SharePoint Framework - Theme Colors

Overview

The SharePoint Framework client-side web part uses the blue theme color by default, irrespective of the theme color of the SharePoint site. If SharePoint site has a different theme applied than the blue one, the SPFx web part stands out and does not provide the consistent look and feel with the site.

 

In this article, we will explore an option of theme colors to make the SPFx web parts look consistent with the SharePoint Site theme. 

The Visual Mismatch

Consider an example that SharePoint site has a green color theme. The SPFx web part with the default blue color theme looks inconsistent with the site.

 

 

Create SPFx Solution

 

Open the command prompt. Create a directory for SPFx solution.

md spfx-theme-colors

Navigate to the above-created directory.

cd spfx-theme-colors

Run Yeoman SharePoint Generator to create the solution.

yo @microsoft/sharepoint

Yeoman generator will present you with the wizard by asking questions about the solution to be created.

 

 

Solution Name

 

Hit Enter to have a default name (spfx-theme-colors in this case) or type in any other name for your solution.

 

Selected choice: Hit Enter

 

Target for component

 

Here, we can select the target environment where we are planning to deploy the client webpart; i.e. SharePoint Online or SharePoint OnPremise (SharePoint 2016 onwards).

 

Selected choice: SharePoint Online only (latest)

 

Place of files

 

We may choose to use the same folder or create a subfolder for our solution.

 

Selected choice: Same folder

 

Deployment option

 

Selecting Y will allow the app to deployed instantly to all sites and will be accessible everywhere.

 

Selected choice: N (install on each site explicitly)

 

Type of client-side component to create

 

We can choose to create a client-side webpart or an extension. Choose the webpart option.

 

Selected choice: WebPart

 

Web part name

 

Hit Enter to select the default name or type in any other name.

 

Selected choice: ThemeDemo

 

Web part description

 

Hit Enter to select the default description or type in any other value.

 

Selected choice: Theme Colors with SPFx

 

Framework to use

 

Select any JavaScript framework to develop the component. Available choices are (No JavaScript Framework, React, and Knockout).

 

Selected choice: No JavaScript Framework / React

 

Yeoman generator will perform scaffolding process to generate the solution. The scaffolding process will take a significant amount of time.

 

Once the scaffolding process is completed, lock down the version of project dependencies by running the below command.

npm shrinkwrap

In the command prompt, type the below command to open the solution in a code editor of your choice.

code .

Set Theme color to the web part

SPFx allows referring theme colors of the site. Theme colors can be referred to as below.

.button {
    background-color: "[theme: themePrimary, default: #0078d7]";
}

Open ThemeDemoWebPart.module.scss file from \src\webparts\themeDemo\.

 

Make the below changes to the CSS classes.

.row {
    padding: 20px;
    background-color: "[theme: themeDark, default: #005a9e]";
}

.button {
    background-color: "[theme: themePrimary, default: #0078d7]";
    border-color: "[theme: themePrimary, default: #0078d7]";
}

Test the WebPart

1. On the command prompt, type “gulp serve”.
2. Open SharePoint site.
3. Navigate to /_layouts/15/workbench.aspx
4. Add the webpart to page.
5. Web part should have the same color theme as of SharePoint site.

 

 

Summary

 

The theme colors help develop SharePoint Framework web parts consistent with the SharePoint site without any additional development efforts.