What's the reason for developers' fascination and need for dark mode?
I'm curious because I never got into when I was a full-time or freelance developer. I recently turned on the settings on my iPhone and I still don't recognize the benefits.
I don't like the screen brightness when I'm coding at night, and it consumes less power when you have an OLED screen.
@basilesamel you had me at less power. I'm trying to extend the life of this old computer. 😂
@helengriffinjr Helen the less power argument is only for OLED displays, every other display technology uses almost the same power.
Brighter something is the more light reflecting off it, it's proven that dark mode on things makes it easier to stare at for longer periods of time.
@joshmanders Do you have any article or video about the proof? Would love to hear more about it. I mean it's definitely better at night but also during the day? Not sure.
Personally, it's easier on the eyes when staring at it for long periods of time. Though it depends on the dark theme/which app I'm using.
💻 For Screens: If you are on light or dark mode on screen for your website or app, it really depends on your lighting indoors/outdoors during the day or night. This will support your eyes when staring at the screen when coding or designing. So that's the benefit for it.
✍️ For Wallpapers: As for me personally, i love both light and dark in the day or night. Even on my wallpapers dynamic background for my mac have light/dark mode. You can set this up in System Preferences > Desktop & Screensaver > Dynamic Desktop or Light & Dark Desktop (macOS Big Sur)
💡 For Lighting Accessories: Additionally, you will still need external light around your laptop/monitor if you in the dark, i bought a ring light and put it behind my screens. If you like something fancy, you can buy screenbar light desk lamp.
🏠 For Home Furnishing: I also use window blinds on the window if i want to go dark i will close it, if i want more lighting i will open it. The purpose of doing this is to add or reduce more lighting in your working space area when doing work on laptop/computer.
✍️ Summary: In people with normal vision (or corrected-to-normal vision), visual performance tends to be better with light mode, whereas some people with cataract and related disorders may perform better with dark mode. On the flip side, long-term reading in light mode may be associated with myopia.
You can read more here: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/dark-mode/
Thanks everyone! I appreciate the feedback. For the longest time, I thought it was only an aesthetic choice or just to be different. 😂 Although I write more than I code, I'm going to look into it more. Lately, I have been getting headaches while working at the computer.
@helengriffinjr drink water, stretch, rest more. I get headaches too from time to time 🤣
Can't speak for other devs but personal anecdote - I have light sensitivity. Fluorescent lights or screens that are too bright hurt my eyes. Before dark mode became a thing, I used to have to set the brightness settings to the lowest possible, and in some cases even that was still too bright for me.
When my optometrist recommended blue light blocking reading glasses, it helped a lot!
It's easier for the eyes specially if you gonna stay looking to the screen for tons of hours. But when the topic is a website or a product you will see that every single famous website has white background. So the darkmode even if looks "trendy" is something for a specific niche.
I have everything on light during daytime and dark mode after sunset. Can't use "all time dark mode" all the time, don't know why.
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