sphinx-doc/sphinx

Support dark mode for builtin themes

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#13,742 opened on Jul 23, 2025

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 (5 comments) (2 reactions) (0 assignees)Python (5,625 stars) (1,985 forks)batch import
good first issuehelp wantedhtml themetype:proposal

Description

It doesn't look like any/most of the provided themes support dark mode. That's a real bummer since many similar generator themes like the default MkDocs theme does support dark mode.

Contributor guide

Tech stack
pythoncsshtml
Domain
frontenddocumentation
Issue type
feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-2 days
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
fresh
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
mostly clear
Prerequisites
CSS knowledgeSphinx theming basics
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
70
Research direction
Implement dark mode for built in Sphinx themes by adding CSS custom properties or media queries. Look at existing themes in sphinx/themes/ for structure, and consider user configuration via conf.py. Check if MkDocs approach can be adapted. No linked PRs or comments specifying exact approach.
Support dark mode for builtin themes · sphinx-doc/sphinx#13742 | Good First Issue