.This design is then integrated in to Magento using Magento
theming concepts.

2) Purchase a ready made theme.
You can purchase a theme from the various providers.You have to select a theme which is compatible with your Magento version.(In your case Magento2x). This reduces the work of front end developer as a base functionality as well as look of the theme is already there. This can be customised based on the business requirement.

What a theme does?
Themes

Theme is a part of magento application which provide look and feel of your site.A theme uses a combination of templates, layouts, styles(css) and images.

In simple words your home page banner, placement of search box, newsletter subscription box, header and footer design,landing pages design.How all these look , their alignment in webpage is part of theme.

Some theme providers provide extra functionalities also which may be add on to the theme or part of it.

Before selecting any theme go trough the demo of theme. Also try to use a responsive theme so that it will be compatible for mobile devices also.

I suggest you to go through following demo.
http://www.templatemonster.com/templates.php?pr=50115-199912
http://www.templatemonster.com/demo/58585.html

NOTE : I suggesting above url just for demo purpose.I am not promoting any specific theme provider.

Please go through following url which may help you to choose a theme

How to Choose a Magento Theme

[Dmitry_Fedyuk]

I recommend to use the default (Luma) theme for the first time, because it is  developed and updated by the Magento company, and all the extensions are tested for compatibility with it.

All other Magento 2 design themes are listed here: https://mage2.pro/t/232

They are developed by external developers, and a custom extension may be incompatible with them.

[Ethnique]

Thank you muk_t for a really comprehensive answer.

You suggest that there are basically two ways to theme your site; use a prebuilt theme or create your own for which the developer would require PSD files. This suggests to me that theming is really only about the graphics, colours, layout etc, rather than the functional given that you can't use PSDs to relate a functional requirement. We have a design company doing all the branding, layout etc and I expect PSDs as output from this process, so it sounds like we should be creating our own theme. It would also seem to make the developer brief pretty simple; translate the PSDs to a Magento 2.0 theme.

I shall read the links that you have included. Thanks once again.