Eclipse is a popular open-source integrated development environment (IDE) used by millions of developers worldwide. With its flexible plug-in system and rich feature set, Eclipse supports development in various languages including Java, C/C++, PHP, and more. One of Eclipse’s most useful features is the ability to customize its look and feel, including switching to a dark theme.
What is a dark theme?
A dark theme is a color scheme that uses darker background and foreground colors rather than the typical light background with dark text found in many applications. The dark background can help reduce eye strain in low light conditions, while the lighter text stands out clearly against the darker backdrop.
In Eclipse, enabling the dark theme changes the color of the background editor and other interface elements to shades of black and gray. This creates lower contrast with the default white background and makes the environment more comfortable for long coding sessions. The dark theme also draws less power on some displays.
Does Eclipse have a built-in dark theme?
Yes, Eclipse does provide an built-in dark theme option. To enable it:
- Go to Windows > Preferences > General > Appearance
- Under Theme, select the Dark option.
- Click Apply to activate the dark theme.
This will make the Editor, Package Explorer, Outline, Console and other views use a dark color scheme. The toolbar icons and some other UI elements will also switch to a darker palette.
Popular dark themes for Eclipse
In addition to the built-in dark theme, the Eclipse community has created several more mature and fully-featured dark themes through plugins. Some popular options include:
Eclipse Color Theme
A plugin with a variety of both dark and light themes for Eclipse. Some of the dark options include Cobalt, Ristretto, and Twilight.
Darkest Dark Theme
Designed specifically for dark theme fans, this plugin offers various customizable very dark color schemes for Eclipse.
Material Theme Suite
Provides color themes modeled after Google’s Material Design including a dark variant.
Dark Theme
Simple plugin for a basic dark theme with eclipseJetEditorArea background and dark gray foreground colors.
How to install dark theme plugins
Adding dark themes to Eclipse through plugins is easy:
- Open the Install New Software dialog via Help > Install New Software.
- Click Add to input the plugin repository URL or location.
- Select the desired dark theme plugin and complete the install process.
- Restart Eclipse to activate the plugin.
- Go to Windows > Preferences > General > Appearance to choose the theme.
Popular plugin repositories like Eclipse Color Theme and Eclipse Themes make it easy to find and install new dark themes.
Activating the dark theme by default
Once you have installed a dark theme, you may want to have it be activated automatically when you start Eclipse. To do this:
- Go to Windows > Preferences > General > Appearance
- Select your desired dark theme and click Apply.
- Click Save as Default to have this theme always load on startup.
Now whenever you open Eclipse, the interface will appear in your chosen dark theme by default.
Customizing the dark theme colors
Some dark theme plugins allow customizing the colors to your liking. For example:
- Eclipse Color Theme – Provides color options for dark themes under Window > Preferences > General > Appearance > Color Theme
- Darkest Dark Theme – Lets you customize the background, text, line highlight and other colors
Tweaking the hue, brightness and saturation settings can give your preferred dark theme a more personalized look in Eclipse.
Dark theme support across Eclipse versions
Eclipse has supported changing to a dark theme since Eclipse 3.6 M6 released in 2010. Most modern Eclipse versions include built-in dark theme options. Popular plugins also keep their dark themes updated across newer Eclipse releases.
So whether you are using the latest Eclipse 2022-12 release or an older Eclipse 4.7, switching to a dark theme is simple. The main requirement is Java 8 and above.
Dark theme for Eclipse IDE for Java
The specific Eclipse package for Java developers – Eclipse IDE for Java – also fully supports dark theme plugins and customization. Whether coding Java, Java EE or doing Java web development, activating a dark theme can make long coding sessions easier on the eyes.
Popular Java IDE color themes like Cobalt, Monokai and Railscasts are available through plugins like Eclipse Color Theme and provide a more comfortable dark interface for Eclipse Java development.
Conclusion
Eclipse offers a built-in dark theme option as well as the ability to install community plugins that provide more refined, customizable dark color schemes for the interface. Applying a dark theme is as easy as selecting it in the Appearance preferences. The dark background can reduce eyestrain during extended use of Eclipse for development in Java, C++, PHP and other languages.
| Theme | Plugin Needed | Customizable Colors |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in Dark | None | Limited |
| Cobalt | Eclipse Color Theme | Yes |
| Darkest Dark | Darkest Dark Theme | Yes |
| Material Dark | Material Theme Suite | Limited |
So if you find Eclipse’s default light theme to strain your eyes over time, be sure to take advantage of the excellent dark theme options available. There are plenty of mature dark themes to choose from that can make long coding or development sessions easier on the eyes without sacrificing Eclipse’s functionality.