NexQL Themes
Preview NexQL Themes live
••• NexQL DB Extension for VS Code
NexQL Themes — a VS Code color-theme family for database work and everyday coding. Eleven scenario-anchored variants (dark, light, OLED, homage) share one design language: quiet keywords, a disciplined cool→warm syntax spectrum, and a single reserved accent for errors.
Install from the VS Code Marketplace or Open VSX, then Preferences: Color Theme → pick any NexQL theme.
Philosophy
The logo — a glowing N woven from fiber-optic strands over a dark IDE canvas — encodes how every theme in the family is meant to feel and behave.
Brand
| Principle |
Definition |
| Vibrancy in the dark |
Near-black or warm-paper foundations with energetic, high-contrast syntax color. Reduce eye strain without going gray and lifeless. |
| Fluid integration |
Intertwined strands stand for SQL, data, and modern application code living in one editor — one coherent visual system across languages and tools. |
| Energy and flow |
The cool→warm gradient (teal → violet → amber) mirrors scan rhythm: structure first, data last. Color guides the eye without shouting. |
| Developer-first precision |
Built for the nuances of real coding — brackets, keywords, types, strings, errors — not generic prettiness. Every hue earns its place in the hierarchy. |
Design language
| Principle |
Definition |
| Quiet keywords |
High-frequency tokens (keywords, operators, punctuation) stay desaturated. Syntax noise stays low; meaning stays readable. |
| Spectrum in code only |
The ribbon runs through the editor: cool structure (keywords, functions) → warm data (strings, numbers). Chrome stays calm; color lives in tokens. |
| One reserved accent |
Magenta (#E85FBF) is errors only — never reused for strings, types, or UI chrome. One unmistakable signal for "something is wrong." |
| Frequency ∝ inverse saturation |
The more often a token appears, the quieter its color. Rare constructs (types, errors) may be brighter or more saturated. |
| Scenario-anchored variants |
Each theme answers a real context — daily dark (Mute), OLED black, long-session warmth (Ember), cool fog (Drift), light parchment (Break of Dawn), Postgres homage, sage pair — without breaking the shared rules above. |
Token tiers (flagship dark reference)
Applies to NexQL Mute Dark and close dark variants; light themes remap the same roles to their surfaces.
| Tier |
Tokens |
Hex |
| Quiet |
Keywords, operators, punctuation |
#8E8FB8 |
| Body |
Variables, parameters, tables |
#D8D6E0 |
| Scan |
Functions / methods |
#7AA8E8 |
| Data |
Strings + numbers |
#D9A86C |
| Rare |
Types / classes / interfaces |
#B68CDB |
| Reserved |
Errors only |
#E85FBF |
Themes
| Theme |
Type |
Notes |
| NexQL Mute Dark |
dark |
Flagship daily driver — warm near-black chrome, indigo UI accent (#8A8CFF) |
| NexQL OLED Dark |
dark |
True-black AMOLED variant |
| NexQL Ember Dark |
dark |
Warmer, higher-contrast dark for long sessions |
| NexQL Drift Dark |
dark |
Cool, low-chroma fog-bank dark |
| NexQL Break of Dawn |
light |
Solar-powered light with warm parchment surfaces |
| NexQL Claudy Day |
light |
Claude Code–inspired warm parchment |
| NexQL Claudy Night |
dark |
Ink-dark counterpart to Claudy Day |
| NexQL Postgres Homage Dark |
dark |
Postgres #336791 homage — slate-blue, amber data |
| NexQL Postgres Homage Day |
light |
Light Postgres homage |
| NexQL Sage Day |
light |
Sage-green light pair |
| NexQL Sage at Night |
dark |
Sage-tinted dark counterpart |
Development
npm run compile # generate themes/*.json + validate
Generated workbench/token keys come from src/. Any extra keys already in a theme JSON (e.g. widget.border) are kept on compile — only generator-owned keys are refreshed.
Press F5 → Launch NexQL Theme Extension, then Preferences: Color Theme → any NexQL theme.
Architecture
src/static-themes.mjs theme registry (11 hand-authored themes)
src/preview-workbench.mjs workbench color builder
src/preview-tokens.mjs SQL-first token rules
scripts/generate-previews.mjs compile + package.json contributes.themes
scripts/validate-themes.mjs structure + WCAG contrast checks
