The stages of the theme development life cycle follow this basic flow
| Stage | Activity | Gulp Command to Use | Result |
| 1 | Fetch existing theme — You need to download files for the active theme to use as the baseline for your own custom theme. The SuiteCommerce Base Theme is a good starting point. | gulp theme:fetch | Theme developer tools create a Workspace directory and then download theme files into separate subdirectories. |
| 2 | Customize existing theme — You can customize the theme by changing templates, styles, or assets. Modify templates, styles, and other assets using your chosen editor in the local Workspace directory created by the theme developer tools. | _ | You revise and store your customized files in the local Workspace directory and subdirectories. |
| 3 | Test locally — You should test your theme locally so you can identify any issues and correct them before deployment | gulp theme:local | Theme developer tools compile all source files into a LocalDistribution/tmp directory. When you start a local server, the local Commerce app/website uses the Sass, template and other files from this directory so you can view and adjust your theme in one or more browsers. Changes you make to source files are immediately visible in your local browser. |
| 4 | Deploy theme — You need to deploy your theme to NetSuite so you can activate it for your Commerce website. | gulp theme:deploy | Theme developer tools validate your customizations, copy theme files into a local DeployDistribution directory, and then upload these files to a location in your NetSuite File Cabinet. |
| 5 | Activate theme — Activating your theme applies it to a Commerce website domain. You can activate your theme using the SuiteCommerce Extension Manager in NetSuite. | _ | Your customized theme is active and controls the design and layout of the domain you selected during activation. |