---
title: themeCreate - GraphQL Admin
description: >-
  Creates a theme using an external URL or for files that were previously
  uploaded using the

  [stagedUploadsCreate
  mutation](https://shopify.dev/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/stageduploadscreate).

  These themes are added to the [Themes page](https://admin.shopify.com/themes)
  in Shopify admin.
api_version: 2024-10
api_name: admin
type: mutation
api_type: graphql
source_url:
  html: 'https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/mutations/themeCreate'
  md: 'https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/mutations/themeCreate.txt'
---

# theme​Create

mutation

Requires The user needs write\_themes and an exemption from Shopify to modify themes. If you think that your app is eligible for an exemption and should have access to this API, then you can [submit an exception request](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZTB1vxFC5d1-GPdqYunWRGUoDcOheHQzfK2RoEFEHrknt5g/viewform).

Creates a theme using an external URL or for files that were previously uploaded using the [stagedUploadsCreate mutation](https://shopify.dev/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/stageduploadscreate). These themes are added to the [Themes page](https://admin.shopify.com/themes) in Shopify admin.

## Arguments

* name

  [String](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/scalars/String)

  The name of the theme to be created.

* source

  [URL!](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/scalars/URL)

  required

  An external URL or a [staged upload URL](https://shopify.dev/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/stageduploadscreate) of the theme to import.

***

## Theme​Create​Payload returns

* theme

  [Online​Store​Theme](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/objects/OnlineStoreTheme)

  The theme that was created.

* user​Errors

  [\[Theme​Create​User​Error!\]!](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/objects/ThemeCreateUserError)

  non-null

  The list of errors that occurred from executing the mutation.

***

## Examples

* ### Create a new theme from an url with a custom name

  #### Query

  ```graphql
  mutation themeCreate($source: URL!, $name: String!) {
    themeCreate(source: $source, name: $name) {
      theme {
        name
        role
      }
      userErrors {
        field
        message
      }
    }
  }
  ```

  #### Variables

  ```json
  {
    "source": "http://www.example.com/dawn.zip",
    "name": "Dawn"
  }
  ```

  #### cURL

  ```bash
  curl -X POST \
  https://your-development-store.myshopify.com/admin/api/2024-10/graphql.json \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'X-Shopify-Access-Token: {access_token}' \
  -d '{
  "query": "mutation themeCreate($source: URL!, $name: String!) { themeCreate(source: $source, name: $name) { theme { name role } userErrors { field message } } }",
   "variables": {
      "source": "http://www.example.com/dawn.zip",
      "name": "Dawn"
    }
  }'
  ```

  #### Remix

  ```javascript
  const { admin } = await authenticate.admin(request);

  const response = await admin.graphql(
    `#graphql
    mutation themeCreate($source: URL!, $name: String!) {
      themeCreate(source: $source, name: $name) {
        theme {
          name
          role
        }
        userErrors {
          field
          message
        }
      }
    }`,
    {
      variables: {
          "source": "http://www.example.com/dawn.zip",
          "name": "Dawn"
      },
    },
  );

  const data = await response.json();
  ```

  #### Ruby

  ```ruby
  session = ShopifyAPI::Auth::Session.new(
    shop: "your-development-store.myshopify.com",
    access_token: access_token
  )
  client = ShopifyAPI::Clients::Graphql::Admin.new(
    session: session
  )

  query = <<~QUERY
    mutation themeCreate($source: URL!, $name: String!) {
      themeCreate(source: $source, name: $name) {
        theme {
          name
          role
        }
        userErrors {
          field
          message
        }
      }
    }
  QUERY

  variables = {
    "source": "http://www.example.com/dawn.zip",
    "name": "Dawn"
  }

  response = client.query(query: query, variables: variables)
  ```

  #### Node.js

  ```javascript
  const client = new shopify.clients.Graphql({session});
  const data = await client.query({
    data: {
      "query": `mutation themeCreate($source: URL!, $name: String!) {
        themeCreate(source: $source, name: $name) {
          theme {
            name
            role
          }
          userErrors {
            field
            message
          }
        }
      }`,
      "variables": {
          "source": "http://www.example.com/dawn.zip",
          "name": "Dawn"
      },
    },
  });
  ```

  #### Response

  ```json
  {
    "themeCreate": {
      "theme": {
        "name": "Dawn",
        "role": "UNPUBLISHED"
      },
      "userErrors": []
    }
  }
  ```

