Drupal Theming Basics

Drupal Theme Basics

- Knowing the ".info" files
    Tell drupal about your theme.

- Playing with ".tpl.php" (Template) files
    Place for your all HTML structure.
    
- Variables in ".tptl.php" files
    Dynamic bits of content which is to be printed in your template file.
    
- Theme Functions overriding.
    Like $user->name information which has large logic behind it.

That's all a new theme needs.

Themes are usually stored in {drupal-webroot}/sites/all/themes

Setting up Devel Themer

Go to your terminal and follow following quick steps:

Make a new folder as libraries
(From drupal root)
  cd sites/all
  mkdir libraries

Get simple HTML DOM:
  cd libraries
  wget http://sourceforge.net/projects/simplehtmldom/files/latest/download?source=files -O simplehtmldom.zip

Unzip to simplehtmldom:
  unzip simplehtmldom.zip -d simplehtmldom

Remove simplehtmldom.zip
  rm simplehtmldom.zip

Drush Enable devel themer 
  drush en devel_themer -y

[If you get message below devel themer is ready to go :) ]
Message:
  λ drush en devel_themer -y
  The following extensions will be enabled: devel_themer, simplehtmldom, devel
  Do you really want to continue? (y/n): y
  devel_themer was enabled successfully.                               [ok]
  simplehtmldom was enabled successfully.                              [ok]
  devel was enabled successfully.                                      [ok]
  devel defines the following permissions: access devel information, execute php code, switch users

Template files

Dynamic Template Names
The way we do with drupal 7 nomenclature: 
https://www.drupal.org/node/1089656

List of all the variables available in page.tpl.php:
https://api.drupal.org/api/drupal/modules!system!page.tpl.php/7