Should You Really be Coding in Dark Mode? (2024)

FAQs

Should You Really be Coding in Dark Mode? ›

Conclusion. In summation, the jury is still out on whether dark mode is actually better for coding. While it might save you a tiny amount of power and, if you are using it at night, marginally help your sleep schedule, these benefits don't seem to be that substantial.

Some programmers may experience better readability with dark mode, while others praise light mode for catering to people with conditions like dyslexia. Ultimately, though, the difference between dark mode and light mode comes down to mere preference.

The dark background is believed to reduce eye strain and fatigue, making it an appealing choice for those working in dimly lit environments. However, the reduced contrast in a dark environment may lead to difficulties in identifying syntax errors and debugging code.

Dark backgrounds with lighter text create less contrast, which means less strain on the eyes when staring at a screen for extended periods. Better focus: Dark mode can help developers focus better on their work by minimizing distractions.

As a developer, I find dark mode easier on the eyes, especially when working in low-light conditions. It also helps reduce eye strain and fatigue, allowing me to work longer hours without taking a break. The darker color scheme also makes focusing on the task at hand easier, as there are fewer distractions.

Professional programmers use dark mode to keep their brain clear, and because the light mode color scheme is ineffective, or they want to prove that dark mode increases their productivity significantly, which makes them ship a lot more in a shorter space of time.

Dark mode reduces blue light.

affects the circadian rhythms of your brain. These rhythms dictate the chemicals that allow you to get to sleep easier or when you should be more alert. However, few of us know how to turn off or reduce the blue light on computer screen modules manually.

Flexible and creative thinking. Many programmers experience an upswing in creativity at night. The prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain associated with the ability to concentrate, gets tired at the end of the day. This seems to clear the way for more flexible and creative thinking for some people.

With fewer distractions from colleagues, emails, and the hustle of day-to-day life, these quiet hours become a sanctuary for deep concentration. The silence that prevails is conducive to a state of flow, essential for tackling complex coding challenges.

Answer: Working on a computer in the dark will not damage your eyes but may cause eye fatigue. As long as you are comfortable, you can use your computer in a dark room. However, change your lighting or take a break from computer work if your eyes begin to feel tired or strained.

Why are developers obsessed with dark mode? ›

Human eyes easily find something brighter in dark surround, it comes from our ancestor. So Dark Background helps us to see the font colour clearly in the editor. Also, the different colour for the different element is easily recognizable in the dark theme. It makes code easily readable because of contrast.

This language (or more aptly these languages, for there are many) seem so foreign because they're not designed for humans to communicate ideas. They're made for computers to execute commands. The above point blurs into the next: programming looks so hard because it is so intimately related to computers.

Summary: Pros and cons of dark mode

Dark mode helps to reduce eye strain in the long-term use of screens. But for some people, like those who suffer from myopia, dark mode can be difficult. Dark mode can give a better aesthetic or look to a website. But if not used correctly, it can look unpleasant and unnatural.

It improves readability and focus—but there's a little catch: We don't read long text (prose) the same way we read code. For the long text, dark font on light background works best. For code, light font on dark background—provided the contrast is not crazy—works best.

6 Answers. According to this article you should work under lights with a high (bluer) colour temperature. Research has shown that working under light with a high color temperature has a number of benefits.

Dark mode should make it easier for your eyes to adjust from your dimly lit surroundings to your phone screen, reducing screen glare. This may reduce eye strain and minimize eye fatigue. This is why car navigation systems and GPS devices switch to dark mode after sunset.

Dark Mode and Readability

Greater contrast generally equates to enhanced readability. Nonetheless, when dealing with HTML emails where various components have predefined colors, dark mode flips the code, turning light colors dark and vice versa.

This design functionality has proven popular with many users. A survey published on Medium showed that 82.7% of participants had used dark mode on their devices. Research from Android Authority and Polar revealed similar results, with 91.8% and 95% of participants respectively declaring their preference for dark mode.