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Code in Comfort: Top VS Code Themes

Published on 3/9/2024

Trending Themes: Code in Comfort

As a developer, you know that your coding environment can make a huge difference in your productivity and focus, it acts as your digital canvas. Whether you’re working on a complex software project or a simple coding task, having the right VS Code theme can help you stay organized, efficient, and inspired. While many developers prefer dark themes, there are a multitude of other options available that can help you customize your workspace to fit your preferences and needs.

“I use the Dark theme when coding,
because light attracts bugs.”

The Power of Themes

From sleek, minimalist themes to vibrant, eye-catching ones, there’s something for everyone. But with so many options out there, it can be hard to know where to start. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the top Visual Studio Code themes every developer needs to try.

Beyond aesthetics ✨, themes can provide several benefits:

  • Reduced Eye Strain: Dark themes, in particular, can lessen eye fatigue during extended coding sessions.
  • Enhanced Readability: Well-designed themes offer distinct color palettes for code elements, improving syntax highlighting and clarity.
  • Personalization: Themes allow you to tailor your workspace to your taste, fostering a sense of ownership and comfort.

VS Code Theme Navigation: A Guided Tour

Here’s how to effortlessly change your theme in VS Code:

  1. Open the Command Palette: Press Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+P (macOS).
  2. Search for Themes: Type “Color Theme” in the Command Palette search bar.
  3. Select the appropriate choice: From the list of options select “Browse Color Themes from marketplace” ➡️
  4. A long list of amazing themes will appear.
  5. Browse or Search: Explore the curated list of themes or use the search function to find specific themes by name.

Here is a list of some of the best themes for your IDE.

1. One Dark Pro (Classic and Minimalistic)

You must have heard of the ATOM editor, which was one of the popular code editor, this theme is based on one of the iconic theme of the ATOM. The One Dark Pro has a well-balanced color palette with a lower contrast between background and text. It features dark gray background with multiple options such as,

  • One Dark Pro
  • One Dark Pro Darker
  • One Dark Pro Flat
  • One Dark Pro Mix

It has 7.2+ Million installs and it is one of the popular theme of the visual studio marketplace. It is created by Binaryify. It also provides customization for different colors, bold or italic texts, option to enable or disable vivid colors.

One thing that I dislike about this theme is sometimes due to the gray background it becomes hard to see different color texts. For some users One Dark Pro can be overwhelming due to it’s dark color scheme and bold syntax highlighting. Overall this theme is an excellent choice if you like the dark modes.

2. Dracula Official (Dark and Mysterious)

The Dracula Official theme is a popular theme for Visual Studio Code that features a purple background with a well-balanced color scheme. It is based on the popular Dracula color scheme, which has gained popularity among developers due to its vibrant yet soothing color palette. It provides two options

  • Dracula
  • Dracula Soft

The theme is easy on the eyes and provides excellent contrast for syntax highlighting. The Dracula Official theme has over 5+ million downloads on the Visual Studio Code Marketplace, indicating its popularity among developers.

However, some users may find the Dracula Official theme to be too bold or overwhelming due to its use of bright colors and high contrast. Additionally, the theme may not be suitable for those who prefer lighter themes or have trouble viewing bright colors on a dark background. Overall, the Dracula Official theme is an excellent choice for those who want a bold and vibrant theme with excellent syntax highlighting and customization options.

3. GitHub Themes (Light and Dark options)

If you really like the design of the Github then this theme is for you. The Github Theme is inspired by popular code hosting platform called Github. It has combination of different light and dark theme options such as,

  • Github Dark
  • Github Dark Colorblind
  • Github Dark Default
  • Github Dark Dimmed
  • Github Dark High Contrast
  • Github Light
  • Github Light Colorblind
  • Github Light Default
  • Github Light High Contrast

This theme has over 8.4 million downloads on the Visual Studio Code Marketplace. If you are not a fan of dark mode then this theme has one of the best light theme options for VS code. It’s sleek and modern theme and has different shades of background such as blue, dark gray and white. This theme is a solid choice for developers who prefer lighter color schemes and a clean, minimalist design.

4. Night Owl (Night coding savior)

The Night Owl theme is one of the best theme for low-light circumstances. It has unique design and it is easy on the eyes. This theme does not use much bright colors like “One Dark Pro” instead it uses muted colors with a background in the shade of blue. This theme is specially design for programmers who like to code at night. It has different options like,

  • Night Owl
  • Night Owl (No Italics)
  • Night Owl Light
  • Night Owl Light (No Italics)

It has over 1.9+ million downloads and it is recommended by many coding communities. It is created by Sarah Drasner. One thing I dislike about this theme is the Light version of this theme the background is white and the color of the syntax are not that dark enough so that you can’t easily read the syntax. Overall, It is a good choice for programmers who like dark mode and don’t want high contrast color for the code syntax.

5. Ayu (Sleek and Elegant)

The Ayu is has 1.8+ million downloads on the VS code marketplace. It has a mix of light and dark thems. It is a simple, bright and elegant theme with different options such as,

  • Ayu Dark
  • Ayu Dark Bordered
  • Ayu Light
  • Ayu Light Bordered
  • Ayu Mirage
  • Ayu Mirage Bordered

It has really nice color combination for the Dark theme since It has high contrast colors for the syntax and darker background. The mirage version has fog like background so it is a little dimmer then the Dark version. The Light version is not that great since the ratio of syntax color and background color is not maintained enough. Overall this theme is good choice for developers who like high contrast color for syntax and darker background it also provides bordered or borderless options as well.

