How to add theme in Visual Studio Code?

Question

I recently downloaded the VS code editor which is really nice. but the only problem I find in it is the color theme, I am use to monokai color theme like in sublime text and I can't find a way to edit the color theme or download a color theme there are only 2 options:

1. Dark Theme
2. Light Theme

How can I add my own theme or duplicate existing one so I will be able to edit the color scheme as I want to?

---

I manage to change some of the colors in the following file but still I don`t know how to add completely new theme:

resources/app/client/vs/monaco/ui/workbench/native/native.main.css

---

Looks like color themes will be available soon and it will be a part of a plugin system

visual-studio-code/suggestions/7756227-theme

Answer 1

Visual Studio Code 0.9.0 and later

There's an official documentation on how to add a custom theme: https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode-docs/blob/0.9.0/release-notes/latest.md

You need a .tmtheme file for the themeyou want to add. You can find existing files e.g. on GitHub, ColorSublime or you can define your own theme file (for example with https://github.com/aziz/tmTheme-Editor).

After finding a .tmtheme file you have two ways to create an extension based on it.

Option 1: Using a Yeoman generator

• Install node.js (if you haven't already done)
• Install yo (if you haven't already done) by executing npm install -g yo
• Install the Yo generator for code: npm install -g generator-code
• Run yo code and select New Color Theme
• Follow the instructions (define the .tmTheme file, theme name, ui theme etc.)
• The generator creates a directory for your extension with the name of the theme in your current working directory.

Option 2: Create the directory on your own

• Create a directory with the name of your plugin (only lowercase letters). Let's say we call it mytheme.
• Add a subfolder themes and place the .tmTheme file inside of it

• Create a file package.json inside the root of the extension folder with content like this

  {        
      "name": "theme-mytheme",
      "version": "0.0.1",
      "engines": {
          "vscode": ">=0.9.0-pre.1"
      },
      "publisher": "me",
     "contributes": {
          "themes": [
              {
                  "label": "My Theme",
                  "uiTheme": "vs-dark", // use "vs" to select the light UI theme
                  "path": "./themes/mytheme.tmTheme"
              }
          ]
      }
  }
  

Finally add your extension to Visual Studio Code

Copy the extension folder to the extension directory. This is:

• on Windows %USERPROFILE%\.vscode\extensions

• on Mac/Linux $HOME/.vscode/extensions

Restart VSCode and select the new theme in File -> Preferences -> Color Theme

Visual Studio Code 0.8.0

It's possible to add new themes in Visual Studio Code 0.8.0 (released for insiders on 2015-08-31 [become an insider: https://www.instant.ly/s/Y5nt1/nav#p/186a0]).

After installing VSCode 0.8.0 or higher do this to apply your own theme:

1. Download a .tmTheme file or create your own (for example with https://github.com/aziz/tmTheme-Editor)
2. Copy the .tmTheme file to %CODEFOLDER%/resources/app/plugins/vs.theme.starterkit/themes

3. Register the .tmTheme file in %CODEFOLDER%/resources/app/plugins/vs.theme.starterkit/ticino.plugin.json by adding an entry for it like this:

   {
       "id": "vs-theme-mynewtheme", // internal ID
       "label": "MyNewTheme",       // displayed name for the theme
       "uiTheme": "vs-dark",        // general UI appeareance (
                                    // "vs" for light themes, 
                                    // "vs-dark" for dark themes)
       "path": "./themes/myNewTheme.tmTheme" // file path 
   },  
   

4. Restart VSCode and select the new theme in File -> Preferences -> Color Theme