The GeneratePress site library lets you jump start the design process. But unlike many other themes, each layout is completely customizable. You can use the site library sites as is, or tweak them to your exact needs.
Use Site Library, with or without a page builder
There are 37 sites in the GeneratePress site library. But there are 19 more layouts if you want to use a page builder such as Beaver Builder or Elementor.
Using GenerateBlocks removes the need for a page builder
GenerateBlocks is a page layout plugin, it gives you everything you need from a page builder without the extra cost or complication. GenerateBlocks is a page builder, GeneratePress is a WordPress theme. They’re made by the same developer, they work seamlessly together.
The elephant in the room!
“The demo content should only ever be imported on fresh websites with no content.”
Are you building a brand new site?
If you have an established website you should not import the demo content. But, you were probably attracted to the way the homepage of the demo site looked. If you don’t import the demo content you don’t get the demo website’s homepage layout.
Even if you don’t import the demo content, using the site library will still import many font and design settings. But your homepage and your site will not look just like the demo site.
The quote below comes directly from the GeneratePress website…
“These sites include GeneratePress options and demo content. If you already have content, you can choose to only import the GeneratePress options. The demo content should only ever be imported on fresh website with no content.“
If your site already has content, take care when using the site library!
Using the site library
Go to: Dashboard > Appearance > GeneratePress > Site Library
Click the button that says Site Library.
You will now see the site library with a selection of design layouts to choose from.
Hover over the layout you want to use
Then click the blue details button.
Make sure you backup your theme options!
Look for the small “I understand” tick box, read the instructions and proceed if you wish.
You are prompted to save your backed up options, make sure you know where you save that file to. Just in case you want to use it in future.
The blue button changes from backup options to import options
Click the blue button again to import the theme options for your chosen theme.
STOP
If your site already has content, GeneratePress recommend that you do NOT install the demo content. So decide if you do or don’t want to install the demo content.
If you do NOT want to install the demo content, click the tiny text link that says: Demo Content Skip this step!
All done, view your site
If you have a brand new site and chose to install the demo content, you’ll now have a copy of the demo site.
If you had a live site with your own content and skipped installing the demo content, your site will now look similar to the demo site. But you will not have the ready made homepage layout. You might also have to reset your navigation bars and things like sidebar widgets.
Your site, with or without the demo content
After you import the theme options and optionally the demo content, you will have to make the site your own.
If you’re building a brand new site and you did import the demo content, you might want to tweak the demo content that you imported. On some layouts you can, for instance, edit the homepage text and replace the images. In just a few minutes your site will represent your own business.
Some of the demo sites need a more complicated homepage setup. For instance the “Read” site uses WP Show Posts. To customize that theme to use your own content you would need to make several WP Show Posts lists.
The missing homepage
If you don’t import the demo content you won’t have the demos site’s homepage layout. For a lot of people this will be a big disappointment. Just bear in mind, if you don’t import the demo content, your site won’t look like the demo.
Bottom line, should you import a site from the site library?
I use the site library if I’m starting a brand new site that does not have any content.
I do not use the site library if I’m rebuilding a well established website with a lot of preexisting content. In that case I start from scratch and style the site in exactly the way I want it.