Advanced Import : One Click Import for WordPress or Theme Demo Data Plugin

Yes, it is a free plugin.

Please make sure it is exported using the Advanced Export plugin

Login to your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance -> Demo Import.
You can also find Import zip options on WordPress dashboard -> Tools -> Advanced Import.

If you are providing starter content- NO, but if you are migrating site – Yes. As long as the exported site is live on the internet it is not necessary but if you are migrating the site from local to live you should check it.
Technically, if you check to include media, the zip files content media files. Huge media files may cause other issues. Generally not recommended to check but you can check media as your requirements.

First of all, you need to Export your theme demo data from your live demo site using Advanced Export plugin.
Export the zip file, it should contain 3 files content.json, options.json and widgets.json.
If you are submitting theme on WordPress dot org, you are not allowed to include Demo files ( XML, JSON, ZIP), You have to create a separate plugin for your theme/company. We would like to highly recommend to create a single plugin for your all themes. For other platforms, you may add code on your theme.
Code Example :

function prefix_demo_import_lists(){ $demo_lists = array( 'demo1' =>array( 'title' => __( 'Title 1', 'text-domain' ),/*Title*/ 'is_pro' => false,/*Is Premium*/ 'type' => 'gutentor',/*Optional eg gutentor, elementor or other page builders or type*/ 'author' => __( 'Gutentor', 'text-domain' ),/*Author Name*/ 'keywords' => array( 'medical', 'multipurpose' ),/*Search keyword*/ 'categories' => array( 'medical','multipurpose' ),/*Categories*/ 'template_url' => array( 'content' => 'full-url-path/content.json',/*Full URL Path to content.json*/ 'options' => 'full-url-path/master/options.json',/*Full URL Path to options.json*/ 'widgets' => 'full-url-path/widgets.json'/*Full URL Path to widgets.json*/ ), 'screenshot_url' => 'full-url-path/screenshot.png?ver=1.6',/*Full URL Path to demo screenshot image*/ 'demo_url' => 'https://www.demo.cosmoswp.com/',/*Full URL Path to Live Demo*/ /* Recommended plugin for this demo */ 'plugins' => array( array( 'name' => __( 'Gutentor', 'text-domain' ), 'slug' => 'gutentor', ), ) ), 'demo2' =>array( 'title' => __( 'Title 2', 'text-domain' ),/*Title*/ 'is_pro' => false,/*Is Premium*/ 'type' => 'gutentor',/*Optional eg gutentor, elementor or other page builders or type*/ 'author' => __( 'Gutentor', 'text-domain' ),/*Author Name*/ 'keywords' => array( 'about-block', 'about 3' ),/*Search keyword*/ 'categories' => array( 'contact','multipurpose','woocommerce' ),/*Categories*/ 'template_url' => array( 'content' => 'full-url-path/content.json',/*Full URL Path to content.json*/ 'options' => 'full-url-path/master/options.json',/*Full URL Path to options.json*/ 'widgets' => 'full-url-path/widgets.json'/*Full URL Path to widgets.json*/ ), 'screenshot_url' => 'full-url-path/screenshot.png?ver=1.6',/*Full URL Path to demo screenshot image*/ 'demo_url' => 'https://www.demo.cosmoswp.com/',/*Full URL Path to Live Demo*/ /* Recommended plugin for this demo */ 'plugins' => array( array( 'name' => __( 'Gutentor', 'text-domain' ), 'slug' => 'gutentor', ), array( 'name' => __( 'Contact Form 7', 'text-domain' ), 'slug' => 'contact-form-7', 'main_file' => 'wp-contact-form-7.php',/*the main plugin file of contact form 7 is different from plugin slug */ ), ) ), 'demo3' =>array( 'title' => __( 'Title 1', 'text-domain' ),/*Title*/ 'is_pro' => true,/*Is Premium : Support Premium Version*/ 'pro_url' => 'https://www.cosmoswp.com/pricing/',/*Premium version/Pricing Url*/ 'type' => 'gutentor',/*Optional eg gutentor, elementor or other page builders or type*/ 'author' => __( 'Gutentor', 'text-domain' ),/*Author Name*/ 'keywords' => array( 'woocommerce', 'shop' ),/*Search keyword*/ 'categories' => array( 'woocommerce','multipurpose' ),/*Categories*/ 'template_url' => array(/* Optional for premium theme, you can add your own logic by hook*/ 'content' => 'full-url-path/content.json',/*Full URL Path to content.json*/ 'options' => 'full-url-path/master/options.json',/*Full URL Path to options.json*/ 'widgets' => 'full-url-path/widgets.json'/*Full URL Path to widgets.json*/ ), 'screenshot_url' => 'full-url-path/screenshot.png?ver=1.6',/*Full URL Path to demo screenshot image*/ 'demo_url' => 'https://www.demo.cosmoswp.com/',/*Full URL Path to Live Demo*/ /* Recommended plugin for this demo */ 'plugins' => array( array( 'name' => __( 'Gutentor', 'text-domain' ), 'slug' => 'gutentor', ), ) ), /*and so on ............................*/ ); return $demo_lists; } add_filter('advanced_import_demo_lists','prefix_demo_import_lists'); 

You don’t need to assign them manually, they will be automatically assigned. Theme author also doesn’t have to write additional code for it.

Here are some important list of filter hooks:

• advanced_import_is_template_available
• advanced_import_template_import_button
• advanced_import_welcome_message
• advanced_import_demo_lists
• advanced_import_is_pro_active
• advanced_import_post_data
• advanced_import_replace_post_ids
• advanced_import_replace_term_ids
• advanced_import_new_options
• advanced_import_sidebars_widgets
• advanced_import_complete_message
• advanced_import_update_option_[‘option-name’]
• advanced_import_update_value_[‘option-name’]
• advanced_import_menu_hook_suffix

Here are some important list of action hooks:

• advanced_import_before_demo_import_screen
• advanced_import_after_demo_import_screen
• advanced_import_before_plugin_screen
• advanced_import_after_plugin_screen
• advanced_import_before_content_screen
• advanced_import_after_content_screen
• advanced_import_before_complete_screen
• advanced_import_after_complete_screen

We don’t have any starter plugin but we have developed a plugin for Acme Themes. The plugin name is Acme Demo Setup, you can download and view the code of the plugin and develop one for yourself.

Yes, many themes are using this plugin, for an example, you can look on CosmosWP Theme