Why Do You Need the Best VSCode Themes?
Almost 14 million people use the coding editor Visual Studio Code (VS Code or VSCode) monthly. In addition, this tool keeps getting better thanks to new functions such as remote development, teamwork tools, and adjustable developer themes. And, the best VSCode themes help to make the work with this tool even more customized and comfortable day or night. There are literally thousands of themes, so our guide aims to choose the best customization themes for your VSCode editor.
As a popular coding editor, VS Code has a special interface that allows users to make their workspace unique by selecting themes that show their style. It does not matter if you are a huge Game of Thrones follower or prefer a setup designed for extended coding periods, there are certainly the best themes for VSCode waiting for you.
What Is VS Code?
VS Code helps us to code faster with its inbuilt features for looking at syntax errors, adjusting code structure, and debugging problems easily. This code editor is lightweight but powerful – it helps to increase the productivity of all types of developers.
VS Code has strong community support, where professionals contribute to its ongoing betterment. It supports JavaScript, TypeScript, and Node.js natively. You can use it with C++, C#, Java, Python, PHP, and Go because of its extensive plugin ecosystem. Even if you use no-code platforms like Retool service, consider installing VSCode with default or customized themes.
Advantages of VS Code:
- A powerful command line interface to open files and extensions with ease;
- VS Code is a free and open-source tool;
- Great performance even on weak PCs;
- The official marketplace of VS Code is filled with multiple extensions;
- The IntelliSense feature increases your coding speed with the code suggestions, parameters, and lists of members;
- VS Code offers numerous modes such as Zen mode and Split view;
What Are the VSCode Best Themes?
A VS Code theme is a group of color schemes that you can use to modify how the text editor interface looks like. This includes changing the appearance of your coding environment such as the text editor itself, sidebar, and status bar among other things. Developers get an opportunity to customize their coding environment drastically by applying these themes.
Benefits of using the customized VSCode best themes:
- An attractive color scheme can make coding sessions more enjoyable;
- Good contrast and color choices enhance code readability;
- Certain themes can help reduce eye fatigue during long coding hours;
- Comfortable themes can streamline your workflow and boost productivity;
Now, it is high time to recommend a few great dark, light, and something-in-between themes for VS Code.
5 Best VSCode Dark Themes
Most VSCode like the dark themes because they give a smooth, up-to-date appearance and decrease the glare effect. Also, these themes can assist in reducing eye exhaustion when coding for long periods. Many developers think that some of the best dark themes for VSCode improve their concentration and make it simpler to notice syntax mistakes. Moreover, they are very helpful in low-light situations especially when coding at night.
Check the list of the best VSCode dark themes you can install right now to get all these benefits:
Dracula
“Dracula” has a great use of a dark theme layout. It’s very popular for its strong color palette. “Dracula” uses consistent shades of purples, blues, and pinks which makes for good syntax highlighting that is easy to distinguish different code parts. This theme is perfect for coding at night because it doesn’t hurt your eyes but still makes everything look nice. This theme has turned into a standard choice for numerous developers seeking the top dark VSCode themes.
One Dark Pro
“One Dark Pro” is a theme that brings the famous One Dark style from Atom to VSCode. It’s recognized for its simplicity and adaptability, offering a neat and orderly color scheme that improves reading comfort. One Dark Pro offers many ways for customization, letting developers adjust the theme as they like. It is a reliable theme for people who want something familiar and professional to use.
Monokai
Monokai is a popular pick among the fans of VSCode dark themes. Though, it offers lively and vivid colors. It was created by Wimer Hazenberg and has been a preferred selection in the developer community for many years. Monokai’s strong contrast of colors helps to separate various code components distinctly. It can simplify the process of understanding and correcting errors within code scripts. Its long-standing popularity is a testament to its efficacy and appeal.
Night Owl
Night Owl is made to be accessible. This theme looks good and also gives comfort to your eyes. It uses gentle blues and greens which are soothing and ideal when you work in places with little light. The color scheme in Night Owl has been picked carefully to make reading easier and reduce eye strain. It is good for coding during late-night hours.
