Atom for Windows or Mac has a default theme but what if you want a different style? 9 Best Dark/Light Atom themes allow you to install a different skin to your text editor so you are not bored by looking at the same screen.
There are two kinds of themes for Atom comes with which include UI Atom Themes provides style for UI elements of the editor interface like status bar and tree view, dropdowns, and tabs. Syntax Atom Theme add style to the code within the editor by providing syntax coloring for every supported language. Some can be downloaded from GitHub because the official Atom website is now closed.
What you can do is pick one of each, both versions of the same designs are created by most of the authors. In many cases, it is best to select the matching user interface and syntax themes, like Atom dark UI theme and the Atom dark syntax theme. What happens is like this you editor shall have a consistent look, and font and color will match as well.
Reminder: Atom has been discontinued but these themes still work.
9 Best Dark and Light Themes for Atom
Seti UI – Best Dark Atom Theme
This is the first yet best option on the list, providing you with a dark color user interface for the Atom editor. Along with providing you with a subtle color list it also has high contrast colors. It carries custom file icons and configuration options.
For now, it offers you with 10 color themes namely blue, green, steel and black which can be changed on the theme’s settings page. Moreover, it comes with custom icons which shall give with a unique design to the Atom. The best part is that it can be used together with set syntax theme. The syntax looks are very similar to how the dark mode works in LibreOffice.
City Lights UI – Best Light Atom Theme
This is an Atom theme that has been created by keeping in mind the developer experience. It is part of city lights, for those who do not know this is a collection of elegant dark themes for Atom, visual studio and sublime text 3. It can be installed together with the collection’s other products of Atom namely City Lights Icon Package and City Lights Syntax Theme.
Despite of adding unique colors and fonts to your editor interface it also comes with an optimized search and replace toolbar and prettier error messages.
Dracula – Best Atom Syntax Theme
If you like the CLI a lot and are more of a terminal user then a UI. The Dracula Syntax theme for Atom is the top choice. This simple yet colorful theme breaks the code by colors and highlights when an error is detected.
Atom Visual Studio Code UI – Best Atom Monokai Theme
This one brings the same look and feel of Visual Studio right into your Atom editor. Though dark color schemes are used but there is always room to opt for lighter version and have a light background. Author suggests that you use together use it with Monokai-style syntax menu.
Moreover, it also allows you to add in left toolbar which has similarity with visual studio codes to Atom. It also shares some design aspects you see in popular Visual Studio Extensions.
Download Atom Visual Studio Code UI Theme
Atom Material UI – Beautiful HD Theme for Atom Editor
This is not a core theme but has been featured by the atom theme directory and not without any reason. What it does is follow Google’s material design guidelines and shall give a dynamic look and feel to your editor.
It supports various accent colors that can be changed in the theme’s settings page. Pair this with atom material syntax to give a coherent look to the overall interface as well.
Download Atom Material UI Theme
Accents UI – Cute Atom Theme
This is yet another option on the list which shall provide you with a subtle-looking editor interface in which all the important elements are highlighted with a colored accent.
What you can do is configure colors again in the themes setting page. If you cannot decide which would be the best then don’t worry as it shall suggest you with some visually matching colors namely maroon and azure.
Metro UI – Aesthetic Looking Atom Theme
This one follows the Microsoft Design Language 2.0 guidelines, which means if you are looking for an atom theme which looks like a native windows 10 application then you are at the right spot. It comes with three different version namely light which is default, adaptive dark and adaptive light.
If we talk about the light and dark version, they adapt automatically to the syntax theme. Though the default light theme is not an adaptive theme can still be used together with the metro syntax theme.
Fizzy Syntax – Syntax Theme for Atom
This option shall provide the atom editor with a bright yet bubby bright color features. It has been developed by taking inspiration from two themes.
One being Macrabbit espresso default highlighting and other being soda sublime text2. It is a light syntax theme with white background.
ALSO SEE: Top 6 Best GNOME 42/43 Themes for Linux.
Atom One Dark – Dark CLI Theme for Atom
This is also called default UI theme and syntax theme. Now, this is a kind of package which comes under core atom repository category. It has compatibility with different syntax themes.
You can customize it easily by making some changes. The best part is that you can change the size of font to scalp up or down the user interface. Moreover, it makes use of dark and light combinations. Most of the time it uses the background color which is similar to syntax theme.
Download Atom One Dark UI Theme
Nucleus Dark UI – Dark Mode Inspired Theme for Atom
Using this you can work with your syntax colors as it is an adaptable theme for the Atom editor. You can use behave syntax and it shall provide you with a coherent feel. The aesthetics and colors have been taken from dark syntax theme.
Download Nucleus Dark UI Theme
ALSO SEE: Download Code::Blocks for Windows 11 (Latest Version).
How to Install Your Themes in Atom (2 Methods)
#1 – Install Atom Themes using CLI
You need to have Atom Package Manager downloaded and installed. You don’t need to install APM separately as it automatically gets installed with the Atom editor.
All you need to do is open the command line and run the command mentioned below:
Paul@ninja-ide:~# Apm install
#2 – Install Atom Themes using GUI in Editor
For this, you need to open Atom and click on file > settings menu in the top menu bar. After this you need to go to the “install” panel present in the left sidebar. From here you can install the Atom themes. Be sure to “Themes button” toggle on the right side of search bar before running the search query.
Once the theme has been installed you can activate it from “themes panel” which is still on “settings”, the theme shall be added by Atom to either the UI theme or Syntax theme dropdown from where it can be activated.
Note: Each theme comes with its own settings page where default settings such as font and tab size can be changed. Coming to syntax themes, well, they don’t have their own settings pages, what they do is add one color scheme to the syntax.
Conclusion
Atom is now unfortunately discontinued however its demand and usage are steady. Best Dark and Light themes for Atom add another layer of life to this text editor that is now finished being updated. Personally, there are also cute themes and beautiful ones but depends how hardcore you want to go. There are also simpler ones such as UI themes or if you are a proper IT geek, go for syntax themes.