# modus-themes

> themes for GNU Emacs

**Wikidata**: [Q111359598](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111359598)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/modus-themes

## Summary
Modus-themes is a collection of themes designed specifically for the GNU Emacs text editor. Developed as free software, it is an official part of the GNU Project and is distributed through the GNU Emacs Lisp Package Archive (ELPA).

## Key Facts
- **Creator:** Protesilaos Stavrou
- **Initial Release:** 2019
- **Programming Language:** Emacs Lisp
- **License:** Free software (distributed under terms allowing users to run, study, change, and distribute it)
- **Latest Stable Version:** 2.6.0 (released August 19, 2022)
- **Platform:** GNU Emacs (cross-platform)
- **Official Distribution:** GNU ELPA (since March 16, 2021) and MELPA
- **Parent Organization:** GNU Project

## FAQs
### Q: Who maintains modus-themes?
A: The project was created by Protesilaos Stavrou in 2019 and continues to be maintained by him. It is also a recognized project under the GNU Project umbrella.

### Q: What is the primary programming language used in modus-themes?
A: Modus-themes is written in Emacs Lisp, which is the specific dialect of Lisp used for extending and customizing GNU Emacs.

### Q: Where can the source code for modus-themes be found?
A: The preferred source code repository is hosted on SourceHut, but mirrors are also maintained on GitLab, GitHub, and GNU Savannah.

### Q: On which operating systems can modus-themes be used?
A: It is a cross-platform entity that runs anywhere GNU Emacs is supported. It is also available as a native package in several Linux distributions, including Debian, Ubuntu, Gentoo, and NixOS.

## Why It Matters
Modus-themes is a significant component of the GNU Emacs ecosystem, serving as a highly integrated and professionally maintained set of themes. Its importance is underscored by its status as an official GNU Project package, meaning it adheres to strict free software standards and is distributed via the GNU Emacs Lisp Package Archive (ELPA). 

By providing a structured visual framework written entirely in Emacs Lisp, it solves the problem of aesthetic consistency and accessibility within the highly customizable Emacs environment. The project is notable for its rigorous maintenance schedule, with a history of frequent stable updates that ensure compatibility with the evolving Emacs platform. Furthermore, its availability across major Linux package managers—such as Debian (as `elpa-modus-themes`) and Gentoo (as `app-emacs/modus-themes`)—makes it a standard choice for users seeking a reliable, free-software-compliant interface. It represents the intersection of the free software movement's philosophy and practical user interface design within one of the most enduring text editors in computing history.

## Notable For
- **GNU ELPA Integration:** Officially joined the GNU Emacs Lisp Package Archive on March 16, 2021.
- **Accessibility Standards:** Developed within the free software movement to provide high-quality, customizable themes for GNU Emacs.
- **Multi-Platform Availability:** Distributed not only through Emacs-specific archives but also through mainstream OS repositories like Debian, Ubuntu, and Nixpkgs.
- **Extensive Version History:** Maintains a consistent release cycle with major stable versions including 1.5.0 through 2.6.0.

## Body

### Development and Governance
Modus-themes was conceived in 2019 by Protesilaos Stavrou. It is classified as free software, aligning with the GNU Project's mission to provide software that users can freely run, study, and modify. The project is officially part of the GNU Project and is hosted across several major version control platforms, with the primary development occurring on SourceHut.

### Technical Specifications
The themes are authored in Emacs Lisp, the native extension language of GNU Emacs. This ensures deep integration with the editor's internal face and attribute systems. 
- **Platform Compatibility:** Operates on any system running GNU Emacs.
- **Package Identifiers:** 
    - **Nixpkgs:** `emacsPackages.modus-themes`
    - **Gentoo:** `app-emacs/modus-themes`
    - **Debian/Ubuntu:** `elpa-modus-themes`
    - **Guix:** `emacs-modus-themes`

### Release History
The project has maintained a steady cadence of stable releases. Key versions include:
- **Version 2.6.0:** Released August 19, 2022.
- **Version 2.0.0:** Released December 25, 2021, marking a significant milestone in the 2.x series.
- **Version 1.5.0:** Released July 15, 2021.
- **Initial GNU ELPA Entry:** March 16, 2021.

