diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 41eedd7..75107fa 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ go 1.24
 toolchain go1.24.5
 
 require (
+	github.com/BurntSushi/toml v1.5.0
 	github.com/charmbracelet/bubbles v0.21.0
 	github.com/charmbracelet/lipgloss v1.1.0
 	github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.9.0
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index beffb1d..e349ae8 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+github.com/BurntSushi/toml v1.5.0 h1:W5quZX/G/csjUnuI8SUYlsHs9M38FC7znL0lIO+DvMg=
+github.com/BurntSushi/toml v1.5.0/go.mod h1:ukJfTF/6rtPPRCnwkur4qwRxa8vTRFBF0uk2lLoLwho=
 github.com/MakeNowJust/heredoc v1.0.0 h1:cXCdzVdstXyiTqTvfqk9SDHpKNjxuom+DOlyEeQ4pzQ=
 github.com/MakeNowJust/heredoc v1.0.0/go.mod h1:mG5amYoWBHf8vpLOuehzbGGw0EHxpZZ6lCpQ4fNJ8LE=
 github.com/atotto/clipboard v0.1.4 h1:EH0zSVneZPSuFR11BlR9YppQTVDbh5+16AmcJi4g1z4=
diff --git a/internal/tui/config.go b/internal/tui/config.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4042b77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/tui/config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+package tui
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+)
+
+var (
+	ConfigDirName = ".config/gitx"
+	ConfigFileName = "config.toml"
+	ConfigDirPath string
+	ConfigFilePath string
+	ConfigThemesDirPath string
+)
+
+func initializeConfig() error {
+	homeDir, err := os.UserHomeDir()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("error getting user home directory: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	ConfigDirPath = filepath.Join(homeDir, ConfigDirName)
+	ConfigFilePath = filepath.Join(ConfigDirPath, ConfigFileName)
+	ConfigThemesDirPath = filepath.Join(ConfigDirPath, "themes")
+
+	err = os.MkdirAll(ConfigDirPath, 0755)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("error creating config directory: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	err = os.MkdirAll(ConfigThemesDirPath, 0755)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("error creating themes directory: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if _, err := os.Stat(ConfigFilePath); err != nil {
+		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			defaultConfig := fmt.Sprintf("Theme = %q\n", DefaultThemeName)
+			if writeErr := os.WriteFile(ConfigFilePath, []byte(defaultConfig), 0644); writeErr != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to create default config file: %w", writeErr)
+			}
+		} else {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to check config file: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func init() {
+	if err := initializeConfig(); err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Failed to initialize config: %v\n", err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/internal/tui/model.go b/internal/tui/model.go
index 3afb472..f892ddc 100644
--- a/internal/tui/model.go
+++ b/internal/tui/model.go
@@ -51,7 +51,24 @@ type Model struct {
 
 // initialModel creates the initial state of the application.
 func initialModel() Model {
-	themeNames := ThemeNames()
+	themeNames := ThemeNames() //built-in themes load
+	cfg, _ := load_config()
+
+	var selectedThemeName string
+	if t, ok := Themes[cfg.Theme]; ok{
+		selectedThemeName = cfg.Theme
+		_ = t // to avoid unused variable warning
+	} else{
+		if _, err := load_custom_theme(cfg.Theme); err == nil{
+			selectedThemeName = cfg.Theme 
+		} else{
+			//fallback
+			selectedThemeName = themeNames[0]
+		}
+	}
+
+	themeNames = ThemeNames() // reload
+
 	gc := git.NewGitCommands()
 	repoName, branchName, _ := gc.GetRepoInfo()
 	initialContent := initialContentLoading
@@ -77,9 +94,9 @@ func initialModel() Model {
 	ta.SetHeight(5)
 
 	return Model{
-		theme:             Themes[themeNames[0]],
+		theme:             Themes[selectedThemeName],
 		themeNames:        themeNames,
-		themeIndex:        0,
+		themeIndex:        indexOf(themeNames, selectedThemeName),
 		focusedPanel:      StatusPanel,
 		activeSourcePanel: StatusPanel,
 		help:              help.New(),
@@ -95,6 +112,15 @@ func initialModel() Model {
 	}
 }
 
