Dynamic Theme Engine in Next.js

Why Another Theme Management Solution?

When building modern web applications, theme management can quickly become complex:

• Seamless dark/light mode switching
• Server-side theme persistence
• Instant UI updates
• Accessibility considerations
• Performance optimization

Our implementation solves these challenges while providing a delightful developer experience.

The Gist

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Implementation Details

1. Theme Hook Design

Our theme management system is built around a flexible and performant hook that handles theme selection, persistence, and UI updates.

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Key Design Principles

1. Immediate UI Feedback

   • document.body.setAttribute() ensures instant visual changes
   • Local state updates provide responsive UI

2. Server-Side Persistence

   • setCurrentTheme() and toggleDarkTheme() handle server-side storage
   • router.refresh() ensures server-side rendering reflects the new theme

3. Async Operations

   • Theme changes are handled asynchronously
   • Prevents blocking of UI interactions

CSS Integration

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Theme List Component

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Performance Considerations

• Minimal state management overhead
• No unnecessary re-renders
• Server-side theme persistence
• Lightweight CSS variable approach

Accessibility Features

• ARIA attributes for theme buttons
• Respects user's system preferences
• Smooth transitions between themes

Conclusion

Our theme engine provides:

• Instant theme switching
• Server-side persistence
• Minimal performance impact
• Enhanced user experience

Written with the help of WindSurf's Cascade.