Implementing Dark Mode with CSS Custom Properties

Implementing Dark Mode with CSS Custom Properties

Dark mode has become increasingly popular among web users, providing a sleek and modern alternative to the traditional light mode. It not only offers a visually appealing experience but also reduces eye strain and saves device battery life. As a web developer, implementing dark mode can enhance the user experience and keep up with the latest design trends. In this blog post, we will explore how to implement dark mode using CSS custom properties.

What are CSS Custom Properties?

CSS Custom Properties, also known as CSS variables, are a powerful feature introduced in CSS3 that allow you to define and reuse values throughout your CSS code. They are defined using the -- prefix and can be used within any CSS property value.

For example, you can define a custom property for the primary color of your website like this:

:root {
  --primary-color: #007bff;
}

And then use it in your CSS rules like this:

a {
  color: var(--primary-color);
}

Enabling Dark Mode

To enable dark mode, we need to define custom properties for the colors used in our website and then toggle their values based on the user's preference. Let's dive into the steps to implement dark mode with CSS custom properties.

Step 1: Define Custom Properties for Colors

First, we need to define custom properties for the colors used in our website. This includes colors for text, backgrounds, buttons, and any other elements that need to be styled differently in dark mode. Here's an example:

:root {
  --text-color: #333;
  --background-color: #fff;
  --button-color: #007bff;
}

In this example, we have defined three custom properties: --text-color, --background-color, and --button-color. These properties will be used to control the colors of our website.

Step 2: Toggle Custom Property Values

Next, we need to toggle the values of our custom properties based on whether dark mode is enabled or not. We can achieve this by using JavaScript to add or remove a class on the body element.

const toggleDarkMode = () => {
  const body = document.body;
  body.classList.toggle('dark-mode');
}

In this example, we have a function called toggleDarkMode that toggles the dark-mode class on the body element. This class will be used to apply different styles for dark mode.

Step 3: Define Dark Mode Styles

Now that we have our custom properties and a way to toggle dark mode, let's define the styles for dark mode. We will use the dark-mode class to target elements in dark mode and update their colors.

.dark-mode {
  --text-color: #fff;
  --background-color: #333;
  --button-color: #17a2b8;
}

In this example, we have updated the values of our custom properties to reflect the colors used in dark mode. By toggling the dark-mode class, the styles for dark mode will be applied.

Step 4: Apply Custom Properties in CSS Rules

Finally, we can apply our custom properties in CSS rules to style our website. By using the var() function, we can reference our custom properties and ensure that the correct colors are used in both light and dark modes.

body {
  color: var(--text-color);
  background-color: var(--background-color);
}

button {
  background-color: var(--button-color);
}

In this example, we have used the var() function to reference our custom properties in the color, background-color, and background-color properties. This ensures that the correct colors are applied regardless of the mode.

Conclusion

Implementing dark mode with CSS custom properties is a great way to enhance the user experience and keep up with modern design trends. By defining custom properties for colors and toggling their values based on the user's preference, we can easily switch between light and dark modes. CSS custom properties provide a flexible and efficient solution for implementing dark mode, allowing for easy maintenance and customization.

By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can start implementing dark mode in your web projects and provide a visually appealing experience for your users. Remember to experiment with different color combinations and test your implementation across different devices and browsers to ensure a consistent and seamless dark mode experience. Happy coding!