One of the best selling points of Microsoft’s Visual Studio code is its customization abilities. The editor can be configured as the user wants, and it also applies to VSCode themes. Many people like to spend extra time behind the look and feel of their editor. It’s easier than ever if you’re a VSCode user.
The abundance of readily available themes allows modern developers to choose the styling of their editor without any restriction. Since there are plenty of themes available for code, it’s often hard to choose the best one. That’s why we’ve curated this list of 20 best visual studio code themes.
Best VSCode Themes for Developers
Since customization choices usually vary among developers, it’s hard to pick the ‘best’ themes. What suits you better depends entirely on you. That’s why our editors have gone through a huge list of popular VSCode Themes and selected their picks based on popularity, features, configurability, and so on.
How to Install Themes in VSCode
Beginners often find it hard to install new themes for their Linux code editors. However, installing themes is extremely easy in Visual Studio Code thanks to its intuitive GUI interface.
You can easily install a selected theme by going through the VSCode extension panel and searching it in the box. Once you locate the theme of your choice, simply clicking the install button will do the job.
Alternatively, you can grab the download command of a theme from the Visual Studio Code marketplace and paste it inside the VS Code Quick Open (Ctrl+P). Doing this will automatically download the new theme. You may need to reload your editor to reflect any theme changes.
1. One Dark Pro
One Dark Pro is one of the best VSCode themes for some time. It is based on the iconic One Dark theme of the Atom text editor and has had over 2 Million downloads so far. It is a seriously large number, and its popularity keeps increasing each day. One Dark Pro blends innovative UI features with extra emphasis on ease of use.
Features of One Dark Pro
- It allows users to tweak the colors and background settings very easily.
- This theme provides a pre-built array of tokens for standard constructs.
- Users can configure the sorting process of files and folders in the File Explorer.
- It supports multiple views and can launch integrated terminals from the File Explorer.
2. Material Theme
Google’s Material design has taken us all by surprise since its release. It established the standard of modern UXs via its structured yet flexible design elements. The Material Theme brings this light into the VSCode world as well.
It’s another popular theme choice for developers who like minimal yet elegant interfaces. With over 2.4 Million downloads, Material Theme simply speaks for itself.
Features of Material Theme
- Material Theme’s advanced customization capabilities allow users to override component schemes and define personalized constructs.
- Like the One Dark Pro, this theme also supports multiple color schemes, including both dark and lighter variants.
- It’s a great choice for people who want low-contrast elements in their VSCode themes.
- The color palettes are clean and do not strain the developer’s eyes.
3. Dracula Theme
Dracula is a modern-day theme that is highly regarded among developers due to its simple yet effective design elements. It is one of the most attractive themes for developers who work for long night hours. Moreover, the theme is supported on fifty-plus additional apps outside of VSCode. The developers have omitted any light variant, citing that “Dracula can’t stand the day.”
Features of Dracula Theme
- It is an all-around theme with legible color schemes and a clean design.
- The syntax highlighting of this theme is spot on, and comments are clearly visible.
- The Dracula theme is extremely easy on the eye, especially at night times.
- It is under active development, and newer features are being added every day.
4. Shades of Purple
Shades of Purple is a meticulously designed theme that keeps the user in awe each time they fire up their favorite Linux text editor. The author of this theme is Ahmad Awais, and it has been downloaded more than 700,000 times already.
So, it is certainly one of the hottest themes you could choose for visual studio code. Overall, Shades of Purple is the perfect choice for people who want a gorgeous yet aesthetic-looking theme.
Features of Shades of Purple
- It comes with excellent documentation that makes it easier to customize than many standard themes.
- The author provides a nice set of custom settings that lets you set the best attributes very easily.
- Users can install the VSCode Shades-of-Purple icon set for further customizing the theme’s look.
- The entire code for this theme is available on GitHub, which makes it easy to modify or extend.
5. Night Owl
As its name suggests, Night Owl is a theme designed for folks who work extensively during night hours or simply prefer darker themes. The theme is designed with an emphasis on meaningful color contrast, which makes it easy to adapt to the eyes.
