If you are looking for an admin template for your next project you will find tons of admin templates out there. There are almost approximately 10k+ admin templates live and selling on different platforms like ThemeForest, Wrapbootstrap, etc.🧐 There’s no doubt that there are many unique market places selling these themes and templates exclusively on their platforms like ThemeSelection. Apart from these, you will find a myriad of blogs on collections of Best, Top, free, premium, etc, admin templates. In a nutshell, you have hundreds and thousands🙄 of options for choosing right admin template for your project.
It’s a time-consuming process to go through these options to choose the best fit for your project. This is the reason why many developers ending up buying admin templates, not meeting their requirements and expectations.
Are you also looking for an admin template for your web application and stuck on choosing the right admin template??🧐 Don’t Worry!!!😊 Here, we have brought to you the complete step by step guide on how you can choose the right admin template for your web application. Go through the guide carefully, and you will be able to find the most useful and effective admin template as per your requirement.
- Technologies and Frameworks
- UI Design
- Menu and Layout Options
- Applications and Pages
- RTL Support and Multilingual
- Code Quality & Template Loading Speed
- Scalability and Usage
- Customization & Integration
- Browser and Device Support
- Regular Updates
- Technical Support
- Reviews and Number of Downloads
- Review Changelog
1. Technologies & Framework
The first step to choose an admin template is to select the right technology and appropriate framework based on that technology. Technologies are programming languages that are used to communicate with machines. These languages give directions and controls the action of machines. Thus, in a broad term, a programming language is something that helps to write programs that are identified as an algorithm. Choosing the right technology or language heavily depends on your requirements. You should have a clear idea of your requirements as it will help you choose the right Technology and framework for admin template. If you are confused about choosing the best technology for your project, then you can have a look at most trending technologies according to Stack Overflow’s Developer Survey Results 2019🧐 below:
Once you select a particular technology you will get a few framework options under that technology/ language. Frameworks are used to build a web application with programming languages and to make development work more easier. It helps in reducing the repetitive tasks in developing a new web application. You can also check highly preferred frameworks according to Stack Overflow’s Developer Survey Results 2019🧐 below:
Below, I am sharing a few examples of highly preferable frameworks by most developers that you can consider for your projects due to their performance and responsiveness.
Bootstrap is the world’s most popular and highly preferred open-source framework for developing responsive web applications with HTML, CSS, and JS. The latest version of Bootstrap is v4. The bootstrap team has also announced the Bootstrap 5 Release Date and major changes expected from the upcoming version.
Bootstrap Admin Templates are easy to use, highly responsive, and highly customizable. Check out some examples of Bootstrap Admin Templates Free Download for any project.🤩
Laravel is an open-source PHP framework that follows an MVC design pattern. The web application thus designed is more structured and pragmatic as Laravel reuses the existing components of different frameworks which helps in creating a web application.
If you are planning to develop a web application from scratch then Laravel will save your developing time if you are familiar with Core PHP and Advanced PHP. Check out some examples of Laravel Admin Panel Templates to get an idea of how it can be used with your project if you are looking for the Laravel framework.😍
2. UI Design
In this stage, you need to have a clear idea of what type of design will fit your web application. UI (User Interface) design is the graphical layout of the web application. The UI design includes all the things a user interacts with while going through the web application like buttons, text, images & forms, etc. UI design will reflect the outlook of an application. You should buy an admin template with UI which best suits your project requirement.
While buying an admin template, first of all, go through all the demos that catches your attention. Checking live demos will help you to understand it’s looks & feel and make a better decision. There are two highly preferred UI designs i.e, Flat and material. It’s good if you have already selected a UI design and if not then we have explained a few popular designs below.
Material Design is an Android-oriented design language created by Google, supporting onscreen touch experiences via cue-rich features and natural motions that mimic real-world objects. Best example of Material Design is Materialize Admin Template which you can check below
Flat design is a user interface design style that uses simple, two-dimensional elements and bright colors. Best example of Flat Design is Stack Admin Template which you can check below
Gradients, also known as color transitions, are a gradual blending from one color to another color (or, if you’re in a colorful mood, from one color to another color to another color—gradients aren’t limited to two shades). Best example of Gradient design is Apex Admin Template which you can check below
Clean & Minimal Design
Clean design typically means uncluttered, simple, easy to parse and more white space. It means removing distractions and focusing on the content, the key message, and the most important action. Best example of Clean & Minimal Design is Vuexy – Vuejs Admin Template which you can check below
In graphic design, a drop shadow is a visual effect consisting of a drawing element which looks like the shadow of an object, giving the impression that the object is raised above the objects behind it. Best example of Shadow design is Moder Admin which you can below
Colorful design as the name suggests is the design with rich colors. Some attractive color combinations are used to make a product visually striking. Best example of colorful design is Chameleon Admin Dashboard Template which you can check below
Components are the building blocks and play a significant role in the process of selecting a perfect admin template for any kind of web application. Different admin template comes with different components. Components like Buttons, Navbar, List, Dropdown, etc. are some of the most used components as it gives a basic structure to your web app. Before buying an admin template make sure you have gone through the detailed list of all the components provided in the template. Make a list of components you need and then check the list of components in the demo. This will help you understand that the components provided in the admin template meets your requirement or not.
