Jason Brain's Tech Blog

Core CMS v0.3.0: Themes, Roles, and a Polished Admin Experience

January 11, 2026 by Jason Brain

I'm thrilled to announce the release of Core CMS v0.3.0. This update represents a major leap forward in usability, customization, and security. While v0.2.0 laid the foundation for content creation, v0.3.0 turns the system into a fully managed platform ready for diverse teams and designs.

Here is what's new in this release.

🎨 The Theme System

One of the most requested features is now live. You are no longer stuck with a single hardcoded look.

  • Theme Manager: Switch between visual designs instantly from the Admin Dashboard.
  • Dark Mode: We've included a "Dark Mode" theme out of the box to demonstrate the system's flexibility.
  • Developer Friendly: Creating a new theme is as simple as adding a folder to /themes. Check out the new Theme Builder Guide in the docs.

👥 User Roles & Security

As teams grow, security becomes paramount. We have implemented a strict Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) system.

  • Administrators: Have full control (Settings, Plugins, Users).
  • Editors: Can manage content and media but cannot touch system configurations.
  • Subscribers: Read-only access (ready for future membership features).
  • User Management: Admins can now Add, Edit, and Delete users directly from the dashboard.

⚙️ Site Identity & Customization

You shouldn't need to write PHP just to change your logo.

  • Site Identity: Update your Site Title, Logo, and Footer Text directly in Site Settings.
  • Label Editor: Want to change "Read More" to "Discover"? You can now override UI text strings via the admin panel—perfect for branding or simple localization.
  • Scroll to Top: A configurable "Back to Top" button to improve navigation on long pages.

🖼️ Media & Editor Upgrades

Content creation gets smoother and more accessible.

  • Media Metadata: You can now add Alt Text, Titles, and Descriptions to your images for better SEO and accessibility.
  • Editor.js Image Tool: Drag and drop images directly into your posts using the block editor.
  • Menu Enhancements: Reorder menu links manually and link to internal pages by ID (so links don't break if you rename a slug).

📊 A Modern Dashboard

We've refreshed the Admin Dashboard. The old text links are gone, replaced by a responsive Quick Actions Grid that makes navigating the backend faster and more touch-friendly.

🚀 What's Next?

With the core experience now robust and customizable, we are officially moving to Phase 5. The next major update will introduce the Event Planner Plugin, transforming Core CMS into a specialized tool for managing events and bookings.

View the Changelog | Download v0.3.0

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