
The Smart Demo-Bar is a powerful jQuery plugin designed specifically for web developers who need an efficient way to showcase multiple theme variations and test responsive designs. This lightweight solution appears as a fixed bar at the top of web pages, allowing visitors to preview different theme options with a single click while maintaining full responsiveness across devices.
Core Functionality and Benefits
This versatile plugin serves multiple purposes for developers and designers:
- Theme Switching: Instantly toggle between different design variations without page reloads
- Responsive Testing: Preview how themes render across various device sizes and orientations
- Client Presentation: Showcase multiple design options to clients in a professional interface
- User Experience Testing: Gather feedback on different theme versions from actual users
Technical Specifications
The Smart Demo-Bar is built with modern web technologies to ensure broad compatibility:
- Framework: jQuery-based with CSS3 animations
- Preprocessor: SCSS files included for easy customization
- Browser Support: Works on IE8+ and all modern browsers
- Mobile Compatibility: Fully functional on Android 4.0+ and iOS devices
- Performance: Lightweight implementation with minimal image dependencies
Key Features That Set It Apart
Comprehensive Theme Management
The plugin supports unlimited demo items, allowing you to showcase numerous theme variations. Each demo can include:
- Custom preview images
- Theme-specific metadata
- Purchase buttons (when using Envato API)
Advanced Responsive Testing Tools
Beyond basic responsive checks, the Smart Demo-Bar offers:
- Device rotation simulation
- 15+ smartphone and 9 tablet preview modes
- Device frame backgrounds (including iPhone 5 and iPad Air)
- Toggle options for showing/hiding device backgrounds
Customization Options
The plugin provides extensive styling capabilities through:
- Five pre-built color schemes
- SCSS variables for quick theme adjustments
- Custom logo and favicon support
- Font Awesome icon integration
Implementation Guide
Setup Requirements
- jQuery library (version 1.7 or higher)
- Basic knowledge of HTML/CSS
- Optional: Sass compiler if modifying SCSS files
Customization Workflow
- Choose between API or non-API version based on your needs
- Modify the SCSS variables in _variables.scss for color schemes
- Add your custom logo to the assets folder
- Configure demo items in the JavaScript initialization
- Test across different devices using the built-in tools
Version History and Updates
Version 1.6 (06.30.2014)
- Added support for redirect functionality
Version 1.5 (06.24.2014)
- Fixed CSS menu display issues
- Resolved cross-domain access problems in Internet Explorer
Version 1.4 (05.28.2014)
- Optimized JavaScript and CSS file structure
- Fixed device display toggle functionality
Version 1.3 (05.25.2014)
- Introduced device background options
- Added toggle controls for device backgrounds
- Included iPhone 5 and iPad Air frame templates
Practical Applications
The Smart Demo-Bar excels in several real-world scenarios:
- Theme Marketplaces: Showcase different color schemes and layouts to potential buyers
- Agency Work: Present multiple design concepts to clients in a unified interface
- Product Development: Test how UI changes affect user experience across devices
- Education: Demonstrate responsive design principles to students
For designers looking to enhance their mockups, device templates are available separately through UX Kits, though these aren’t included with the plugin download.



