Fluent Community Templates?
I'm doing my first "real" install, and am presented with the option of starting with a Template: Basic, Course, Product, or Blank. I have no context about what each is, and what I'd be gaining or giving up with each one. Has this been explained somewhere? I searched docs but don't see info.
And can the Template be changed later without breaking things or losing a course that's been set up?
Thank you
The template is just the starter pre-defined spaces that we load from the onboard. That does not affect any features.
Shahjahan Jewel It makes sense that it's a starter. The problem is that there's no visual reference for what each template looks like. We only get to choose by words, not a visual. That's not fun when the whole point of what we're doing is design. Where can we find what each template looks like before we choose an option?
Donovan Owens I found my way here because I ran into the exact same issue, and was just as confused and concerned as you.
Hi Shahjahan Jewel Even though it may be obvious to you, I think you are too close to the project to grasp how off-putting the Template issue can be to a new user.
I too am doing my first “real” installation and I agree with every point that Lee Busch made. The FluentCommunity onboarding flow and your documentation at https://fluentcommunity.co/docs/fluentcommunity-onboarding-guide/ is flawed and looks unfinished because neither one explains what the difference is between the four Template options or what a FluentCommunity template is or does.
When I clicked the Template radio button, I figured there would be a reveal of text or an image showing what the Template looked like -- since a lot of WordPress templates are visual. It is like you forgot to add the explanation text and images of what each option looks like and that’s why it feels unfinished. You are not giving any guidance to new users, leaving them to guess, which is not a good user experience.
Everybody who installs FluentCommunity is not going to come into this forum and post a question about Templates, so you should either remove the Templates step in the onboarding process or you should explain the ramifications and nuances of Basic, Course, Product, and Blank.
Good points. It would be helpful for the Devs to watch someone use this for the first time ever, and take notes. There will be many questions and confusions that come up that a developer would have never considered.
(BTW, the course builder is lovely.)
I have been following these question for a few weeks now, can you guys offer some clarification to Gregory Storm 's questions above please Shahjahan Jewel ❓🙋
Has there been any resolution to this? Maybe a resource that shows the differences in the templates? I'm doing my first install and was presented with the choose a template option. The words make sense. Not knowing what each template looks like, makes no sense. Anyone have a resource that can show me the differences?
i just bought this and i'm just as lost as anyone else. i picked basic and selling a product, now i wish i selected product but can't change. why is this being disregarded?
Anyone: Is there a video that shows the difference between these starter choices?
Lee Busch The templates are just pre-defined spaces that will be created. Nothing fancy.
Shahjahan Jewel I kind of understand this now, after creating two FC spaces. However, you must put yourself into the mind of a new user, who's never seen any of this before. They have no idea what this means, which choice to make, or what will result from making this choice — and it's the first big choice they need to make, with no assistance or explanation.
It's paralyzing, and a bad first impression for 1st-time users of FC.
Lee Busch We will add some contexual texts about it.
Shahjahan Jewel Thank you! That will be very good for FC and the user experience.
Shahjahan Jewel You say "pre-defined spaces". If we know what each pre-defined space looks like, we can make a wise decision when prompted to choose during the onboarding. The spaces must be predefined with components and spaces that make sense for the choice... otherwise, the choices wouldn't exist, correct?
Please show us the difference in the options.
Shahjahan Jewel I'm glad you're working on ways to provide context for this.
This issue is still there!
And still a problem Shahjahan Jewel - at the very least explain what the user is choosing better than "Start your journey with our expertly crafted templates" which tells us nothing (and reassure the user that the selection is not permanent if that is the case)
Same. This is not user-friendly.
also just went through this... make this smoother... it just adds massive friction to onboarding. just coming from circle and this makes me question what i am doing here lol
This issue is still there 2026!
Jonathan Witterick Wow. That's a long time to have no response and not have the issue addressed.
Shahjahan Jewel and friends: Please just make a 2-minute explainer video, and embed or link to it from the setup screen. This is easily solved.
Shahjahan Jewel and friends: Please just make a 2-minute explainer video, and embed or link to it from the setup screen. This is easily solved.
I'm blown away by what is almost borderline contempt for the users shown here. I'm running into this issue as well, and not only has nothing changed, but the repeated answer, which is utterly meaningless, and subsequent dismissal are infuriating. Shahjahan Jewel
"The template is just the starter pre-defined spaces that we load from the onboard. That does not affect any features."
What does this even mean? If it doesn't affect anything, why even surface the option? What are the differences in the "pre-defined spaces?" This is a broken onboarding flow, which is the first gateway to the product, and no one seems to care, in the least bit, about that experience. I've actually waited weeks before activating the plugin because I didn't have time to research what the heck this was, only to find out not only was there no good explanation, but inquiries about it were met with dismissiveness.
Come on, guys. You guys have no idea how things that seem minor to you are blockers and incredibly frustrating for your users.
If it's meaningless, remove it, if it means something, explain it.