Shades of Purple
Shades of Purple, being one of the best dark VSCode themes, is well-known for its impressive color palette. It uses different purple shades along with contrasting colors to create a visually stunning environment. This is a favorite pick for JavaScript developers because it’s unique and active in appearance. Shades of Purple makes code more readable and enhances the general coding experience.
Some of the other VSCode best dark themes you can try:
- Dark+ (the editor’s default dark theme);
- Cobalt2;
- Horizon Dark;
- Ayu Dark;
These dark themes offer different styles and color patterns, making sure each developer can find a theme that matches their preferences and boosting the coding performance.
5 Best Light Themes on VSCode
The light themes for VSCode have a very refreshing and clean look that many developers like. These themes can be exceptionally good in places where there is much artificial light because they decrease glare. Also, the light themes provide better readability and decrease stress on the eyes.
If you want to experience all these benefits, consider downloading and installing one of the following best VSCode light themes:
Light+
Light+ is the light theme that comes pre-installed by default when you install the VSCode editor. It offers a clean, simple design and an easy-to-use color scheme. It significantly improves readability without extra distractions. Light+ is a flexible theme that works well with different types of programming languages. Many developers who want their coding environment to be simple but still effective choose this default light theme for VSCode.
Quiet Light
Quiet Light has a gentle and soothing color scheme, it is best used in environments with good lighting. The subtle contrasts help to enhance the clarity of the code without causing any strain on the eyes. This theme aims at boosting concentration and minimizing visual exhaustion when you spend extended periods writing code – making it ideal for developers who value ease in their eyes.
Solarized Light
Solarized Light is known for its design that lessens glare and helps reduce eye strain. Made by Ethan Schoonover, this theme uses colors chosen with care to make a coding setting that’s balanced and calming. Solarized Light keeps good legibility under various light levels, which adds to its appeal among programmers who appreciate beauty as well as practicality.
Palenight
Palenight offers a calm, smooth color scheme that uses shades of purple and blue. This theme is good for coding during the day, offering a pleasing look that remains gentle on the eyes. The mild comparisons and tender tints of Palenight help in creating a comfortable and nice coding time.
GitHub Light
GitHub Light theme for VSCode imitates how GitHub looks, providing a consistent experience for developers who often move between the two platforms. This theme gives an identical appearance and feel that is simple to navigate and work with across GitHub as well as VSCode. The uniformity in coding surroundings attracts programmers to use GitHub Light.
Other best light VSCode themes you can try:
- Bluloco Light;
- Ayu Light;
- Noctis Lux;
Whether you like a lively and full-of-color theme or an understated design, there’s a light theme in VSCode waiting to enhance your coding experience. Check the following Reddit thread where users discuss the benefits of different light themes for VS Code.
Trending Best VSCode Themes in 2024
Besides the already mentioned themes for VSCode, you may use the following layouts that are gaining popularity right now:
Tokyo Night
The Tokyo Night theme displays a smooth and current appearance, drawing from the lively nighttime scene in Tokyo. It uses strong colors and distinct differences to improve what you can see while coding, providing your coding space with a stylish touch.
SynthWave ’84
The main idea of the SynthWave ’84 theme is to give a retro-futuristic feeling. It uses bright and vivid neon colors, along with design elements that remind you of past times. The combination of old aesthetics and new functions reflects an atmosphere from the 1980s when the coding era was on the rise.
Material Theme Ocean
The Material Theme Ocean is a peaceful and soothing palette that takes inspiration from the sea. Its gentle blues and green colors cause calmness while still ensuring safe visuals for the eyes.
Winter is Coming
Winter is Coming takes inspiration from the famous Game of Thrones series, and offers both dark and light versions. No matter if you like a dark or light theme for your coding environment – this choice will suit all styles with its flexibility.
