Programming is an art and a science, and while we often focus on things like performance and integrations, there’s something just as crucial that deserves our attention – aesthetics. 

Okay, maybe not just as crucial. But, how our tools look and feel can enhance productivity and comfort. Customizing Visual Studio Code (VS Code) themes are just one of the many ways you can add some personal flair to your everyday code editor. In this article, we’re diving into some of the best VS Code color themes in 2024.

What are VS Code Themes?

When you first launch VS Code, it greets you with a default theme – which is nice, but it’s pretty basic. Why settle for default when you can customize? VS Code themes can change how you interact with your code, with different colors and contrasts can help you quickly skim through code, reduce eye strain, and cater to accessibility needs. 

Whether you stick to one theme forever or love to switch things up now and then, changing your theme can rejuvenate your IDE and make coding a visually enjoyable experience.

10 Trending VS Code Themes

Monaspace

Monaspace utilizes traditional monospaced typeface from way back in the teletype machine era. You can choose from five different fonts and three variable axes, allowing for a more nuanced and expressive presentation of code. 

It also introduces an innovative feature called “Texture Healing,” which optimizes the spacing within the monospaced grid to even out the density of characters. This approach enhances readability by adjusting narrow and wide characters and preserves the classic monospaced appearance, making it a standout choice for those who value both tradition and innovation in their coding environment.

Explore Monaspace

Catppuccin

Fan-favorite Catppuccin has 4 creamy pastel color options that blend beautifully to create a soothing coding environment. This theme, available in three different dark modes and one light, is especially good for long hours of coding, providing a soft, gentle background that reduces strain without sacrificing clarity.

Check out Catppuccin

Tokyo Night Enhanced

Tokyo Night Enhanced goes beyond the beloved original Tokyo Night theme with deeper blues and a more pronounced contrast, making it a favorite for dark-mode developers who code into the night. This theme helps highlight syntax errors and keeps you focused on your workflow in a visually striking way.

See Tokyo Night Enhanced

Dracula

Dracula is the go-to theme for many devss for its bold use of contrast and vibrant colors that make different elements of the code stand out distinctly. But it’s not just about looks – this vampiric theme helps reduce eye strain in low-light conditions.

Visit Dracula Theme

Of course, we can’t mention Dracula without mentioning the corresponding theme, Miss Dracula. This color palette includes softer hues of pink and purple, adding a playful twist to the classic.

Explore Miss Dracula

One Candy Dark

One Candy Dark mixes candy-like pastel tones with a dark background, offering a visually appealing palette that’s easy on the eyes yet functional for distinguishing code blocks and elements. It’s ideal for those who like their interface to be both stylish and practical.

Discover One Candy Dark

GitHub Theme

GitHub Theme mirrors the colors of GitHub, providing a seamless transition from web to editor. It has various GitHub Light and Dark themes, including support for various forms of color blindness, making it one of the most accessible themes available, ensuring that everyone can code comfortably.

Get the GitHub Theme

Atom One Dark

Atom One Dark, one of the best-rated One Dark theme ports on the marketplace, features full Workbench theming. It offers a fine balance between contrast and saturation, enhancing readability without overwhelming the eyes. It’s a solid choice for developers who spend long hours coding and need a theme that can keep up.

View Atom One Dark

Houston

Houston is designed with a space-inspired aesthetic, featuring cool blues, minty greens, and soft purples that reflect the vastness and mystery of the cosmos. It’s perfect for those who want their workspace to be as inspiring as the universe.

Try Houston

Night Owl

Night Owl is crafted with a focus on reducing blue light, making it ideal for developers who work late into the night. Its carefully chosen color palette helps prevent eye strain and maintains focus.

Explore Night Owl

Matcha

Matcha offers a unique blend of earthy green and gray tones, evoking a sense of calm and focus essential for effective coding. It’s refreshing and different, perfect for those looking to add a touch of “cottage-core” personality to their editor.

Check out Matcha

Frequently Asked Questions

How to change your color theme in VS Code?

To change your color theme in Visual Studio Code, you can open the Color Theme picker by navigating through File > Preferences > Theme > Color Theme on Windows or Code > Settings > Theme > Color Theme on macOS. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+K Ctrl+T on Windows or Cmd+K Cmd+T on macOS to open the theme picker directly. 

Once open, you can browse through the themes using the cursor keys and select the one you prefer by pressing Enter. The changes will apply immediately to your workspace.​ 

Which VS Code theme is best for eye strain?

There are many themes that implement specific colors meant to reduce eye strain, but the High Contrast theme in Visual Studio Code is a good starting point, especially under various lighting conditions or for those with certain visual impairments. 

This theme enhances visibility and reduces glare, which can help minimize eye strain during extended periods of coding​.

Where are VS Code themes stored?

VS Code themes are stored within your user settings. Typically, when you install a new theme, it modifies the workbench.colorTheme setting in your settings.json file located in your user profile directory. This file controls the appearance settings across your VS Code environment. You can find and modify theme settings directly in this file if you wish to make more detailed customizations​.

Can I create my own VS Code color themes?

Yes! It’s easy to create your own custom VS Code color themes. Start by customizing your colors in your user settings, then generate a theme definition with the file in the Developer: Generate Color Theme From Current Settings command. From there, VS Code’s Yeoman extension generator will help you generate the rest of the extension.

You can learn more by checking out the Create a new Color Theme topic in VS Code’s Extension API section.

Final Thoughts

Incorporating themes like these into your VS Code setup can dramatically improve your coding environment, making it a personalized space that not only looks good but also enhances your ability to work effectively. 

While you’re playing around with colors and fonts, don’t forget to enhance your coding experience with GitLens, which can add insightful annotations and powerful source control management tools directly in your editor! Whether you’re coding solo or as part of a team, these themes and tools can help you code better, faster, and with more style.