CSS Questions & Answers Logo
CSS Questions & Answers Part of the Q&A Network
Real Questions. Clear Answers.
Ask any question about CSS here... and get an instant response.
Q&A Logo Q&A Logo

How can I use CSS variables to create a light/dark theme switcher for my website?

Asked on Oct 21, 2025

Answer

CSS variables, also known as custom properties, allow you to easily switch between themes by changing the values of these variables. Here's a simple example of how to implement a light/dark theme switcher using CSS variables.
<!-- BEGIN COPY / PASTE -->
    <style>
      :root {
        --background-color: white;
        --text-color: black;
      }

      .dark-theme {
        --background-color: black;
        --text-color: white;
      }

      body {
        background-color: var(--background-color);
        color: var(--text-color);
        transition: background-color 0.3s, color 0.3s;
      }
    </style>

    <button onclick="toggleTheme()">Toggle Theme</button>

    <script>
      function toggleTheme() {
        document.body.classList.toggle('dark-theme');
      }
    </script>
    <!-- END COPY / PASTE -->
Additional Comment:
  • Define CSS variables in the ":root" selector for default values.
  • Create a class (e.g., "dark-theme") with alternative values for the variables.
  • Use JavaScript to toggle the class on the "body" element to switch themes.
  • CSS transitions can be used for smooth color changes.
✅ Answered with CSS best practices.

← Back to All Questions

Q&A Network
The Q&A Network
CSS
Ask Questions / Get Answers about CSS!
AI Video
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Video!
HTML
Ask Questions / Get Answers about HTML!
Cybersecurity
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Cybersecurity!
Video Editing
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Video Editing!
Robotics
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Robotics!
VR & AR
Ask Questions / Get Answers about VR & AR!
Bootstrap
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Bootstrap!
AI Marketing
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Marketing!
AI Images
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Images!
Monetization
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Ad & Monetization!
AI Education
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Education!
AI Business
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Business!
AI Design
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Design!
Film Production
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Film Production!
MobileDev
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Mobile Developement!
Photography
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Photography!
DevOps
Ask Questions / Get Answers about DevOps!
Web Development
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Web Development!
Performance
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Web Vitals!
AI Audio
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Audio!
Tailwind
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Tailwind!
WordPress
Ask Questions / Get Answers about WordPress!
Quantum
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Quantum Computing!
Security
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Website Security!
AI
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI!
Web Hosting
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Hosting!
Data Science
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Data Science!
Cloud Computing
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Cloud Computing!
SEO
Ask Questions / Get Answers about SEO!
Networking
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Networking!
AI Ethics
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Ethics!
AI Writing
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Writing!
Analytics
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Analytics!
Graphic Design
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Graphic Design!
IoT
Ask Questions / Get Answers about IoT!
AI Coding
Ask Questions / Get Answers about AI Coding!
Chatbots
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Chatbots!
Web Languages
Ask Questions / Get Answers about Web Languages!
JavaScript
Ask Questions / Get Answers about JavaScript!