Found my own answer.

I had to run ./nodebb build tpl && ./nodebb dev

Then the changes showed up

I am watching this closely. I cant figure this out either. Would you mind explaining what you mean by bootstrapping and tracing classes.

I think I am missing some steps. I copied the quickstart theme into node_modules and renamed all the files it says to.

Then I have been editing various tpl files, but nothing seems to change.

Found my own answer.

I had to run ./nodebb build tpl && ./nodebb dev

Then the changes showed up

This is what I have done so far

cd /nodebb/node_modules
mkdir nodebb-theme-nameoftheme
git clone https://github.com/NodeBB/nodebb-theme-quickstart.git nodebb-theme-nameoftheme
Edit package.json, plugin.json and theme.json.
In each file replace nodebb-theme-quickstart with nodebb-theme-nameoftheme
In theme.json change the name and description

Activate the theme
Rebuild and Restart

Edit header.tpl to add some text

<title>{browserTitle}TEST123</title>

Save and refresh the page. No change. I am sure I missed some steps. I am documenting how I do this so I can share with the group

Is there anyway to remove the word category and the category ID from the URL? Right now its https://website.com/forum/category/2/categoryname

I was hoping to have https://website.com/forum/categoryname

TL:DR I need help integrating nodeBB into an existing WordPress site. Everything is up and working on both ends, but I dont quite understand how to build a menu at the top of the Forum pages with links back to the main site, categories etc.

This is a new deployment of both Wordpress and nodeBB. I tried a few Wordpress forums and they were not good enough. I used to run a form with about 200 active members on vBulletin and I used the CMS system that came with it and it was fine, but I want to try something new and nodeBB seems like it.

I am not a developer, but do work in IT as an SRE, so I am familiar with GIT, some Python, etc. The template system seems familiar to me for some reason, but I dont know where I have seen it before, maybe Drupal?

Anyway, I am hoping to get my Wordpress site and nodeBB to look as similar as possible in terms of look and feel. I figured I would start on the menu.

Is there a plugin, or some docs on how to build a menu at the top of the page?

@MoJo It does work, except for the admin area, but i have asked that in a seperate post.

I didnt see anything in the docs about assets and plugins. Ill go look again.