### Distribution and Archives
Modus-themes is distributed through multiple channels to ensure maximum reach within the Emacs community:
- **GNU ELPA:** The primary official repository for GNU-approved packages.
- **MELPA:** A popular community-driven archive for Emacs packages.
- **Linux Repositories:** It is packaged as a source and stable package for Debian (starting in 2020) and is available via Launchpad for Ubuntu users.

### Community and Support
The project maintains an active presence through a mailing list archive hosted on SourceHut. Documentation and demonstrations are also available through various URLs, including video overviews that describe the themes' functionality and configuration options.

## References

1. [Source](https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/modus-themes.html)
2. [Modus-Themes version 2.6.0. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-08/msg00038.html)
3. [Modus-Themes version 2.5.0. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-08/msg00000.html)
4. [Modus-Themes version 2.4.1. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-06/msg00001.html)
5. [Modus-Themes version 2.3.0. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-04/msg00000.html)
6. [Modus-Themes version 2.2.0. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-02/msg00048.html)
7. [Modus-Themes version 2.1.0. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-02/msg00038.html)
8. [Modus-Themes version 2.0.0. 2021](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2021-12/msg00045.html)
9. [Modus-Themes version 1.7.0. 2021](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2021-11/msg00028.html)
10. [Modus-Themes version 1.6.0. 2021](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2021-09/msg00041.html)
11. [Modus-Themes version 1.5.0. 2021](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2021-07/msg00013.html)
12. [Modus-Themes version 1.4.0. 2021](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2021-05/msg00022.html)
13. [Modus-Themes version 1.3.2. 2021](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2021-04/msg00026.html)
14. [Modus-Themes version 1.2.4. 2021](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2021-03/msg00026.html)
15. [Release 0.1.0. 2019](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/0.1.0)
16. [Release 0.2.0. 2019](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/0.2.0)
17. [Release 0.2.1. 2019](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/0.2.1)
18. [Release 0.3.0. 2019](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/0.3.0)
19. [Release 0.4.0. 2020](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/0.4.0)
20. [Release 0.5.0. 2020](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/0.5.0)
21. [Release 0.6.0. 2020](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/0.6.0)
22. [Release 0.7.0. 2020](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/0.7.0)
23. [Release 0.8.0. 2020](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/0.8.0)
24. [Release 0.8.1. 2020](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/0.8.1)
25. [Release 0.9.0. 2020](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/0.9.0)
26. [Release 0.10.0. 2020](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/0.10.0)
27. [Release 0.11.0. 2020](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/0.11.0)
28. [Release 0.12.0. 2020](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/0.12.0)
29. [Release 0.13.0. 2020](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/0.13.0)
30. [Release 1.0.0. 2020](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/1.0.0)
31. [Release 1.0.2. 2020](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/1.0.2)
32. [Release 1.1.0. 2021](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/1.1.0)
33. [Release 1.1.1. 2021](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/1.1.1)
34. [Release 1.2.0. 2021](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/1.2.0)
35. [Release 1.2.1. 2021](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/1.2.1)
36. [Release 1.2.2. 2021](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/1.2.2)
37. [Release 1.2.3. 2021](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/1.2.3)
38. [Release 1.3.0. 2021](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/1.3.0)
39. [Release 1.3.1. 2021](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/1.3.1)
40. [Release 2.0.0-1. 2021](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/2.0.0-1)
41. [Release 2.3.1. 2022](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/2.3.1)
42. [Release 2.3.2. 2022](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/2.3.2)
43. [Release 2.3.3. 2022](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/2.3.3)
44. [Release 2.4.0. 2022](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/2.4.0)
45. [Release 2.7.0. 2022](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/2.7.0)
46. [Release 3.0.0. 2022](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/3.0.0)
47. [Modus-Themes version 3.0.0. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-10/msg00086.html)
48. [Modus-Themes version 2.7.1. 2022](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2022-10/msg00000.html)
49. [Release 4.0.0. 2023](https://github.com/protesilaos/modus-themes/releases/tag/4.0.0)
50. [Emacs: modus-themes version 4.0.0. 2023](https://protesilaos.com/codelog/2023-01-01-modus-themes-4-0-0/)