How To Create A Reusable Divi Site Template For New Installs Using Divi Assistant

Step 1: Setting Up the Base Site As a Template

Before we can export your site configuration, you’ll need to create a base site that you can use as the template for future projects. This site will serve as your “blueprint” and contain all the core settings you frequently use for client websites.

I recommend setting up a staging site specifically for this purpose. This way, you can develop the site, adjust settings, and test features without affecting any live sites.

On your staging site, you’ll want to:

• Install and activate plugins that you typically use on client sites.
• Set the Divi Theme Options with any other configurations that make up your standard setup.
• Adjust the Divi Customizer settings as needed for site defaults.
• Configure your headers, footers, and post layouts using the Divi Theme Builder.
• Set up Divi’s Global Colors to match your preferred brand or client colors.
• Apply module presets as desired for global design settings.

Once your base site is ready and fully configured, we can move on to exporting it as a reusable template.

Step 2: Exporting Divi Assistant Settings, Divi Features, And Plugins

Divi Assistant makes it incredibly easy to export your site configuration. This step allows you to create two export files:

1. A JSON file containing all your Divi Assistant settings, including global colors, module presets, Theme Builder templates, and more.
2. A ZIP file containing a list of all the plugins installed on the current site, including both free and premium plugins.

Here’s how to do it:

Exporting Divi Assistant Settings:

1. In your Divi staging site, navigate to Divi Assistant > Export Settings.
2. You’ll see several options for what to include in your export. These include:
   • Include Divi Assistant Settings (all your general Divi Assistant configurations)
   • Include Global Colors (so you don’t have to manually reconfigure them)
   • Include Divi Theme Options
   • Include Theme Customizer Settings
   • Include Module Presets (saving your customized Divi modules)
   • Include Divi Library Layouts
   • Include Theme Builder Templates (for headers, footers, and other templates)
3. Select the options you need and name the export file (e.g., “Client Template – Divi Settings”).
4. Click Export to generate the file.

Exporting the Plugin List:

1. Go to the Startup Helper tab in Divi Assistant.
2. Under the Export Plugins section, you’ll see a list of all the plugins currently installed on your site.
3. Select the plugins you want to include in the template (you can choose all, or just your essential ones).
4. Click Export Plugin List to create the ZIP file.

Now you’ve successfully exported both your Divi Assistant settings and plugin list. These files are ready to be imported into any new site you create!

Step 3: Importing Divi Assistant Settings, Divi Features, And Plugins

Once you’ve set up a new Divi site, you can use the exported files to import all your settings and plugins, saving hours of setup time. Here’s how:

Importing Divi Assistant Settings:

1. On your new Divi site, go to Divi Assistant > Import Settings.
2. Click Choose File and select the JSON file you exported from your staging site.
3. Click Import to apply the settings to your new site.
4. You’ll notice that all your global colors, module presets, Theme Builder templates, and other settings are instantly applied!

Importing Plugins:

1. Navigate to the Startup Helper tab and select the Import Plugin List option.
2. Upload the plugin list ZIP file you exported from the staging site.
3. Once the list is imported, you’ll be able to select which plugins you want to install on this new site.
4. Click Install Plugins, and Divi Assistant will handle installing all selected plugins in one click.

After completing these steps, your new site will be fully configured, with both settings and plugins imported, and ready for further customization!

Step 4: Customizing The Imported Template For Clients

Now that your template has been imported, the site is almost ready. The final step is customizing the imported content to match the specific client’s needs. For example:

• You might want to tweak the global colors to fit your client’s branding.
• Adjust the layouts imported from the Divi Library to match their style.
• Add or remove any plugins based on the project requirements.

By starting with your base template, you’ve already completed most of the work, allowing you to focus on refining the final touches.

Conclusion

And that’s it! With Divi Assistant’s export/import feature, you can create reusable Divi site templates that streamline your entire workflow. No more manually configuring settings or installing plugins one by one—you now have a complete blueprint ready to go for each new project.

I encourage you to create multiple templates for different types of projects (e.g., business sites, e-commerce, portfolios) and save even more time on future builds.

Explore more of Divi Assistant’s features to see how it can further enhance your website development process, and don’t forget to check out our other tutorials for more tips!