+func indexOf(arr []string, val string) int{
+	for i, s := range arr{
+		if s == val{
+			return i
+		}
+	}
+	return 0
+}
+
 // Init is the first command that is run when the program starts.
 func (m Model) Init() tea.Cmd {
 	// fetch initial content for all panels.
diff --git a/internal/tui/theme.go b/internal/tui/theme.go
index ecce002..6fc1c3d 100644
--- a/internal/tui/theme.go
+++ b/internal/tui/theme.go
@@ -4,8 +4,19 @@ import (
 	"sort"
 
 	"github.com/charmbracelet/lipgloss"
+
+	"os"
+
+	"path/filepath"
+
+	"github.com/BurntSushi/toml"
+
+	"fmt"
 )
 
+// DefaultThemeName is the name of the default theme.
+const DefaultThemeName = "GitHub Dark"
+
 // Palette defines a set of colors for a theme.
 type Palette struct {
 	Black, Red, Green, Yellow, Blue, Magenta, Cyan, White,
@@ -139,6 +150,20 @@ type TreeStyle struct {
 	Connector, ConnectorLast, Prefix, PrefixLast string
 }
 
+//config.toml
+type themeConfig struct{
+	Theme string `toml:"theme"` 
+}
+
+// custom_theme.toml
+type ThemeFile struct{
+	Fg	string	`toml:"fg"`
+	Bg	string	`toml:"bg"`
+	Normal map[string]string `toml:"normal"`
+	Bright map[string]string `toml:"bright"`
+	Dark map[string]string `toml:"dark"`
+}
+
 // Themes holds all the available themes, generated from palettes.
 var Themes = map[string]Theme{}
 
@@ -216,3 +241,46 @@ func ThemeNames() []string {
 	sort.Strings(names)
 	return names
 }
+
+func load_config() (*themeConfig, error){
+	cfgPath := ConfigFilePath
+
+	var cfg themeConfig
+	if _, err := toml.DecodeFile(cfgPath, &cfg); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return &cfg, nil
+}
+
+func load_custom_theme(name string) (*Palette, error){
+	themePath := filepath.Join(ConfigThemesDirPath, name + ".toml")
+	if _,err := os.Stat(themePath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("theme not found: %s", name)
+	}
+	
+	var tf ThemeFile
+	if _, err := toml.DecodeFile(themePath, &tf); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	// Create a Palette from the ThemeFile
+	p := Palette{
+		Fg: tf.Fg,
+		Bg: tf.Bg,
+		Black: tf.Normal["Black"], Red: tf.Normal["Red"], Green: tf.Normal["Green"], Yellow: tf.Normal["Yellow"],
+        Blue: tf.Normal["Blue"], Magenta: tf.Normal["Magenta"], Cyan: tf.Normal["Cyan"], White: tf.Normal["White"],
+
+        BrightBlack: tf.Bright["Black"], BrightRed: tf.Bright["Red"], BrightGreen: tf.Bright["Green"], BrightYellow: tf.Bright["Yellow"],
+        BrightBlue: tf.Bright["Blue"], BrightMagenta: tf.Bright["Magenta"], BrightCyan: tf.Bright["Cyan"], BrightWhite: tf.Bright["White"],
+
+        DarkBlack: tf.Dark["Black"], DarkRed: tf.Dark["Red"], DarkGreen: tf.Dark["Green"], DarkYellow: tf.Dark["Yellow"],
+        DarkBlue: tf.Dark["Blue"], DarkMagenta: tf.Dark["Magenta"], DarkCyan: tf.Dark["Cyan"], DarkWhite: tf.Dark["White"],
+
+	}
+
+	Palettes[name] = p // Add to Palettes map for future use
+	Themes[name] = NewThemeFromPalette(p) // Add to Themes map
+
+	return &p, nil
+}