Dark Background Websites: Why They Don't Work

The Superiority of Light Backgrounds in Web Design

Currently, you are viewing MakeUseOf, a website that predominantly employs dark text against a light backdrop. This is a design choice that aligns with best practices.

Elements like the header bar, featuring light text on a dark background, and the often-overlooked footer section are acceptable due to their limited size.

However, an overreliance on dark backgrounds across an entire website is detrimental to user experience. A widespread dark theme significantly diminishes a site’s overall effectiveness.

Why Dark Backgrounds are Problematic

Do you find yourself in disagreement with this perspective? If so, consider the following arguments outlining the drawbacks of dark backgrounds.

Should you remain unconvinced after reading this, it suggests a resistance to sound web design principles and a potential trajectory towards suboptimal online experiences.

The prevalence of dark text on light backgrounds – estimated at 99 percent (though this figure is illustrative) – isn't accidental. It reflects a fundamental understanding of readability and visual comfort.

Readability: Light text on a dark background causes halation, where light bleeds into surrounding dark areas, reducing clarity.
Eye Strain: Prolonged exposure to dark backgrounds with bright text can lead to increased eye strain and fatigue.
Accessibility: Dark backgrounds can pose challenges for users with certain visual impairments.

These factors contribute to a less engaging and more tiring browsing experience. Prioritizing a light background enhances legibility and promotes user comfort.

Ultimately, a website’s success hinges on its ability to deliver content effectively. A light background is a crucial component in achieving this goal.

Website Design Evolution

The field of website design is in a perpetual state of flux. A simple exploration of URLs through The Wayback Machine vividly demonstrates the significant advancements made over the past decade and a half.

The components integrated into webpages have undergone substantial changes. Diverse media formats are now seamlessly embedded and incorporated. It's also notable that advertising has become ubiquitous.

While often intrusive, these advertisements are crucial for sustaining the accessibility of online resources like MakeUseOf, allowing them to remain free for all users.

The Enduring Importance of Text

Despite these changes, text remains a fundamental element on the majority of websites. With the exception of visually focused platforms like photo blogs, text is essential for conveying information.

Without textual content, understanding the purpose or subject matter of a webpage becomes challenging. The optimal presentation of text generally involves a black color on a white, or at least a light-colored, background.

This convention ensures readability and accessibility for the widest possible audience.

Black and White

The vast majority of books utilize white paper paired with black text. Consequently, this presentation has become the established norm for how humans absorb information from printed sources.

Early computers commonly featured monochrome displays, leading to initial user experiences often involving green text on a black backdrop. This configuration was, however, generally undesirable.

The advent of color monitors swiftly rectified this issue, offering a more visually appealing and comfortable reading experience.

The Early Web and Design Trends

As the World Wide Web developed into its current form, numerous websites experimented with unconventional design choices.

Bright, clashing color palettes and animated text were once prevalent. Fortunately, these trends subsided, and a more refined approach to web design emerged.

Today, most websites prioritize usability and readability, placing them above purely aesthetic, and potentially disruptive, visual styles.

A considered design approach is now favored, aiming to provide a positive user experience rather than inducing visual discomfort or, in some cases, even triggering medical conditions.

The focus has shifted towards creating websites that are accessible and easy to navigate, ensuring information can be readily consumed by a wide audience.

Web Standards

In numerous applications, colors beyond black and white demonstrate superiority – film being a prime example. However, for text-centric platforms like the vast majority of websites, a black and white color scheme generally prevails.

The reason for this dominance is readily apparent. Black text on a white background provides optimal clarity. Visual focus remains undisturbed by extraneous elements.

Given the widespread adoption of this practical approach, a website deviating from this norm immediately captures attention. The human eye requires an adjustment period when confronted with light-colored text against a dark backdrop.

Simultaneously, cognitive processes are engaged in attempting to rationalize this design choice.

The Impact of Deviation

Were dark backgrounds universally implemented across the web, the contrast might be less jarring. However, because light backgrounds represent the established standard, any departure appears particularly conspicuous.

This creates a negative user experience, as the brain actively works to process information under less-than-ideal conditions. Usability is significantly impacted.

Ultimately, adhering to established web standards, such as black text on a white background, contributes to a more accessible and user-friendly online experience.

The Case Against Dark Background Websites

A significant number of websites employing dark backgrounds are poorly executed. However, this isn't an immutable truth; improvements are achievable with focused effort.

Those involved in the design, development, and upkeep of these sites have the capacity to elevate their quality. A greater commitment to user experience is essential.

Areas for Improvement

Web Designer Depot showcases instances of dark-themed websites attempting to mitigate common issues. While still flawed, these examples demonstrate the impact of thoughtful adjustments.

Text Size and Font: Careful selection is crucial for readability.
Paragraph Length: Shorter paragraphs enhance scannability.
Contrast: Optimizing the difference between text and background colors is paramount.

Essentially, the degree to which a dark background website is unsuccessful isn't fixed. Increased attention to detail and a design approach tailored to dark themes can yield more acceptable results.

By prioritizing these elements, designers can reduce the likelihood of immediate rejection from users. A more refined approach is needed to overcome inherent challenges.

Ultimately, a willingness to try harder is the key to creating dark background websites that are both aesthetically pleasing and functionally effective.

Concluding Thoughts

A common preference exists for dark text displayed against lighter backgrounds, representing the established standard in web design. Conversely, the use of light text on dark backgrounds is considered less conventional.

Readers are encouraged to critically evaluate the presented rationale regarding the drawbacks of websites employing dark backgrounds. Alternatively, agreement with the arguments presented is also welcomed.

Image Attribution

Visual elements accompanying this discussion are credited to Tom F, Chris Gilmore, and purplejavatroll.

Note: The image referenced is located at https://static.all-global-news.pages.dev/image-post/why-websites-with-dark-backgrounds-completely-suck-opinion/why-websites-with-dark-backgrounds-completely-suck-opinion-5.jpg.

The question of background preference remains open for debate, but the arguments against dark backgrounds warrant consideration.