Design Principle
Dark mode is not color inversion; text, borders, state colors, and elevation need rechecking.
Principle
Dark mode is not color inversion; text, borders, state colors, and elevation need rechecking.
Design action
Dark mode uses layered surfaces, lower-saturation state colors, and sufficient text contrast; borders/shadows must separate levels.
Examples
Positive example: Dark admin tools, code tools, nighttime products, and multi-theme design systems need stable readability. Counterexample: Pure black backgrounds with highly saturated text feel harsh.
Apply when
Dark admin tools, code tools, nighttime products, and multi-theme design systems need stable readability. Users need to judge state, scope, risk, or next action quickly.
Source notes
Source note: Synthesized from W3C WCAG 2.2, Apple Accessibility, IBM Carbon Accessibility, and accessibility practices in major design systems. WCAG 2.2: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/ WCAG Contrast Minimum: https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/contrast-minimum.html WCAG Non-text Contrast: https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/non-text-contrast.html Apple HIG Accessibility: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/accessibility Carbon Accessibility Overview: https://carbondesignsystem.com/guidelines/accessibility/overview/
Agent Directive
Dark mode uses layered surfaces, lower-saturation state colors, and sufficient text contrast; borders/shadows must separate levels.