SKILL.md
Element Plus Dark Mode
This skill provides comprehensive guidance for implementing and customizing dark mode in Element Plus applications (available since version 2.2.0).
When to Invoke
Invoke this skill when:
- User wants to enable dark mode
- User needs to toggle between light and dark themes
- User wants to customize dark mode colors
- User asks about dark mode CSS variables
- User needs to persist dark mode preference
Quick Start
Enable Dark Mode
Add the dark class to the HTML element:
<html class="dark">
<head></head>
<body></body>
</html>Import Dark Mode CSS
Import the dark mode CSS variables:
import 'element-plus/theme-chalk/dark/css-vars.css'That's it! Your Element Plus components will now use dark mode styles.
Implementation Methods
1. Static Dark Mode
If you only need dark mode, simply add the dark class to HTML:
<html class="dark">And import the CSS:
import 'element-plus/theme-chalk/dark/css-vars.css'2. Toggle Dark Mode (Recommended)
Use VueUse's useDark for easy toggling:
<script setup>
import { useDark, useToggle } from '@vueuse/core'
const isDark = useDark()
const toggleDark = useToggle(isDark)
</script>
<template>
<el-button @click="toggleDark()">
Toggle Dark Mode
</el-button>
</template>3. Manual Toggle
Implement your own toggle:
<script setup>
import { ref, watch } from 'vue'
const isDark = ref(false)
watch(isDark, (value) => {
if (value) {
document.documentElement.classList.add('dark')
} else {
document.documentElement.classList.remove('dark')
}
})
</script>
<template>
<el-switch v-model="isDark" active-text="Dark" inactive-text="Light" />
</template>4. System Preference
Follow system preference:
<script setup>
import { ref, onMounted, onUnmounted } from 'vue'
const isDark = ref(false)
const updateTheme = (e) => {
isDark.value = e.matches
document.documentElement.classList.toggle('dark', e.matches)
}
onMounted(() => {
const mediaQuery = window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)')
isDark.value = mediaQuery.matches
updateTheme(mediaQuery)
mediaQuery.addEventListener('change', updateTheme)
})
onUnmounted(() => {
window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)')
.removeEventListener('change', updateTheme)
})
</script>Customizing Dark Mode
1. CSS Variables Override
Create a custom dark mode CSS file:
/* styles/dark/css-vars.css */
html.dark {
/* Custom dark background color */
--el-bg-color: #141414;
--el-bg-color-page: #0a0a0a;
--el-bg-color-overlay: #1d1e1f;
/* Custom text colors */
--el-text-color-primary: #E5EAF3;
--el-text-color-regular: #CFD3DC;
--el-text-color-secondary: #A3A6AD;
--el-text-color-placeholder: #8D9095;
/* Custom border colors */
--el-border-color: #4C4D4F;
--el-border-color-light: #414243;
--el-border-color-lighter: #363637;
--el-border-color-extra-light: #2B2B2C;
}Import it after Element Plus dark mode CSS:
import 'element-plus/theme-chalk/dark/css-vars.css'
import './styles/dark/css-vars.css'2. SCSS Variables Override
For SCSS-based customization:
/* styles/element/index.scss */
@forward 'element-plus/theme-chalk/src/dark/var.scss' with (
$bg-color: (
'page': #0a0a0a,
'': #141414,
'overlay': #1d1e1f,
)
);Then import:
import './styles/element/index.scss'Or import the SCSS directly:
import 'element-plus/theme-chalk/src/dark/css-vars.scss'Available Dark Mode Variables
Background Colors
| Variable | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
--el-bg-color |
Main background | #141414 |
--el-bg-color-page |
Page background | #0a0a0a |
--el-bg-color-overlay |
Overlay background | #1d1e1f |
Text Colors
| Variable | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
--el-text-color-primary |
Primary text | #E5EAF3 |
--el-text-color-regular |
Regular text | #CFD3DC |
--el-text-color-secondary |
Secondary text | #A3A6AD |
--el-text-color-placeholder |
Placeholder text | #8D9095 |
Border Colors
| Variable | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
--el-border-color |
Main border | #4C4D4F |
--el-border-color-light |
Light border | #414243 |
--el-border-color-lighter |
Lighter border | #363637 |
Fill Colors
| Variable | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
--el-fill-color |
Main fill | #303030 |
--el-fill-color-light |
Light fill | #262727 |
--el-fill-color-lighter |
Lighter fill | #1D1D1D |
Complete Example
<template>
<div class="app">
<el-header>
<el-button @click="toggleDark()">
<el-icon>
<component :is="isDark ? 'Sunny' : 'Moon'" />
</el-icon>
{{ isDark ? 'Light Mode' : 'Dark Mode' }}
</el-button>
</el-header>
<el-main>
<el-card>
<template #header>
<span>Card Title</span>
</template>
<p>Card content in {{ isDark ? 'dark' : 'light' }} mode</p>
<el-button type="primary">Primary Button</el-button>
</el-card>
</el-main>
</div>
</template>
<script setup>
import { useDark, useToggle } from '@vueuse/core'
import { Sunny, Moon } from '@element-plus/icons-vue'
const isDark = useDark()
const toggleDark = useToggle(isDark)
</script>
<style>
.app {
min-height: 100vh;
background-color: var(--el-bg-color-page);
color: var(--el-text-color-primary);
transition: background-color 0.3s, color 0.3s;
}
</style>Best Practices
1. Persist Preference
Store user preference in localStorage:
import { useDark } from '@vueuse/core'
const isDark = useDark({
storageKey: 'theme-mode',
valueDark: 'dark',
valueLight: 'light',
})2. Smooth Transition
Add transition for smooth theme switching:
html {
transition: background-color 0.3s, color 0.3s;
}
html.dark {
background-color: #0a0a0a;
color: #E5EAF3;
}3. Custom Component Styles
When customizing components for dark mode:
html.dark .my-custom-component {
background-color: var(--el-bg-color);
border-color: var(--el-border-color);
color: var(--el-text-color-primary);
}4. Image Adjustments
Adjust images for dark mode:
html.dark img {
filter: brightness(0.9);
}Input Parameters
When using this skill, provide:
- Implementation method: Static, toggle, or system preference
- Customization needs: Default colors or custom colors
- Framework: VueUse integration or manual implementation
- Persistence: Whether to save user preference
Output Format
This skill provides:
- Dark mode enablement code
- Toggle implementation examples
- CSS variable customization
- SCSS variable override examples
- Best practices and transition effects
Usage Limitations
- Requires Element Plus 2.2.0 or later
- Dark mode is based on CSS variables
- Custom colors may need additional testing
- Some third-party components may need manual dark mode styling
- CSS variable support is required (IE11 not supported)
Example Project
Refer to element-plus-vite-starter for a complete dark mode implementation example.