Night Owl has garnered critical acclaim since its release and has been downloaded more than 500,000 times. So, if you’re looking for a dark theme that is easily adaptable, Night Owl ticks all the right aspects.
Features of Night Owl
- Night Owl implements a rigorous color scheme that is very suitable for people with color blindness or low eyesight.
- Users can use this theme with many popular Linux text editors, including Vim, Emacs, and Sublime.
- It has also included a light variant since version 1.0.0, so you can also use it during the daytime.
- The open-source codebase of this theme makes it easy for developers to modify or extend it.
6. Winter is Coming
Winter is Coming is a suite of dark and light themes for the visual studio code editor. It has become quite popular since its release and has been downloaded around 800,000 times already.
The dark theme is especially suitable for programmers who work during the night, while the light theme is good for the daytime. Moreover, the light version also works well on some dimmer projectors.
Overall, Winter is Coming is a nice choice for people looking for a dark and light combo.
Features of Winter is Coming
- The theme choices for this pack include a dark theme, a dark with no italics, and a light theme.
- All the themes have good color contrast, which makes it easier to adapt to your eyesight.
- Users can select from a wide range of fonts, including both paid and free ones, for this theme pack.
- The codebase is hosted on GitHub, which allows anyone to modify or extend the themes as per their taste.
7. Monokai Pro
The Monokai color scheme is arguably one of the best of its kind. A lot of people, including me, are vocal supporters of this theme. The Monokai Pro is an excellent theme built using this color scheme.
It is one of the most professional VSCode themes you can use and was developed by the original author of Monokai. It has already been downloaded more than 500,000 times, which clearly shows how much popularity this theme enjoys.
Features of Monokai Pro
- This theme provides a customized user interface as well as a complete icon set built on top of the Monokai color scheme.
- The carefully selected color palette makes for an uncompromising and distraction-free user interface.
- Monokai Pro takes a minimalistic approach, which helps it achieve a clean and concise design and subtle experience.
- It implements the Monokai icon pack from scratch and ensures that they are easily recognizable by the end-user.
8. Atom One Dark
As its name suggests, the Atom One Dark theme is based on the popular One Dark interface of the Atom text editor. It is one of the most popular themes for Atom and, thus, is an excellent choice for people who are transitioning to VSCode from Atom.
This theme is already very popular among programmers and has been downloaded more than 1.3 million times. So, if you’re an Atom user who wants to get going to VSCode, this theme might be a suitable choice for you.
Features of Atom One Dark
- This theme comes with an elegant color scheme that is easily adaptable to the eyes and provides better visualization.
- Although the theme doesn’t use any custom font by default, you can easily customize it to do so.
- Users have the ability to switch to a light version of the Atom One Dark theme if they want to.
- The immense popularity of this theme ensures newer updates are rolled out pretty often.
9. Ayu
If you like simplistic themes with bright color schemes, then this is certainly one of the best vscode themes for you. The developer of Ayu created this elegant theme using warm colors and a minimalistic interface.
The contrasts are quite vivid, and it makes it easy to adapt to the eyes of people who use glasses or have shorter eyesight. Overall, this is the perfect theme for you if you want a versatile look without wasting too many resources.
Features of Ayu
- Ayu offers three different color variants, including a dark one, a light one, and a mirage look.
- It also allows users to use its customized Ayu icon pack to achieve a uniform look for their workbench.
- This theme is built using JavaScript, and thus, it is very easy to modify or extend its functionality.
- You can easily fork this theme from its GitHub repo and start building on top of it.
10. Palenight
Palenight is another elegant theme that focuses mainly on a clean and concise design. The theme appearance is inspired by the Material design and, thus, is excellent in the eyes. The color combinations are precise, while the design choices are definitely up to the mark.
Palenight is continuously growing in popularity and, as of this writing, has a hundred percent five-star ratings. Overall, it’s a great choice for people who’re looking for a different visual direction.
Features of Palenight
- This theme is very easy to look at and is suitable for people who work extensively for a long period of time.
