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Install a remote theme

Download and install a theme from Github to customize the look and feel of your CV.

Find your theme​

Find a theme on Github.

To make it easy to find, the CV Wonder Themes repositories should contain at least of of the following:

  • Repository name is prefixed with cvwonder-theme-
  • Repository topic contains cvwonder-theme

Search on Github​

Look for CV Wonder themes on Github based on the Search and Topics.

Download and install the theme​

Download and install the desired theme with the cvwonder command.

Here is an example with the theme cvwonder-theme-default:

cvwonder theme install github.com/germainlefebvre4/cvwonder-theme-default
# or
# cvwonder theme install https://github.com/germainlefebvre4/cvwonder-theme-default

Install a specific branch/ref​

You can install a specific branch or ref by appending @<ref> to the repository URL:

# Install from the develop branch
cvwonder theme install github.com/germainlefebvre4/cvwonder-theme-default@develop

# Install from a feature branch
cvwonder theme install github.com/germainlefebvre4/cvwonder-theme-default@feat/new-design

# Install from a tag
cvwonder theme install github.com/germainlefebvre4/cvwonder-theme-default@v1.0.0

If you don't specify a branch, CVWonder will automatically use the default branch of the repository (usually main or master).

Switching branches​

If a theme is already installed, running the install command with a different branch will switch to that branch:

# Install theme on main branch
cvwonder theme install github.com/germainlefebvre4/cvwonder-theme-default

# Later, switch to develop branch
cvwonder theme install github.com/germainlefebvre4/cvwonder-theme-default@develop

# Switch back to main and discard local changes
cvwonder theme install github.com/germainlefebvre4/cvwonder-theme-default@main --force

How it works:

  • CVWonder uses git to manage theme repositories
  • Switching branches fetches the latest changes and checks out the requested branch
  • The theme directory name remains the same (e.g., themes/default/)
  • Only the git branch inside the directory changes
  • You can verify the current branch when generating your CV

Handling local changes:

If you have made local modifications to the theme files, switching branches might fail. Use the --force flag to discard local changes:

# Force switch to a different branch, discarding local changes
cvwonder theme install github.com/germainlefebvre4/cvwonder-theme-default@develop --force
Local Changes

Using --force will discard any uncommitted changes in the theme directory. Make sure to back up any customizations before using this flag.

Note: Themes are installed in themes/<theme-name>/ directories (e.g., themes/default/). The git branch is managed inside the directory, not in the directory name.

Private Repositories

CVWonder supports installing themes from private GitHub repositories with automatic authentication detection.

Authentication Methods​

CVWonder checks for authentication in the following priority order:

  1. GitHub CLI (gh) - Recommended
  2. GITHUB_TOKEN environment variable
  3. GH_TOKEN environment variable
  4. Unauthenticated (public repositories only)

The GitHub CLI provides the most seamless authentication experience. CVWonder automatically uses your existing gh credentials:

# First, authenticate with GitHub CLI
gh auth login

# Then install your private theme
cvwonder theme install https://github.com/your-org/your-private-theme

Benefits:

  • Automatic credential management
  • Secure token storage
  • Works with both HTTPS and SSH
  • No manual token creation needed

Option 2: Environment Variables​

For CI/CD environments or when GitHub CLI is not available, use environment variables:

# Using GITHUB_TOKEN
export GITHUB_TOKEN="ghp_your_personal_access_token"
cvwonder theme install https://github.com/your-org/your-private-theme

# Or using GH_TOKEN
export GH_TOKEN="ghp_your_personal_access_token"
cvwonder theme install https://github.com/your-org/your-private-theme

Creating a Personal Access Token:

  1. Visit GitHub Settings > Personal Access Tokens
  2. Click "Generate new token (classic)"
  3. Select the repo scope for private repository access
  4. Copy the generated token and use it in your environment

For CI/CD pipelines:

# GitHub Actions example
- name: Install private theme
  env:
    GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
  run: cvwonder theme install https://github.com/your-org/your-private-theme

Troubleshooting​

If you encounter authentication issues:

  1. Verify authentication is detected:

    cvwonder theme install https://github.com/your-org/your-private-theme --debug

    Look for messages indicating which authentication method is being used.

  2. Check GitHub CLI authentication:

    gh auth status

  3. Verify token permissions: Ensure your token has the repo scope for private repository access.

  4. Test with a public repository first:

    cvwonder theme install https://github.com/germainlefebvre4/cvwonder-theme-default
Theme version

The downloaded theme is the latest version from the main branch.

Download a specific version​

Theme versioning is supported yet.

Hosting​

Only Github is supported for now.

If you want to use another hosting platform, please open an issue on the Github repository.