• Introduction: Deciding to go with a dark theme for a website is a great choice. The author's journey with computers started with monochrome CRT monitors.
• Common pitfall: Overuse of low-contrast colour schemes in modern web design is common. Examples show discomfort in reading with low contrast.
• WCAG guidelines: It is recommended to meet at least the WCAG Level AAA recommendations with a contrast ratio of at least 7:1 for normal-sized text. Level AA requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1.
• Contrast calculation tools: Use tools like My Colour Contrast Calculator or WebAIM Contrast Checker to calculate contrast ratios.
• Improving contrast: In the second example, changing the text colour to a brighter shade like #B7B7BE improves the contrast ratio to 7:2:1, making it easier to read.
• Final request: When developing a dark colour theme, run colours through a contrast calculator tool to ensure a contrast ratio greater than 7:1 for better readability and comfort.