vBulletin has long been one of the most powerful and flexible forum platforms on the web. Whether you’re running a tech forum, gaming community, or support board, customizing the design and layout is essential to create a polished and unique experience for your users. That’s where template editing comes in.

This guide walks you through how to safely and effectively edit templates in vBulletin, even if you’re not a full-time developer.

vBulletin templates are pieces of HTML and vBulletin-specific code (VB code) that define the layout, structure, and elements of your forum’s pages. Everything from the header and navigation to how posts and user profiles appear is controlled by templates.

Each template corresponds to a specific part of your forum:

• header – Controls the top of your site
• footer – Contains the closing elements, including scripts
• FORUMDISPLAY – Layout of forum thread listings
• SHOWTHREAD – Controls how individual threads and posts are displayed

Common Template Edits

Edit the Header or Footer

To add a custom banner, tracking code, or menu links:

• Go to the HEADER or FOOTER template.
• Add your HTML or JavaScript in the appropriate place.
• Save the changes and refresh your site.

Customize Post Layout (postbit)

Want to change how user details or post content appears?

• Edit the postbit or postbit_legacy template.
• Add new variables (like custom profile fields) or rearrange the layout.

Modify the Navigation Bar

You can customize or add links in the navbar template. It’s useful for adding static pages, shop links, or external tools.

Tips & Best Practices

1. Create a Child Style First
   Always work on a child style rather than the default template. This way, you avoid overwriting core files and can revert back if needed.
2. Use Template Comments
   Add <!-- Your Comment --> inside the template to keep track of your changes.
3. Back Up Before Editing
   Copy and paste the original template into a text file before editing, especially if you’re making major changes.
4. Use vBulletin Variables
   You can add dynamic content using variables like:

$bbuserinfo[username]
$vboptions[bburl]
$show[member]

Clear Cache
After making changes, clear your forum’s cache or refresh the page with Ctrl + F5 to see updates.

Useful Template Tags & Variables

• <!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: templatename --> – Marks the start of a template (for debugging)
• $stylevar[variable] – Access style settings
• $vbphrase[phrase_name] – Pulls a language phrase (great for localization)
• $show[condition] – Used to show/hide elements conditionally