How to Benefit from Frequent Updates with the Clarity Theme

One of the significant advantages of choosing the Clarity theme is gaining access to continuous updates that enhance your website's functionality and aesthetic appeal.

Updates include:

- **New Modules and Templates**: Expanding your creative possibilities.
- **Enhancements**: Improving existing modules for better performance.
- **Performance Boosts**: Making your site faster and more efficient.
- **Fixes and Patches**: Keeping everything running smoothly.

**Before You Update: Key Considerations**

Excited to hit the update button? Hold that thought for a moment. It's crucial to understand how updates work:

- **Child Themes**: Updates apply to the original PARENT theme files and subsequently to any CHILD themes, ensuring your customizations remain intact.
- **Cloned Themes**: Unfortunately, updates won't affect cloned versions of the theme.

**Setting Up for Smooth Updates**

The best practice for enjoying hassle-free updates is to use a CHILD theme of Clarity. This approach ensures your site benefits from all parental updates automatically.

**Jumping Versions? Proceed with Caution**

If you're considering updating after skipping several versions, caution is advised. While minor jumps are manageable, a significant leap (think version 10 to 36) demands careful attention. If anything seems off post-update, HubSpot support is just a call away to revert to your previous version.

**Transitioning from a Cloned to a Child Theme**

For those on a cloned version wishing to upgrade, the path involves a bit more effort. The recommended course of action is to update to the latest version, then migrate your site to a new CHILD theme derived from Clarity. This gradual transition ensures future updates will seamlessly integrate with your website.

**Installing Your Clarity Theme Update**

Ready for the latest and greatest? Here's how:

1. Navigate to **Content Settings** within your HubSpot dashboard.
2. Click on **Marketplace & Downloads** in the sidebar to view your assets.
3. Look for the Clarity theme and click **Install Update** next to it.

**Don't Skip the Release Notes**: Vital information or additional steps required with the update are often detailed here, so give them a read.

By following these guidelines, you'll ensure your Clarity-themed website stays current, functional, and visually appealing, all while enjoying the creative and performance benefits of the latest updates. Happy updating!