2

I want to make a light mode for a website that uses SASS with variables in it. So, here are the variables and smth I tried (but doesn't work):

@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark), (prefers-color-scheme: no-preference) {
$bg: #0d0d0e;
$c0: #ffffff;
$c1: invert(#333);
$c2: #7c7c7c;
$c3: invert(#aaa);
$c4: invert(#eee);
}
@media (prefers-color-scheme: light) {
$bg: #fff;
$c0: #000;
$c1: #505050;
$c2: #66666a;
$c3: #aaa;
$c4: #eee;
}

I have to keep SCSS. Should I try @mixin?

thmsgrmd
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2 Answers2

3

That won't work with Sass variables during runtime since they are being compiled and then statically served. What you can do though is using CSS custom properties aka CSS variables. Those can be changed during runtime with Javascript (more versatile) or use media queries along with the boolean context value prefers-color-scheme. This value is unfortunately set by the user's browser environment and cannot be changed with Javascript.

You can however just switch the colors around with Javascript. With an onClick event you just save the state of current color in a buffer, assign the current color with the alternative color and then set the alternative color to the one saved in the buffer (aka the former current color).

I've tried switching around colors stored in CSS custom properties with a checkbox and the input:checked selector but the changes have only local scoping (thanks, W3C), so they won't do you any good - that is of course unless you want to wrap your whole website in your color switcher element.

The only way with Sass variables would be to recompile the Sass stylesheets when a user switches over the color scheme.

tl;dr: use CSS custom properties and either go with browser defaults in media queries or use a bit of Javascript. Everything else is very hacky.

bowrilla
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2

I'm defining each theme side by side and using them inside @media (prefers-color-scheme).

Even made my self a mixin:

/** Helper to tigth properties to color preferences */
@mixin color-scheme($value: light) {
  @media (prefers-color-scheme: $value) {
    @content; 
  }
}

/** Usage */
.element {
  /* ... */
  @include color-scheme(dark) {
    /* ... */
  }
}
Paul Lucius Valor
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