Also, you can try these best themes for VSCode that many users tend to choose in 2024:
- Night Wolf;
- Rose Pine;
- City Lights;
More VSCode themes coming in 2024 have different styles and color schemes, so you can find the one that matches your liking for coding. These new themes offer variety – whether it’s a modern and daring look or something calming with a nostalgic feel. There is a theme for everyone to enhance their VSCode experience.
You can download some of the best VSCode themes of 2024 on many websites like this one. But make sure they do not ask to pay for these downloads and do not contain any malware content!
How to Install and Switch Between the Best VSCode Themes?
Changing the themes in Visual Studio Code (VSCode) is pretty much straightforward. Just follow these simple steps:
- Open VSCode and search for the Extensions sidebar on the Activity Bar, at the left side of the code editor;
- In the Extensions sidebar, find the theme that you wish to install;
- After locating the theme that you require, press the “Install” button near the theme’s name from the Extensions sidebar. VSCode will automatically begin downloading and installing the theme;
- Once you have installed the theme, go to the top menu bar and click on “File”, followed by “Preferences” and lastly select “Color Theme”. You can also use (Ctrl/Cmd + K, Ctrl/Cmd + T) as a keyboard shortcut for opening the Color Theme picker.
- In the Color Theme category, you can view a list of the best VSCode color themes that are already set up. Just select the one you desire to apply and VSCode will switch right away;
If you need more details about how to install and use the best VSCode themes, watch this detailed YouTube video.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do I install the best themes on VSCode?
You can do a few steps:
- Open VSCode and go to the Extensions sidebar;
- Search for your desired theme using keywords like “best themes for VSCode”;
- Click on the “Install” button next to the theme’s name in the search results;
- When you finish installing, find “File” > “Preferences” > “Color Theme” (or use the shortcut Ctrl/Cmd + K, Ctrl/Cmd + T);
- Select your newly installed theme from the list to apply it instantly;
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Can I customize the best color themes for VSCode?
Customization is the main reason to install VSCode themes. Once a theme is installed, you can frequently change its colors by modifying the settings in your VSCode settings.json file or using an extension such as “Custom CSS and JS Loader”. This gives you the ability to adjust the color selection of the theme, making it more suitable for your liking and easier to read according to your coding surroundings.
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What are the advantages of using the best dark themes for VSCode?
The best dark themes for VSCode are popular among the developers for several reasons:
- They help to reduce eyestrain, especially during long coding sessions and in low-light environments;
- Code elements can be highlighted better for easier reading by using dark backgrounds and contrasting syntax colors;
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How do I switch between dark and light themes in VSCode?
Switching between light and dark themes in VSCode is straightforward:
- Click on “File”, then find and select “Preferences”. Within this menu, search for “Color Theme” and choose it. Alternatively, you can directly use the shortcut Ctrl or Cmd plus K, followed by “T”;
- Within the Color Theme picker, choose a dark theme such as “Dark+” for displaying on a dark background or pick a light theme like “Light+” for showing over bright backgrounds;
- VSCode will instantly put on the theme you pick so that you can change from light to dark themes as per your liking or location;
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Are there themes optimized for specific programming languages in VSCode?
Certainly, many themes in the VSCode marketplace are designed for particular programming languages. Like:
- “Material Theme” or “Dracula” provide syntax highlighting being well-suited best VSCode themes for Python or Ruby.
- For JavaScript developers, the themes such as “Atom One Light” because of its easy-to-read and simplistic look;
- Java and C++ developers often like themes such as “Monokai Pro” or “Cobalt2”. These have good syntax highlighting that is easy to understand and a more serious look;
Conclusion
The best VSCode themes you choose to decide how the visual surroundings of your coding space look, a place where you spend many hours. A good theme improves readability, helps reduce eye tension, and creates a comfortable workspace that matches with your likes.
If you like dark themes because they look smooth and have less light reflection, or if light themes are better for reading clearly without strain on your eyes – there’s always a VSCode best theme that can improve how well-suited to coding work environment is while making it more enjoyable too!
