: Dark Theme vs Light Theme in Web Applications I am designing a theme for our web application & I really like the new Adobe Photoshop layout (which is dark, though not black), so I took

@Reiling762

Dark interfaces work in very specific scenarios.

From the ones I've used, Photoshop and Lightroom, for example, come with the option of a dark theme, because it drags the focus to the images or the artwork (as Koen mentions). Visual Studio and programming software in general also come with nice dark interfaces - they are perfect for coding for hours without losing your eyes.

I've personally only designed two interfaces with a dark theme, and they were both for dark environments (one for a stock market and one for a radiology room). While a light interface can generate a lot of eye strain in dark spaces, dark interfaces can also be a nightmare when there is glare. So unless the use is very specific I'd highly recommend offering two theme options: one dark, one light. And unless it's necessary for it to be dark, I'd advice to always go light.

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@Fox8063795

The dark GUI of Photoshop is there so it doesn't distract from the artwork your working on. It's also neither black nor white to provide a neutral background that doesn't interfere with your judgement of the brightness of the artwork.

Take StackExchange for example. If everything was dark, but this main column would stay like it is, that would totally put the focus on the main content. However, your designer is right, it would feel like a constricted space instead of the bright and spacious feel of the current design. There are other, more effective ways to put the focus on the main content.

Kuler is a web app with a dark main layout. There are probably a lot of others that work well. However, you should carefully judge if it would be an improvement for the application you are designing.

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