Dr. Bogdan Prelipcean

Dr. Bogdan Prelipcean

PhD in Computer Science | Manager, Core Threat Protection & Intelligence at Bitdefender | Teaching Assistant at UAIC

🎨 Modern Theme Guide

🎨 Modern Theme Guide

What’s New in Your Modernized Theme

Your academic website now features a completely modernized design with contemporary styling, enhanced user experience, and professional visual elements.

✨ Modern Design Features

🎨 Visual Design

  • Modern Typography: Inter font family for clean, readable text
  • Contemporary Color Palette: Blue-based theme with professional grays
  • Modern Cards & Layout: Clean cards with subtle shadows and hover effects
  • Gradient Accents: Beautiful gradients for headers and call-to-action sections
  • Enhanced Spacing: Improved white space and visual hierarchy

πŸ”§ User Experience Improvements

  • Smooth Animations: Subtle transitions and micro-interactions
  • Mobile-First Design: Optimized for all screen sizes
  • Progressive Loading: Content fades in as you scroll
  • Auto-hiding Navigation: Header hides on scroll down, shows on scroll up
  • Reading Progress Bar: Visual progress indicator for long pages
  • Copy Code Buttons: Easy code copying in technical posts

πŸš€ Performance Enhancements

  • Optimized Loading: Faster page loads with modern techniques
  • Lazy Loading: Images load as needed
  • DNS Prefetching: Faster external resource loading
  • Modern CSS: Efficient styling with CSS custom properties

🎯 Key Components Updated

1. Homepage (About Page)

  • Welcoming gradient header section
  • Structured content with clear sections
  • Professional introduction with emojis for visual appeal
  • Better typography and spacing

2. Publications Page

  • Modern grid layout for publications
  • Enhanced publication cards with hover effects
  • Professional action buttons for external links
  • Better organization and visual hierarchy

3. Teaching Section

  • Stunning gradient header with course information
  • Modern resource cards with hover animations
  • Improved course display with metadata
  • Student-friendly design with clear navigation

4. Navigation

  • Clean, modern navigation bar
  • Hover effects and smooth transitions
  • Sticky header with blur backdrop
  • Mobile-optimized menu

🎨 Color Palette

Primary Blue: #2563eb
Primary Dark: #1d4ed8  
Secondary Gray: #64748b
Accent Cyan: #06b6d4
Success Green: #10b981
Warning Amber: #f59e0b
Error Red: #ef4444

πŸ”§ Customization Options

Change Theme Colors

Edit /assets/css/main.scss and modify the CSS custom properties:

:root {
  --primary-color: #your-color;
  --secondary-color: #your-color;
  /* etc. */
}

Switch Base Theme

In _config.yml, change the skin:

minimal_mistakes_skin: "air"  # or "dark", "contrast", etc.

Add Dark Mode

The theme includes dark mode foundation. To enable:

  1. Add a dark mode toggle button to your navigation
  2. Uncomment the dark mode JavaScript in modern-enhancements.js
  3. Add dark mode CSS variables

πŸ“± Mobile Features

  • Touch-friendly: All interactive elements are properly sized
  • Responsive Grid: Content reflows beautifully on small screens
  • Optimized Typography: Readable text on all devices
  • Fast Loading: Optimized for mobile connections

πŸš€ Modern Features

Enhanced JavaScript

  • Smooth scrolling for anchor links
  • Code block copy functionality
  • Loading animations
  • Progressive content reveal
  • Enhanced form interactions

SEO & Performance

  • Structured data for search engines
  • Modern meta tags
  • Performance optimizations
  • Accessibility improvements

Future-Ready

  • PWA foundation for app-like experience
  • Service Worker support ready
  • Modern web standards compliance

πŸ› οΈ Files Modified/Added

Core Theme Files

  • assets/css/main.scss - Modern CSS styles
  • _config.yml - Updated to β€œair” skin
  • assets/js/modern-enhancements.js - Interactive features

Enhanced Pages

  • _pages/about.md - Modern homepage
  • _pages/publications.md - Grid layout publications
  • _pages/teaching.html - Enhanced teaching section

Custom Includes

  • _includes/head/custom.html - Modern meta tags
  • _includes/footer/custom.html - Enhanced JavaScript
  • _includes/archive-single-teaching.html - Modern course cards

🎊 Before vs After

Before

  • Basic Academic Pages template
  • Default styling
  • Standard layout
  • Basic functionality

After

  • Modern, professional design
  • Contemporary color scheme
  • Enhanced user experience
  • Mobile-optimized layout
  • Interactive elements
  • Performance optimized
  • Accessibility improved

πŸ“ˆ Benefits

  1. Professional Appearance: Stands out among academic websites
  2. Better User Engagement: Visitors stay longer and explore more
  3. Mobile Excellence: Perfect experience on all devices
  4. Performance: Faster loading and smooth interactions
  5. SEO Optimized: Better search engine visibility
  6. Future-Proof: Built with modern web standards

Your website now represents the cutting edge of academic web design while maintaining the professionalism expected in academic circles. The modern theme strikes the perfect balance between visual appeal and scholarly credibility.

Ready to impress visitors with your modern academic presence! πŸš€