The Impact of Colour Themes on Code Readability

Abstract: The ability to read code is an important skill in programming, and is said to be affected by the coding environment and interface. This thesis investigates the impact of colour themes on code readability, comparing dark text on a light background to light text on a dark background. An experiment was performed where participants solved code comprehension tasks while recorded using eye tracking. Results indicated no significant differences in accuracy or time between the two colour themes. Similarly, the eye tracker recordings showed no significant difference in eye movement patterns between colour themes.