Implementing Tokens for Dark Mode

1. Introduction

As user preferences shift towards dark mode for improved readability and reduced eye strain, implementing design tokens for dark mode becomes essential. This lesson explores how to effectively introduce dark mode tokens into your theming system.

2. Key Concepts

• Design Tokens: Atomic visual design elements that store design decisions in a format that can be easily consumed by different platforms.
• Dark Mode: A color scheme that uses dark colors for the background and light colors for text and elements, reducing glare and battery consumption on OLED displays.
• Theming System: A structure that allows for the dynamic application of styles across an application based on user preferences or system settings.

3. Step-by-Step Process

To implement tokens for dark mode, follow these steps:

1. Define your color tokens for dark mode:

const colors = {
    background: '#121212',
    surface: '#1E1E1E',
    primary: '#BB86FC',
    secondary: '#03DAC6',
    error: '#CF6679',
    onBackground: '#FFFFFF',
    onSurface: '#FFFFFF',
    onPrimary: '#000000',
    onSecondary: '#000000',
    onError: '#000000'
};
              

2. Integrate tokens into your theming system:

const theme = {
    light: lightColors, // previously defined light colors
    dark: colors // new dark mode colors
};
              

3. Implement a toggle for dark mode in your application:

function toggleTheme() {
    const currentTheme = document.body.dataset.theme;
    document.body.dataset.theme = currentTheme === 'dark' ? 'light' : 'dark';
}
              

4. Test the implementation across different components.

4. Best Practices

• Ensure high contrast for readability in dark mode.
• Follow accessibility guidelines to support all users.
• Provide a toggle mechanism that respects user preference.
• Test on multiple devices and screen types.

5. FAQ