You can find the list of components in demo as shown in the image below
4. Menu and Layout Options
Once you select an admin template that provides all the components as per your requirement, the next step is to choose perfect Menu & Layout options. Menu is the navigation pattern that you want your visitors to navigate in your web application. Choosing the best navigation pattern for web applications is a complicated task and it requires a lot of attention. Generally, there are 2 types of navigations like Vertical Menu, and Horizontal Menu. Apart from these, there are multiple navigation patterns that are combined together as per the requirement of the web application. Below are examples of different types of menu.
Vertical menu is putting your navigation in a vertical list. This is usually at the left-hand side of the page.
Horizontal Menu is putting your navigation across a single row. Usually at the top of the page, in the header.
If you are confused about choosing the menu option then go through this article to understand which works better for you.🧐
Layout is the pattern that defines the web application structure. It gives a web application a creative & unique look. Layout is the arrangement of components, content, etc in your web application. You will find many admin templates that comes with unique layout options. Below are a few examples of different layout styles that you should consider to give your web site a unique outlook.
Light Layout of Vuexy VueJS Admin Template
Dark Layout of Frest Admin Template
Dark layout is currently trending and many developers now select admin templates with dark layout. Some of the advantages of using dark layout admin template are Dark mode saves battery life, Dark themes can reduce eye strain in low-light conditions, Graphical representation of Charts, Dashboard, looks more attractive & elegant in dark layout.
Interested in Dark Theme Layout? Check out our collection of Dark Theme Admin Dashboard Template for your project.
Semi Dark Layout of Vuexy VueJS Admin Template
Gradient Layout of Apex Admin Dashboard Template
Collapsed Menu with Blue BG of Convex Admin
Compact Menu Layout of Modern Admin
Horizontal Top Icon Layout of Robust Admin
If you are looking for admin templates with Horizontal Menu then explore our collection of Horizontal Menu Admin Templates Download Free and Premium with fresh & highly responsive alternatives.🧐🤓
5. Applications and Pages
Applications are the interface where admins with appropriate privileges can store data, manage their connection and contacts, etc. Choose an admin template that meets your application design requirements. Generally, applications like ToDo, Contacts, Calendar, Email, Chat, and, File Manager are useful for any kind of project. Make a list of applications that you need and then check the list of applications in the demo. This will help you understand that the applications provided in the admin template meets your requirement or not.
If you want to check the list of applications provided in the template then go to the demo as shown in the image of Chameleon Admin Template below:
Pages are also equally important to consider while looking for applications. Generally, pages like User Profile, FAQ’s, Authentication, Coming soon, Error, etc, are useful for any kind of project. Go for the template that comes with pre-built applications and pages as it will help you save your developing time. Make a list of pages that you need for your web app and then check the pages provided in the demo. You can check the list of pages in the demo as shown in the image of Chameleon Admin Template below:
6. RTL Support and Multilingual
RTL (Right-to-Left) supported admin templates play a crucial role in reaching your targeted audience if you are planning to launch your website at a global level. As may know some of the languages like Hebrew, Persian Urdu, etc are written and read right to left instead of left to right. If your website or application is going to be live in such a country then you should go for RTL ready admin templates to reach those RTL native speakers.
Check out the below image to get an idea of how the RTL supported admin template looks if your website needs this layout.
We also have a great collection of RTL Admin Templates that are elegantly designed and highly customizable.🔥
You should always go for admin templates that support multiple languages. If you are targeting audiences across the globe that can access your web application then it must support language that people from different countries use to communicate.
Documentation is the guidelines that shows the steps of how to use the admin template. Before purchasing an admin template, you should check whether it is well documented or not. With the help of documentation, you can get an idea of how the admin template can be implemented with your project. Generally, a well-crafted documentation should include details like compatibility, their versions, full details about its features, technologies used, updates, etc.
You can check the example of Chameleon Admin template to get an idea of what details a well-documented admin template should include.
8. Code Quality & Template Loading Speed
Code quality reflects how easily a developer can use the coding and other files to implement his structure in the admin template. Documentation and code quality are very very important aspects while choosing the right admin template. Many authors reveal their folder structure and code quality in documentation for user’s awareness.
On the other hand, if the code quality is superior but the page loading speed of the admin template is slow then it is futile to use such an admin template. You can check the loading speed of the admin template by putting the URL of the template in GTmetrics tool.