- Palenight has a reasonable contrast to its elements, making it easier to adapt than many traditional themes.
- Users can easily fork this theme from its GitHub repo and start gradually building on top of it.
- There is a version of Palenight available for Atom so that you can use it there without too much hassle.
11. Noctis
Noctis is a suite of dark and light themes that can be used anywhere, anytime. The themes are balanced very well and have excellent color contrasts. This makes it easy to adapt the themes to the eyes while still providing a nice, elegant view.
The overall design elements are sleek and appealing. Moreover, the themes are very helpful for people who are color blind or have reduced eyesight. So, check out Noctis if you’re looking for a large number of selection choices.
Features of Noctis
- The Noctis theme pack consists of 11 different theme versions; 8 of them are dark, and 3 are light variants
- The carefully selected color scheme reduces strain on the eyes and is suitable for prolonged usage.
- You can easily customize different design elements like fonts, colors, and widths without any external resources.
- The themes provide a nice semantic meaning for their color schemes, helping them identify code blocks easily.
12. Nord
Nord is an awe-inspiring theme for visual studio code that is built using clean and concise design elements. The primary color scheme consists of an arctic, north-bluish hue, which is very easy on the eyes and reduces strains over long-term usage.
I personally like this theme a lot and even use it with Vim, my go-to text editor on Linux. So, if you are a night owl like me, Nord can tick all the right spots for your experience.
Features of Nord
- The Nord color scheme is simple yet stylistic, resulting in a clean and productive workflow.
- Nord’s unified interface and editor syntax make for a clutter-free user experience and fluid appearance.
- It emphasizes the smallest details like brace matching, and searches result in markers for a fulfilling experience.
- You can easily customize or modify the theme elements by forking Nord from its GitHub repository.
13. Atom One Light
The Atom One Light theme is a light version of the popular One Dark theme for Atom. It is an excellent choice for programmers who have recently switched to VSCode from Atom.
This theme is already very popular among programmers and has been downloaded more than 300,000 times. So, if you’re an Atom user who wants to get going to VSCode, this theme might be a suitable choice for you.
Features of Atom One Light
- Atom One Light has an elegant color palette that adjusts to the eyes and provides clean visualization.
- Although the theme doesn’t use any custom font by default, you can easily customize it to do so.
- Users can use the dark version of this theme without having to adjust to a whole new look.
- The immense popularity of this theme ensures newer updates are rolled out pretty often.
14. Panda Theme
The Panda Theme is certainly one of the best VSCode themes for coders who like a clean and concise appearance. It has been designed to be minimal yet implements a number of subtle design elements that attract the eyes.
The dark color scheme of this theme is easier on the eyes and eliminates strain over prolonged usage. Overall, Panda Theme is a nice, lightweight addition to this list that lives up to the mark and has a certain kind of flair in it.
Features of Panda Theme
- This is a minimal theme with subtle color choices, which makes it perfect for coders who work during night time.
- Panda Theme can be customized pretty easily and modified in a way that suits the end-user’s taste.
- It is also available for many popular editors and terminal emulators like iTerm, HyperTerm, Atom, and Sublime.
- Panda Theme has been enjoying a surge in popularity in recent times and is used by over 200,000 users.
15. One Monokai
If you are a fan of the One Dark theme and Monokai, then this is the perfect fit for you. As the name suggests, One Monokai is a cross between these two popular themes and implements many proven design elements.
The color choices are subtle and have excellent contrasts, making it easy to use for a long period of time. Moreover, it has already been downloaded around 600,000 times and has become very popular among many developers.
Features of One Monokai
- One Monokai looks and feels like a combination of the trusted One Dark and Monokai themes.
- Users can easily modify the design elements and adjust the fonts, widths, and colors as per their liking.
- The theme is extremely simple and clutter-free, resulting in an immersing visible experience for coders.
- It has excellent readability and reduces strain on the eyes during those long working sessions.
16. Cobalt2
Cobalt2 is another dark theme that helps to concentrate on the code rather than visual settings. It is one of my favorite VSCode themes due to its ergonomic design and helpful color contrasts.