6. Moonlight (Dark and Sophisticated)

The Moonlight is one of my favourite theme. It is created by atomiks and It has over 132k downloads on VS code marketplace and 550+ stars on the github, The one thing I like about this theme is the soothing colors of the syntax that match with the background shade. It has also an option to change the syntax color to high contrast colors. It has different options such as,

  • Moonlight
  • Moonlight II
  • Moonlight Italic
  • Moonlight II Italic

Moonlight theme may not be suitable for users who prefer high-contrast themes. Overall, it is a stylish and modern theme that’s easy on the eyes and offers great syntax highlighting and a unique look and feel, making it a great choice for developers.

7. 2077 — A Futuristic Flair

The 2077 is best choice for developers who are looking for a futuristic and cyberpunk inspired theme. This theme is based on the popular game called “Cyberpunk 2077” and features dark background with neon like colors. It is created by Endormi. It does not has multiple options for now but It has 254k+ downloads on the VS code marketplace. Also, It has 5 out of 5 ratings as well.

This theme has very dark navy blue background and it has unique and bright colors which you can easily identify with each other. This theme is not for everyone, It can be overwhelming for developers who prefers more subtle colors. Overall it is a unique and bold theme that offers futuristic look to your code editor.

8. Noctis (Light theme champion)

I found one of the best light theme from this collection. The Noctis is a collection of light and dark themes with a blend of warm and cold contrast colors. It features muted teal, blues, purples and gray colors. It has so many variants such as,

  • Noctis
  • Noctis Azureus
  • Noctis Bordo
  • Noctis Hibernus
  • Noctis Lilac
  • Noctis Lux
  • Noctis Minimus
  • Noctis Obscuro
  • Noctis Sereno
  • Noctis Uva
  • Noctis Viola

The Noctis has 800k+ downloads on the VS code marketplace and 440+ stars on the github. Overall this theme is a solid choice for developers who want clean, minimalist theme that’s easy on the eyes.

9. Shades of Purple (For the purple passionate)

The Shades of Purple is one of the popular themes for the VS code. It has over 1.4+ million downloads. You will definitely like this theme if you are a fan of purple color. As the name suggests it has purple background and has two options which are,

  • Shades of Purple
  • Shades of Purple (Super Dark)

It has high contrast syntax colors. This theme is created by Ahmad Awais and has 650+ github stars. The theme is quite bold, with a lot of contrast between the dark background and the text. If you prefer theme with the low contrast then this might be not suitable for you but overall this theme is unique with excellent syntax highlighting with bold colors.

10. City Lights (Modern and Bright)

The City Lights Theme is created by yummygum design agency. It is a visually pleasing theme with the bright, colorful design with high contrast and bold typography. The color palette of this theme is really stands out from other themes. It has soothing light colors with not so high contrast. It does not provide many options but you must try this theme.

It has over 210k+ downloads on VS code marketplace and 4.9 out of 5 ratings. Overall, the City Lights theme is a great choice for developers who want a visually striking and modern theme with excellent syntax highlighting and customization options. However, it may not be suitable for everyone, so it’s worth trying out the theme to see if it works for your needs.

Honorable mentions

Dark and Colorful Themes:

  • Nord: Inspired by the Scandinavian aesthetic, Nord offers a balanced dark theme with calming blues, greens, and whites.
  • Oceanic Next: Embrace the underwater world with Oceanic Next’s dark blue background and vibrant ocean-inspired color palette.
  • Material Theme: Channel the clean Material Design principles with this theme, available in light and dark variations with soft, muted colors.

Light and Minimalist Themes:

  • One Light Pro: The light counterpart to One Dark Pro, One Light Pro delivers a clean and minimalist light theme with excellent readability.
  • Atom One Light: Another classic light theme, Atom One Light provides a bright white background with soft, non-glaring text colors for a clutter-free experience.
  • Tokyo Night Storm: If you enjoy a subtle touch of color, Tokyo Night Storm presents a light theme with a light gray background and hints of blue for a calming effect.

Unique and Themed Options:

  • SynthWave ’84: Take a trip back to the 80s with SynthWave ‘84’s retro-inspired theme featuring neon colors and a dark background.
  • Monokai Pro: This theme offers a distinctive look with a dark background, desaturated colors, and unique file and folder icons.
  • Dracula Theme (Original): The original version of the Dracula theme provides a slightly different take on the popular color scheme, offering an alternative for those who prefer a touch of variation.

Conclusion

Taming the digital jungle of your code editor is crucial for developer zen. Visual Studio Code offers a treasure trove of themes to transform your workspace into a haven of focus and productivity. Whether you crave the inky depths of dark themes, the crisp clarity of light options, or a splash of personality, there’s a theme waiting to unleash your coding potential.

From the ever-popular One Dark Pro to the sophisticated City Lights and the cyberpunk-infused 2077, each theme boasts unique strengths. Experiment and discover the perfect fit for your coding style. After all, a comfortable environment is the first step towards coding mastery. So, dive into the world of VS Code themes and create your ideal coding oasis!