Pure Black UI Design

Discussions revolve around the use of pure black (#000000) versus off-black (dark gray) for text, backgrounds, and UI elements, debating contrast, readability, aesthetics, and screen differences.

📉 Falling 0.3x Web Development
2,465
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#6479
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
10
2008
13
2009
32
2010
54
2011
66
2012
154
2013
102
2014
76
2015
76
2016
120
2017
101
2018
117
2019
168
2020
250
2021
248
2022
224
2023
299
2024
176
2025
168
2026
11

Keywords

LCD VGA IMHO RGB black white black white colors paper color paintings colours background light

Sample Comments

ilyt May 19, 2023 View on HN

Just make black actual black and it's good. No need for dark gray on light gray

spicyj Jul 1, 2011 View on HN

Yeah, strange that it isn't pure black.

halvsjur Jan 12, 2013 View on HN

Isn't that a tad black and white?

pvorb Aug 31, 2020 View on HN

It's black on white for me.

miles_matthias Dec 20, 2011 View on HN

White and other bright colors on black.

benlower Feb 2, 2016 View on HN

true about black so colors might look different.

icoder Aug 9, 2012 View on HN

Well, black is not black, it is simply the darkest color your medium (paper, screen, etc) can display. Not using it would effectively reduce the dynamic range of your medium.

pdntspa Jul 16, 2023 View on HN

There's a design tenet to never use pure black or white, that's probably what is going on here

guerrilla Dec 24, 2021 View on HN

Try on a different screen. What you're seeing as black is green; there is no black.

apu Jun 14, 2014 View on HN

It's black-on-white for me.