This theme has over 300,000 downloads and has proven to be a great success. Moreover, the ability to use Cobalt2 in many other places, like the Atom and Sublime text editor, as well as iTerm and HyperTerm emulators, increases its appeal among developers.
Features of Cobalt2
- Cobalt2 implements an elegant purple color palette to achieve its strain-free and pleasant user interface.
- Users have full control over the theme’s design components, such as fonts, widths, and color settings.
- It can be easily modified by using the VSCode Custom CSS plugin, which is available for free on GitHub.
- This is the perfect theme for people who are looking for a clean and concise dark theme.
17. SynthWave ’84
As suggested by its name, SynthWave ’84 is a Synthwave-inspired theme for the Visual Studio Code editor. It incorporates a gorgeous neon color palette that, at first glance, feels like directly taken from an 80’s movie poster.
The developer, too, cites this inspiration, and as of this writing, he has proved highly successful in his adventure. Overall, SynthWave ’84 is an awe-inspiring theme that can be used whenever you want to spice things up a little more.
Features of SynthWave ’84
- It has a unique glow that catches the eyes at first glance and provides a visually appealing effect.
- Users can customize all aspects of this theme, including the level of glow, using the settings file.
- The open-source codebase of this theme allows developers to extend the feature set as per requirements.
- Install SynthWave ’84 if you want to get a non-monotonous look and feel to your VSCode editor.
18. Horizon
Horizon is another exciting theme for a vscode that uses a warm and bright color scheme for its interface. It is a dual-tone theme, meaning you get both a light and a dark variant.
Many programmers like such theme packs since they allow them to use the same theme during both daylight and night hours.
Moreover, the theme design of Horizon is very minimal and to the point. So, check out this one if you’re looking for a warmer tone in your next theme.
Features of Horizon
- The design elements like fonts, widths, and colors can be changed easily by modifying the settings file.
- Horizon implements nice contrasts to its colors to reduce eye strains as well as increase accessibility.
- It uses italics weights in a slightly conservative way but allows users to change this easily.
- Developers can quickly fork the Horizon codebase from GitHub, make modifications, and add contributions.
Download Horizon
19. GitHub Plus
GitHub Plus is a light-colored theme for VSCode that is heavily motivated by the GitHub color scheme. It has a simple aesthetic and blends well with most environments. This theme is particularly suitable for developers who work with the Git workflow intensively and provides a subtle user experience.
Moreover, the light color palette reduces strain on the eyes and is a good choice for people who code extensively during office hours.
Features of GitHub Plus
- GitHub Plus is a simple and minimal theme that suits almost any programmer and environment.
- This theme works well with the Material Icon theme pack but can be configured for any other icon packs.
- The overall aesthetic of GitHub Plus is clean and clutter-free, resulting in an easy user experience.
- The color contrasts are neither too high nor too subdued and offer legible syntax highlighting.
20. Andromeda
Andromeda is a dark theme that tries to incorporate a feel of the universe in its aesthetics. Overall, the developer has done a solid job with its pleasing interface design and pragmatic design choices.
The colors are truly vivid and make for an enjoyable experience, even during long working sessions. So, if you are a fan of warm tones and dark color schemes, then Andromeda might turn out to be one of the best VSCode themes for you.
Features of Andromeda
- Andromeda implements a visually stunning user interface that blends well with modern desktop environments.
- The radiant color scheme helps reduce distractions and strain on the eyes of the developer.
- Users can easily grab the codebase and make further modifications to this theme if they want.
- It has been gaining steady traction among programmers due to its stunning colors and aesthetic design.
Ending Thoughts
Visual Studio Code has become one of the most popular Linux code editors and for the right reasons so. This freely available, open-source editor offers a large number of features and seemingly infinite customization abilities.
Users can choose from a large number of themes and icon packs to configure the look and feel of the editor. In this guide, our editors have presented you with the 20 best vscode themes you can choose to go with VSCode.
Hopefully, you find the perfect theme for your taste and continue enjoying coding with vscode. Let us know which theme suits your personality the most in the comment section.
