Retronica
A muted, 80s-inspired retro theme collection for Visual Studio Code.
Designed with OKLCH color principles for perceptual uniformity, featuring subdued tones that evoke the warm glow of vintage CRT monitors and arcade cabinets.
🎨 Theme Variants
Dark Themes
| Theme |
Description |
| Retronica Neon Nights |
Deep purple/blue background with muted pink, cyan, and orange accents. Synthwave vibes. |
| Retronica Amber Terminal |
True black background with warm amber/gold monochrome tones. Classic terminal aesthetic. |
| Retronica Phosphor Green |
Black background with green CRT phosphor glow. Hacker nostalgia. |
Light Themes
| Theme |
Description |
| Retronica Pastel Arcade |
Cream/off-white background with soft pastel 80s tones. Bright and playful. |
| Retronica Vintage Computing |
Warm beige background with muted teals and magentas. Early personal computer feel. |
✨ Features
- Perceptually balanced colors — Designed using OKLCH color space principles for consistent lightness and harmony
- Muted, subdued palette — Easy on the eyes for long coding sessions
- Retro terminal cursor styling — Themed cursors that complete the vintage look
- Semantic highlighting support — Enhanced syntax highlighting for supported languages
- Comprehensive token coverage — Carefully crafted colors for all major languages
📦 Installation
From VS Code Marketplace
- Open VS Code
- Go to Extensions (
Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
- Search for "Retronica"
- Click Install
Manual Installation
- Download or clone this repository
- Copy the
retronica folder to your VS Code extensions directory:
- Windows:
%USERPROFILE%\.vscode\extensions\
- macOS:
~/.vscode/extensions/
- Linux:
~/.vscode/extensions/
- Restart VS Code
- Open Command Palette (
Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P)
- Type "Color Theme" and select "Preferences: Color Theme"
- Choose your preferred Retronica variant
🖥️ Recommended Settings
For the full retro experience, consider these VS Code settings:
{
"editor.fontFamily": "'IBM Plex Mono', 'Fira Code', 'JetBrains Mono', monospace",
"editor.fontSize": 14,
"editor.lineHeight": 1.6,
"editor.cursorStyle": "block",
"editor.cursorBlinking": "solid",
"terminal.integrated.cursorStyle": "block",
"terminal.integrated.cursorBlinking": false
}
Recommended Retro Fonts
🎛️ Color Reference
Neon Nights Palette
| Role |
Color |
Hex |
| Background |
Deep Purple |
#1a1525 |
| Foreground |
Lavender |
#d4c5e8 |
| Keywords |
Muted Pink |
#c97aa0 |
| Strings |
Sage Green |
#8ac0a0 |
| Functions |
Soft Blue |
#7a9ad8 |
| Comments |
Faded Purple |
#6a5a8a |
Amber Terminal Palette
| Role |
Color |
Hex |
| Background |
Near Black |
#0f0e0a |
| Foreground |
Warm Cream |
#d8c8a8 |
| Keywords |
Gold |
#d8b060 |
| Strings |
Olive |
#a8c080 |
| Functions |
Tan |
#c8b078 |
| Comments |
Dim Brown |
#6a6050 |
Phosphor Green Palette
| Role |
Color |
Hex |
| Background |
Dark Green-Black |
#0a0f0a |
| Foreground |
Phosphor Green |
#a8d8a8 |
| Keywords |
Bright Green |
#a0e0a0 |
| Strings |
Medium Green |
#70c070 |
| Functions |
Soft Green |
#80b880 |
| Comments |
Dim Green |
#507050 |
📄 License
MIT License — feel free to modify and share!
🙏 Credits
Inspired by the aesthetics of:
- 1980s arcade cabinets
- Vintage CRT monitors
- Early personal computers (Apple II, Commodore 64, IBM PC)
- Synthwave and retrowave visual culture
Enjoy coding in style! 🕹️
