=== PulseNova ===
Contributors: yineali
Requires at least: 6.6
Tested up to: 7.0
Requires PHP: 7.4
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

A colorful, responsive news and magazine theme built with native WordPress features.

== Description ==
PulseNova is a classic WordPress news and magazine theme with an editorial latest-posts layout, full static-page support, article and archive templates, widget areas, three menu locations, block editor styles, and optional RTL styling.

The theme uses WordPress posts, pages, menus, widgets, the Media Library, the Customizer, and one prefixed option array. It does not require a companion plugin and does not include analytics, tracking, remote fonts, third-party scripts, direct external API requests, social sharing controls, or automatic redirects. The top utility bar displays the localized date on the left. On the right, one sponsored author-site icon links to the Author URI declared in style.css, followed by optional nofollow social-profile shortcuts configured by the site owner.

== Installation ==
1. Open Appearance > Themes > Add New > Upload Theme.
2. Upload the PulseNova ZIP file and activate the theme.
3. Open Appearance > Customize to configure the PulseNova Header, PulseNova Social Links, PulseNova Homepage, and PulseNova Design sections.
4. Set the site logo and optional header image in their native WordPress Customizer controls.
5. Assign the Primary, Utility, and Footer menus under Appearance > Menus.
6. Configure the Primary Sidebar, Header Banner, and footer columns under Appearance > Widgets.
7. Select either latest posts or a static front page under Settings > Reading. PulseNova respects both choices.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Does PulseNova require a page builder or plugin? =
No. The theme uses native WordPress APIs and content.

= Does the theme contact external services? =
The theme itself does not make direct external API requests or enqueue remote assets. Standard WordPress features and content added by the site owner, such as avatars, embeds, widgets, advertisements, and links, may contact services selected by WordPress or the site owner.

= How does the front page work? =
When Settings > Reading is set to “Your latest posts,” PulseNova uses the WordPress main query and the configured “Blog pages show at most” value. When a static page is selected, its content is preserved above the magazine post feed. If that page is empty, the feed begins immediately without a large title-only gap. A separately selected posts page continues to use the standard blog index template.

= How do I add links to the top information bar? =
Assign a menu to the Utility Menu location under Appearance > Menus. If no menu is assigned, the theme shows Home and only real About, Contact, Blog, and Privacy destinations that exist in WordPress; it never lists every page automatically. The right side displays one compact sponsored author-site icon linking to the Author URI declared in style.css, followed by Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube shortcuts. Their profile destinations can be changed under Appearance > Customize > PulseNova Social Links. Empty social URL fields are not displayed on the front end.

= How do I place an advertisement in the header? =
Open Appearance > Customize > PulseNova Header, select an advertisement image, and optionally enter its destination URL and alternative text. The image appears between the logo and compact search form. The legacy Header Banner widget area remains available as a fallback when no managed image is selected.

= Where are theme settings stored? =
All custom presentation settings are stored in one prefixed option array named pulsenova_options. They are edited through the native WordPress Customizer under Appearance > Customize, while WordPress core identity, menu, widget, and header-image controls remain in their native interfaces.

== Privacy ==
PulseNova does not collect, store, transmit, or sell personal data and does not include tracking code or direct external API calls. Clicking the author-site or social-platform links takes the visitor to an external website selected by the theme or retained from an earlier saved PulseNova setting. Standard WordPress features and content added by the site owner—such as avatars, embeds, widgets, menus, advertisements, and links—may have separate privacy implications controlled by WordPress or the site owner.

== Copyright ==
PulseNova WordPress Theme, Copyright (C) 2026 yineali.
PulseNova is distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License v2 or later.

Except where another GPL-compatible license is explicitly stated below, all PHP, JavaScript, CSS, JSON, templates, documentation, and original artwork included in the PulseNova theme package are Copyright (C) 2026 yineali and licensed under GPLv2 or later.

== Resources ==
* PulseNova theme code and documentation: Copyright (C) 2026 yineali, GPLv2 or later. Source: bundled in this theme.
* Inline interface SVG icons in inc/template-tags.php: Copyright (C) 2026 yineali, GPLv2 or later. Original artwork created for PulseNova and bundled in the theme.
* Decorative CSS gradients and geometric fallback artwork in assets/css/main.css and assets/css/ui.css: Copyright (C) 2026 yineali, GPLv2 or later. Original artwork created for PulseNova and bundled in the theme.
* screenshot.png, including the PulseNova wordmark and all abstract/geometric image placeholders visible in the screenshot: Copyright (C) 2026 yineali, GPLv2 or later. Original artwork created for PulseNova by the theme author. No third-party photographs, logos, stock images, icon packs, or other third-party artwork are used in the screenshot.
* System font stack: no font files are bundled; fonts are supplied by the visitor's operating system and browser.

No third-party libraries, fonts, photographs, stock images, icon packages, CDN files, or remote resources are bundled or loaded by the theme.

== Changelog ==

= 1.0.41 =
* Removed the optional Theme URI header to address WordPress.org theme review feedback.
* No theme layout, styling, functionality, or bundled assets were changed.

= 1.0.40 =
* Removed the custom Appearance > PulseNova Settings screen and moved every PulseNova presentation option into the native WordPress Customizer.
* Preserved the existing pulsenova_options database array so saved settings continue to work without changing the public design.
* Added Customizer controls for the managed header advertisement image, URL, alternative text, new-tab behavior, and all social-profile URLs.
* Standardized the theme copyright and GPLv2-or-later license notice in readme.txt and LICENSE.txt.
* Rebuilt screenshot.png with only original PulseNova abstract artwork and removed all third-party/unknown imagery and advertisement-looking preview content.
* Added explicit screenshot and bundled-asset copyright/license documentation.
* Removed the unused custom admin PHP, CSS, and JavaScript files.

= 1.0.39 =
* Corrected static-front-page and separate posts-page handling.
* Added complete mobile-menu focus containment, Escape handling, modal semantics, and focus restoration.
* Fixed long-title and unbroken-text wrapping throughout the theme.
* Hardened option validation, external URL protocols, attachment checks, nonces, capabilities, escaping, and accessible labels.
* Preserved the managed header advertisement, compact search, editorial homepage, light footer, admin settings screen, and existing visual design.
* Verified responsive layouts at 320, 360, 375, 390, 414, 480, 640, 768, 980, 1024, and 1366 pixel viewport widths.
* Optimized the 1200 × 900 PNG theme screenshot to reduce package size without changing its appearance.
* Refreshed translation, licensing, privacy, and resource documentation.

== Upgrade Notice ==

= 1.0.41 =
WordPress.org review update: removed the optional Theme URI header only; theme design and functionality are unchanged.

= 1.0.40 =
WordPress.org review compliance update: all theme settings now use the native Customizer, with clarified licensing and an original-artwork screenshot.

