Something I have always loved to see when I visit a website or a forum is how there is the option of a dark and light mode. I tend to suffer from migraines so having dark mode allows me to sit and use forums and websites without the worry of a migraine becoming worse or my eyes becoming heavy.

 

If you own a website or forum, are you someone who has a light and dark option?

I offer a light and dark theme but don't have a toggle switch between the two. I could probably create my own with my coding knowledge, but it sounds like it could require a lot of refactoring of the CSS.

I offer a light and dark mode. Users can select whether they want to use dark mode or light in their settings.

I offer a light and a dark - if you're going to be spending long periods of time on a site, reading and writing, having something that works for you to discourage eye-strain and/or headaches can be important.

I offer just dark

I do not because Forumotion doesn't have this feature by default, so, in order to do this I would need to form the whole structure around it which is pain in the ass from my perspective. Let's use light theme and that's it. But, in general I don't use dark theme on any other forum. :P

I do because it came with the style. That said, I prefer to use the light mode, even at night.

I like to offer both a dark and light theme, not everyone likes a dark theme or vice versa. It's even cooler when you've got a theme that easily switches between dark and light modes with multiple options. Though that could get a bit overwhelming for some people.

Yes I offer both light and dark variations.

I prefer dark themes over light themes as it puts eye strain on me and gives me headache if I spend too much time browsing a light themed website/forum.

I have 5 themes both dark and light and in between, Although It can be a pain as some need custom CSS and images need to be added to all,

my preference is a dark theme.

 

I'm still updating the site but have opened it for old members and guests, but new members won't get a lookin until maybe July and still a lot of work needed and now I have to make sure it complies with the Online Safety Act 2025.

 

If you wanna pop in and check it out:

https://www.databasedreams.co.uk/charts/index.php

 

mick

Each member has a preferences so i try to offer a variety of options but i do normally give them the option between light or dark.

You know what's really interesting? How many websites out there don't offer light/dark modes.

 

But it's also interesting how many of those websites aren't ones you're going to spend potentially hours engaging with.

 

Also as a side topic, it might be interesting to talk about the next steps in accessibility - offering not just light/dark, but high contrast, grayscale, negative contrast options. Also I'd love to see text sizing come back as an option - no I don't mean zooming. I mean genuinely approaching the problem of 'I want the text to be bigger but not other visual elements' (because zooming will do things like scaling up borders and spacing which isn't the same thing!)

You know what's really interesting? How many websites out there don't offer light/dark modes.

 

But it's also interesting how many of those websites aren't ones you're going to spend potentially hours engaging with.

 

Also as a side topic, it might be interesting to talk about the next steps in accessibility - offering not just light/dark, but high contrast, grayscale, negative contrast options. Also I'd love to see text sizing come back as an option - no I don't mean zooming. I mean genuinely approaching the problem of 'I want the text to be bigger but not other visual elements' (because zooming will do things like scaling up borders and spacing which isn't the same thing!)

I agree with the text. Some websites are built way too small that you need to squint to be able to read it.

I'm also of the mindset that I'd decouple some authorial control from the posters in favour of doing more e-book style things with presentation. Offering different font types and presentations.

 

For example, while the typical sans-serif font choices are fine (this one certainly is), I have reason to suggest typefaces you wouldn't typically pair with this style of design for those people who find that easier to read. Serif fonts (esp ones like Merryweather and Gentium) are good for readability and the extra serifs can help some people read better - alternatively, I've heard good things about the OpenDyslexic font for people with dyslexia, and I can even believe some of the claims about "bionic reading" (which is in no way what I'd call it if I had to name it)

 

But implementing these is a very different challenge. I've also put time and thought into how better to hint some of the content context to TTS readers because I think that could be interesting too; it's easier in the RP scene where a thread is usually back and forth posts between two parties (so you give each poster a different 'voice' for clarity)

Some websites are built way too small that you need to squint to be able to read it.

Some people have complained about my forum being too small in text size. To deter that, we installed a font size toggle switch that allows people to resize the text to whatever they prefer.

Some people have complained about my forum being too small in text size. To deter that, we installed a font size toggle switch that allows people to resize the text to whatever they prefer.

Yes, that’s absolutely brilliant. It works great too! But I do agree with making such option standard to a website.

But I do agree with making such option standard to a website.

I'm not sure what the name of the service is, but I've seen on a few boards people added a code for accessibility options from a third-party site.

I'm not sure what the name of the service is, but I've seen on a few boards people added a code for accessibility options from a third-party site.

Userway is the most popular, but if the people who used it ever read the TOS they’d get very angry.

Userway is the most popular, but if the people who used it ever read the TOS they’d get very angry.

Why is that? 😆

Why is that? 😆

Imagine a group of people who are Very Against AI. Now tell them that the thing they all point to can and presumably will scrape their content to feed AI. (I suspect it’s Not That AI it’s feeding, but the group of people I have in mind don’t exactly generally understand nuance)

 

NB I have a distinct subset of the whole in mind, not the entire “community”.

I offer the default feature that XenForo has added. I use PixilExit themes, so they have a good setup on their themes for members to choose from.

 

For my two vBulletin forums, I have to have two different themes. I need to see if anyone has suggested a light/dark theme feature on VB6 yet. I feel like that's a feature they would be quick to implement.

 

I used to be strictly light themes, but it seems like people are choosing themes that are so light that I can hardly find buttons and text areas, LOL.

 

So, I switch to dark a lot of times.

 

Probably a sign of the times - that my eyes are old.

Userway is the most popular

Pretty awesome tool, but I think it was a different site. I'm not really sure, I just recall the icon being different.

My forum started with a dark theme, and we transitioned to a light theme. Lighter themes are easier on the eyes.

My forum started with a dark theme, and we transitioned to a light theme. Lighter themes are easier on the eyes.

I think that’s actually highly subjective and depends a lot on what device you’re using as well as whether your device is set to light/dark and/or you have natural tone shifting enabled or not, and also what time of day you’re visiting.

 

I definitely do not want to be looking at a lighter theme first thing in the morning or late at night.

I think that’s actually highly subjective.

I think majority of users prefer a lighter theme. I don't have a dark theme available because I have additional pages with HTML that only work for lighter themes.

 

Obviously having a option between a light and dark theme would be a better solution.

I think majority of users prefer a lighter theme.

I've always tended to use light modes more than dark modes, but everyone is different: https://forms.app/en/blog/dark-mode-statistics