Scalability is the attribute that ensures the adaptability of your growing project. In simple terms, Scalability means enhancement. If you want to enhance or add some additional functionalities in your project in the future, then the admin template you have selected should be flexible to scale these functionalities. If your admin template is highly scalable then it can be enhanced easily to add new features & updates.
10. Customization & Integration
Customization is the process of adding some features, components, design, etc, as per your project requirements that are not provided in the original admin template. This largely depends on the type of web application you are looking to build. Some projects may require high-end customizations whereas some may require few changes. Please confirm customizability before purchasing any admin template.
Integration, on the other hand, is the process of connecting an admin template to API methods. Please make sure that the admin template is compatible with the technology you are going to use.
If the lite version is available then download the lite version of an admin template to check integration & customization support and how it works with your project.
11. Browser & Device Support
The admin template you are choosing should support all the major web browsers. There are approximately 4+ Billion internet users around the world. Different browser rules in different countries. So your browser must be compatible with all the major browsers. IE10, IE11, Firefox, Safari, Chrome, Opera, and Edge are the major browsers that most of the admin template supports.
How to Check Browser compatibility??
You can easily find Browser compatibility information on the landing page of any template. Check the below image to get an idea of checking browser compatibility from landing page.
To confirm the same you can check the admin template live demo in a relevant browser.
Not only browser compatibility, but your admin template should also be compatible with all the major devices. The major devices are PC, Mobile, and Tablets. If the admin template completely fits the screens of all the major devices then it is considered as highly responsive admin template.
How to check Responsiveness??
Once you find an admin template that fits your requirements then you need to check it is responsive or not. To measure the responsiveness, you can paste the demo link of your admin template in this free tool. It will give you a detailed report of the responsiveness on all the major devices.
12. Regular Updates
You have finally selected an admin template after going through all the steps and filtering various options available at each step. The admin template you have selected should be compatible with the latest version of the framework. If you try to update the admin template manually then it may break your entire project. The latest features, security patches, bugs fixed, etc are provided in updates which makes your project more stable and less vulnerable to attacks. Thus, to access the latest components and features, the admin template you select must provide updates on a frequent base. Ideally, there should be a minimum of one update every year.
13. Technical Support
After buying an admin template you might face some technical issues and many times you might not be able to understand the process of implementing the codes in your project. In such a situation, the support team of the template provider will help you fix these issues. If you don’t know how to use the admin template then the support team will provide you an appropriate guidance and support for your project. Please check the support policy before buying an admin template.
Many developers or freelancer’s major concern before buying any admin template is budget. It’s pretty clear that premium admin templates provides advanced and rich features and also comes with a huge library of components. You may find free admin template that can work for your project but getting a premium admin template is highly advisable. In most cases, there are two types of licenses, i.e, Regular or Standard license and Extended or developer license. Ideally, you will find admin templates that costs somewhere around $14 – $49 for a regular license. Fix a budget that you can spare for your project and go for a regular license to get a clear idea of how it works with your project.
15. Reviews and number of Downloads
Reviews are genuine feedbacks of customers. A good rating will reflect the authenticity of the product. If customers have given a good rating to any product then definitely that product is worth using. The total number of downloads also shows how popular is the product. Before buying any particular admin template consider the ratings it has and the total number of downloads. Both will give you a clear idea of the performance of the admin template.
You can check ratings and downloads from market place like Envato as shown in the image of Vuexy – Vuejs admin template below
16. Review Changelog
A changelog is a record of requests for change submitted for all changes in a development. A changelog tracks the progress of each change from submission through review, approval, implementation, and closure. You should always review the changelog before buying an admin template. The Changelog describes the bugs and issues fixed in the template after the release of the latest version of the template.
You can see the example of changelog below:
Research plays a crucial role in buying an admin template for any project. If you do not go through these important points, chances are huge that you might end up buying a template that does not suits your project requirements. Buy a premium admin template as these are the highly flexible and scalable templates that come with a good documentation and a good technical support. If you are looking for an admin template from market places like Envato, Wrapbootstrap, etc. then you have to go through this detailed guide to choose a perfect admin template.
On ThemeSelection we provide admin templates by considering all the above parameters which saves your time to choose the perfect admin template with the best quality for your next web app/project.
To sum up, here are quick tips for Choosing Right Admin Template:
- Before buying any admin template, select the technology. It will provide you options of frameworks for that technology and the best UI design for that framework.
- Prefer an admin template that comes with a well-crafted documentation. Read documentation twice before buying an admin template.
- If the code quality of a template is superior then it can be easily implemented with your project without any hassle. Thus consider the quality of coding.
- The better the support, the faster you can get the solution/guild.
I hope this article will help you choose the right admin template for your project.🙂
Check out our article collection of Backend Admin Panel Templates that will help you choose the most appropriate admin template for your backend project.🔥