Dark Mode in React | Code Boost
Description: Implementing dark mode in a React Native application can significantly enhance the user experience, catering to users' preferences for a darker color scheme that can reduce eye str...

Article

# Dark Mode in React

By Matt · Mar 22, 2024

Implementing dark mode in a React Native application can significantly enhance the user experience, catering to users' preferences for a darker color scheme that can reduce eye strain in low-light conditions and even save battery life on OLED displays. Several strategies can be employed to incorporate dark mode into your app, each with its own set of considerations.

### Using React Native's Appearance Module

React Native provides an in-built module called Appearance that can detect the user's preferred color scheme (dark or light). This module is a straightforward way to implement dark mode by utilizing the useColorScheme hook to dynamically change the theme based on the system's settings. The Appearance module also allows for real-time updates if the user changes their system theme while the app is in use​ (React Native Hub)​.

### Managing Dark Mode with Redux and Context API

For a more global approach to theme management across your React Native app, incorporating Redux or the Context API can offer a centralized solution. By storing the current theme in the global state, you can easily toggle between light and dark modes and ensure that this preference is reflected throughout the app. This approach requires setting up the necessary Redux store or Context providers and consumers to manage and access the theme state​ (LogRocket Blog)​​ (Headless CMS and Content API)​.

### Implementing with Navigation and Styled Components

If your app uses React Navigation, you can leverage its built-in theme support to automatically apply dark or light themes across all navigational components. This method involves passing a theme object to the NavigationContainer which adjusts the navigation UI elements according to the selected theme​ (Headless CMS and Content API)​. For styling individual components, libraries like styled-components and Emotion Native offer theming capabilities that work seamlessly with React Native. These libraries allow you to define themes and apply them to your components through a ThemeProvider, making it easy to switch between themes and apply consistent styles throughout your app​ (Headless CMS and Content API)​.

### Overcoming Limitations

While implementing dark mode, be mindful of potential limitations such as the inability for the app to recognize system theme changes in real-time or to allow manual selection from within the app. To address these issues, consider dynamic theme loading and computing styles at runtime rather than relying on static stylesheets​ (thoughtbot)​. In summary, whether you choose to use React Native's Appearance module, manage themes with Redux or the Context API, leverage React Navigation's theme support, or style with libraries like styled-components, there are multiple effective ways to implement dark mode in your React Native app.