Table of contents of the article:
Introduction
In recent years, Dark Mode has become an essential feature for many internet users. Browsers, operating systems, and many applications have implemented this feature to improve the viewing experience and reduce eye strain. However, the web server Nginx has recently decided to refuse a proposal to add dark mode support to its default error pages.
The Context: The Pull Request and the Proposed Feature
Last week a new one was opened Pull request (PR) in the official Nginx repository on GitHub to add native support for dark mode in error pages. The proposed method was extremely simple: add the meta tag color-scheme with the value light dark in standard Nginx error pages. This would allow modern browsers to automatically adapt the page's rendering based on user preferences.
The change was small but effective, as browsers that supported this feature could display error pages with a dark background when the user enabled dark mode in their operating system or browser.
Nginx Rejection and Motivation
Despite the simplicity and effectiveness of the proposal, the Nginx development team decided to refuse the PR, arguing that:
- Nginx default error pages should be kept simple – The goal of standard error pages is to provide only essential information, without any unnecessary elements.
- The additional meta tag is considered superfluous – While this is a small addition in terms of code, the Nginx development team believes it is not a necessary change.
- System administrators can customize error pages – If a server admin wants an error page with dark mode support, he can simply use the directive
error_pageof Nginx to serve a custom HTML page with the desired support.
As a result, the proposal was closed without being accepted into the official NGINX codebase.
The Role of Dark Mode in the Modern Web
Implementing Dark Mode has become one of the best practices for web development. It is not only an aesthetic improvement, but has several practical benefits:
- Reduction of eye strain – Especially in low-light environments, using a dark background reduces the overall brightness of the screen and helps prevent eye strain.
- Greater energy efficiency – On devices with OLED displays, dark mode consumes less power than a white background, increasing battery life.
- User preferences – Many users set Dark Mode as the default in their operating system or browser, expecting visual consistency across all websites and applications.
Considering these benefits, many online services and software have adopted this feature to improve the user experience. The rejection of Nginx may seem like a step backwards in this direction.
Why Did Nginx Reject the Change?
Analyzing Nginx's decision, we can identify some reasons behind the refusal:
1. Minimalist Philosophy
Nginx is known for its efficiency and simplicity. Its standard error pages are deliberately basic, with no advanced styling or external dependencies. Adding a meta tag It might seem like an insignificant detail, but it is part of a broader logic of keeping the code minimal.
2. “Customizable by Admins” approach
Nginx already provides a way to customize error pages via the directive error_page. An administrator can serve a completely customized HTML page, including not only dark mode support, but also any other graphical and functional enhancements.
3. Maintain Backward Compatibility
Even if adding the tag color-scheme It does not break compatibility with any browser or system, the Nginx team seems to be very careful to avoid any unnecessary changes.
How to Implement Dark Mode in Custom Error Pages
If a system administrator wants to support Dark Mode in error pages, they can do so by customizing Nginx error pages.
Here is an example of a custom error page with dark mode support:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<meta name="color-scheme" content="light dark">
<title>404 Not Found</title>
<img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" data-wp-preserve="%3Cstyle%3E%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20body%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20font-family%3A%20Arial%2C%20sans-serif%3B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20text-align%3A%20center%3B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20padding%3A%2050px%3B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%7D%0A%20%20%20%20%3C%2Fstyle%3E" data-mce-resize="false" data-mce-placeholder="1" class="mce-object" width="20" height="20" alt="<style>" title="<style>" />
</head>
<body>
<h1>404 Not Found</h1>
<p>The requested resource could not be found on this server.</p>
</body>
</html>
This setup replaces the standard error page with a custom version that supports Dark Mode.
Conclusions
Nginx's decision to reject Dark Mode in default error pages has generated some discussion in the community. On the one hand, the change would be simple and improve the user experience for those using dark mode. On the other hand, Nginx is staying true to its minimalist philosophy and leaves customization to system administrators.
Those who want to have error pages that respect Dark Mode can easily implement them using the method described above. For now, however, users who encounter a 404 page served by NGINX will have to resign themselves to the classic white background, at least until it is customized by the server operator.
Link to the original pull request: GitHub – Nginx PR 567