* ### Creates a theme

  #### Query

  ```graphql
  mutation ThemeCreate($name: String, $source: URL!) {
    themeCreate(name: $name, source: $source) {
      theme {
        id
      }
      userErrors {
        code
        field
        message
      }
    }
  }
  ```

  #### Variables

  ```json
  {
    "name": "New Theme",
    "source": "http://someurl.com/lemongrass.zip"
  }
  ```

  #### cURL

  ```bash
  curl -X POST \
  https://your-development-store.myshopify.com/admin/api/2024-10/graphql.json \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'X-Shopify-Access-Token: {access_token}' \
  -d '{
  "query": "mutation ThemeCreate($name: String, $source: URL!) { themeCreate(name: $name, source: $source) { theme { id } userErrors { code field message } } }",
   "variables": {
      "name": "New Theme",
      "source": "http://someurl.com/lemongrass.zip"
    }
  }'
  ```

  #### Remix

  ```javascript
  const { admin } = await authenticate.admin(request);

  const response = await admin.graphql(
    `#graphql
    mutation ThemeCreate($name: String, $source: URL!) {
      themeCreate(name: $name, source: $source) {
        theme {
          id
        }
        userErrors {
          code
          field
          message
        }
      }
    }`,
    {
      variables: {
          "name": "New Theme",
          "source": "http://someurl.com/lemongrass.zip"
      },
    },
  );

  const data = await response.json();
  ```

  #### Ruby

  ```ruby
  session = ShopifyAPI::Auth::Session.new(
    shop: "your-development-store.myshopify.com",
    access_token: access_token
  )
  client = ShopifyAPI::Clients::Graphql::Admin.new(
    session: session
  )

  query = <<~QUERY
    mutation ThemeCreate($name: String, $source: URL!) {
      themeCreate(name: $name, source: $source) {
        theme {
          id
        }
        userErrors {
          code
          field
          message
        }
      }
    }
  QUERY

  variables = {
    "name": "New Theme",
    "source": "http://someurl.com/lemongrass.zip"
  }

  response = client.query(query: query, variables: variables)
  ```

  #### Node.js

  ```javascript
  const client = new shopify.clients.Graphql({session});
  const data = await client.query({
    data: {
      "query": `mutation ThemeCreate($name: String, $source: URL!) {
        themeCreate(name: $name, source: $source) {
          theme {
            id
          }
          userErrors {
            code
            field
            message
          }
        }
      }`,
      "variables": {
          "name": "New Theme",
          "source": "http://someurl.com/lemongrass.zip"
      },
    },
  });
  ```

  #### Response

  ```json
  {
    "themeCreate": {
      "theme": {
        "id": "gid://shopify/OnlineStoreTheme/1049083724"
      },
      "userErrors": []
    }
  }
  ```

* ### themeCreate reference

[Open in GraphiQL](http://localhost:3457/graphiql?query=mutation%20themeCreate\(%24source%3A%20URL!%2C%20%24name%3A%20String!\)%20%7B%0A%20%20themeCreate\(source%3A%20%24source%2C%20name%3A%20%24name\)%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20theme%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20name%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20role%0A%20%20%20%20%7D%0A%20%20%20%20userErrors%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20field%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20message%0A%20%20%20%20%7D%0A%20%20%7D%0A%7D\&variables=%7B%0A%20%20%22source%22%3A%20%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.example.com%2Fdawn.zip%22%2C%0A%20%20%22name%22%3A%20%22Dawn%22%0A%7D)

```javascript
const { admin } = await authenticate.admin(request);


const response = await admin.graphql(
  `#graphql
  mutation themeCreate($source: URL!, $name: String!) {
    themeCreate(source: $source, name: $name) {
      theme {
        name
        role
      }
      userErrors {
        field
        message
      }
    }
  }`,
  {
    variables: {
        "source": "http://www.example.com/dawn.zip",
        "name": "Dawn"
    },
  },
);


const data = await response.json();
```

## Input variables

JSON

```json
{
  "source": "http://www.example.com/dawn.zip",
  "name": "Dawn"
}
```

## Response

JSON

```json
{
  "themeCreate": {
    "theme": {
      "name": "Dawn",
      "role": "UNPUBLISHED"
    },
    "userErrors": []
  }
}
```