The Rise of Dark Mode

Once a dev-tool novelty, dark mode has graduated to a fundamental user expectation. From MacOS to Instagram, users now expect interfaces that respect their eyes (and their battery life). Whether it's to reduce strain in low-light environments or simply because it looks "cool," support for dark themes is a hallmark of a polished, modern product.

But creating a great dark mode isn't as simple as background: black; color: white. It requires a nuanced understanding of contrast, saturation, and depth.

Foundational Principles

1. Avoid Pure Black

Using #000000 creates high-contrast jarring effects that can cause strict eye strain. More importantly, it creates "smearing" on OLED screens when pixels turn off completely. Best Practice: Use dark grays (like #121212 or #1F1F1F). This also allows you to use drop shadows to express depth.

2. Hierarchy Through Elevation

In light mode, we often use shadows to lift elements. In dark mode, shadows are less visible. Instead, we express elevation through lightness. The "closer" an object is to the user, the lighter its surface color should be.

flowchart TB subgraph ELEVATION["🏔️ Elevation System"] direction TB L0["Level 0: Background\n#121212"] L1["Level 1: Card\n#1E1E1E"] L2["Level 2: Dialog\n#2C2C2C"] L0 --> |"Lighter = Higher"| L1 --> L2 end

3. Tame Your Colors

Saturated colors vibrate against dark backgrounds, making them hard to read. A rich blue that works on white will look unreadable on dark gray. The Fix: Desaturate your primary colors. Lighten them with white to transform a heavy Blue 500 into a softer Blue 300. This maintains visibility without eye strain.

Accessibility Checklist

Dark mode poses unique accessibility challenges. Before you ship, check:

flowchart LR subgraph A11Y["♿ Accessibility Check"] direction LR C["Contrast\n> 4.5:1"] --> F["Focus States\n(Glow)"] F --> I["Images\n(Brightness)"] end

* Contrast Ratios: Does your grey text meet the WCAG AA standard of 4.5:1? * Focus States: Can keyboard users see where they are tabbing? (Glow effects work great here). * Images: Do your transparent PNGs look okay on dark backgrounds? You might need to add a subtle white background or stroke to logos.

Practical Implementation Prompts

Here is how to guide BYOB's AI to get the specific look you want:

For Glassmorphism:

"Style the feature cards with a glassmorphism effect. Give them a translucent dark background with a subtle white border and a background blur."

For Typography:

"Set the primary text color to #EDEDED and the secondary text to #A1A1AA. Avoid pure white text as it causes halation."

Conclusion

A well-executed dark mode feels luxurious and immersive. It changes the mood of your site from "utility" to "experience." With BYOB, you can experiment with these themes instantly without rewriting a single line of CSS.

Build with dark mode

Dark Mode Design Guide - Best Practices for BYOB Sites