Themes in Replit allow you to customize the appearance of your workspace, from background colors and UI elements to syntax highlighting for your code. Personalize your development environment for better readability, reduced eye strain, and a more enjoyable coding experience.
Screenshot of the Replit themes editor showing color customization options

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Creating a custom theme

Follow these steps to create and customize your own theme:
  1. Navigate to your account page and scroll to the Themes section
  2. Select Create new theme
  3. Enter a title, select a color scheme (light or dark), and add an optional description
  4. Click Create Theme to open the Themes Editor
Global theme settings control the overall UI appearance:
  • Background: Sets the base color for most UI surfaces
  • Outline: Controls the color of borders and dividers
  • Foreground: Determines text and icon colors
  • Primary: Defines the color for buttons and interactive elements
  • Positive: Applies to success indicators like the Run button
  • Negative: Displays for errors and destructive action warnings
Click Apply Theme to start using your custom theme immediately.

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Syntax highlighting

Customize how different code elements appear to improve readability and comprehension.
Proper syntax highlighting makes code easier to scan and understand at a glance. Choose colors that work well together and provide sufficient contrast against your background.

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Theme design best practices

Create visually appealing and functional themes by following these guidelines:

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Color and contrast

  • Balance contrast: Ensure sufficient difference between background and foreground elements
  • Create cohesive palettes: Choose colors that complement each other rather than clash
  • Maintain consistent brightness: Keep a similar brightness level across syntax elements
  • Design for accessibility: Consider users with visual impairments by avoiding low-contrast combinations
Common theme design issues to avoid:
  • Excessive brightness differences between syntax elements
  • Poorly matched colors that create visual discord
  • Insufficient contrast between code and background

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Managing your themes

Access and manage all your installed themes from your account settings under the Themes section.

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Switching themes

Select the button next to a theme’s title to activate it as your current theme.

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Editing themes

Modify your custom themes by selecting the three-dot menu and clicking Edit.
Only custom themes that you’ve created can be edited or deleted. Default themes and themes created by others cannot be modified.

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Deleting themes

Remove custom themes using the three-dot menu and selecting Delete.

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Exploring community themes

Discover themes created by the Replit community on the Themes Explore Page.

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Finding themes

  • Search by name to find specific themes like “Atom One Dark”
  • Filter by author to explore themes from specific creators
  • Browse by color scheme to find light or dark themes
  • Search by specific colors to match your preferences
Preview any theme before installing it to see how it will look in your workspace.

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Porting from VS Code

Import your favorite VS Code themes to Replit by mapping equivalent colors during the theme creation process.

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Publishing your theme

Share your custom themes with the Replit community by following these steps:
  1. Open the Themes Editor for your custom theme
  2. Select the Publish button
  3. Complete the title and description fields
  4. Submit your theme
Once published, your theme will appear on the Themes Explore Page, where other users can preview and install it.