Synthwave '84 for Zed

A vibrant, retro-inspired theme for the Zed editor based on the synthwave aesthetic of the 1980s. Inspired by the music and cover artwork of modern Synthwave bands like FM-84, Timecop 1983, and The Midnight.

Quick Start

1. Install from Zed Extensions (Recommended)

   • Open Zed > Command Palette (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P)
   • Search "zed: Extensions" > Search "Synthwave 84" > Install

2. Apply the theme

   • Open Settings (Cmd/Ctrl + ,)
   • Set "theme": "Synthwave84"

3. Choose your variant

   • "Synthwave84" - Classic vibrant experience
   • "Synthwave84 Soft" - Lower contrast for extended coding
   • "Synthwave84 High Contrast" - Enhanced visibility

Features

• Dark synthwave-inspired color palette
• Neon-like syntax highlighting with vibrant purples, pinks, and cyans
• Carefully crafted contrast for comfortable long coding sessions
• Retro-futuristic UI elements
• AI/LLM support for predictive text and inline completions
• Language-specific optimizations for 15+ languages
• Monaspace variable font support
• Three theme variants:
  • Synthwave84 - The classic vibrant synthwave experience
  • Synthwave84 Soft - Lower contrast for extended coding sessions
  • Synthwave84 High Contrast - Enhanced visibility with more vibrant colors

Terminal Support

The Zed built-in terminal automatically inherits the Synthwave '84 colors. For external terminals, check out the Synthwave '84 Terminal repository for matching color schemes.

Installation

From Zed Extensions

1. Open Zed
2. Open the command palette (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + P)
3. Search for "zed: Extensions"
4. Search for "Synthwave 84"
5. Click "Install"

Manual Installation

1. Clone this repository or download the files
2. Copy the entire folder to ~/.config/zed/extensions/synthwave84
3. Restart Zed
4. Open settings (Cmd/Ctrl + ,)
5. Add the following to your settings.json:

{
  "theme": "Synthwave84"
}

Recommended Font Configuration

Monaspace Variable Fonts

This theme is optimized for use with the Monaspace font family. Monaspace offers five unique variants, each with variable weight, width, and slant axes:

• Monaspace Neon - Neo-grotesque sans (clean and modern)
• Monaspace Argon - Humanist sans (friendly and readable)
• Monaspace Xenon - Slab serif (structured and bold)
• Monaspace Radon - Handwriting (expressive and unique)
• Monaspace Krypton - Mechanical sans (technical and precise)

Recommended Settings

Add to your Zed settings.json:

{
  "buffer_font_family": "Monaspace Neon",
  "buffer_font_features": {
    "calt": true, // Contextual alternates (texture healing)
    "liga": true, // Ligatures
    "ss01": true, // Style set 1 (varies by font)
    "ss02": true, // Style set 2 (varies by font)
    "ss03": true, // Style set 3 (varies by font)
    "ss04": true, // Style set 4 (varies by font)
    "ss05": true, // Style set 5 (varies by font)
    "ss06": true, // Style set 6 (varies by font)
    "ss07": true, // Style set 7 (varies by font)
    "ss08": true // Style set 8 (varies by font)
  },
  "buffer_font_weight": 400,
  "buffer_font_size": 14,
  "ui_font_family": "Monaspace Argon",
  "ui_font_size": 14
}

Variable Font Axes

You can customize the font appearance using variable axes:

{
  "buffer_font_weight": 300, // 200-800 (Light to Extra Bold)
  "buffer_font_features": {
    "wdth": 100, // Width: 100-125 (Normal to Wide)
    "slnt": -12 // Slant: 0 to -12 (Upright to Italic)
  }
}

Font Pairing Suggestions

• General Coding: Monaspace Neon (buffer) + Monaspace Argon (UI)
• Data Science/Notebooks: Monaspace Xenon (buffer) + Monaspace Neon (UI)
• Creative Coding: Monaspace Radon (buffer) + Monaspace Krypton (UI)
• Systems Programming: Monaspace Krypton (buffer) + Monaspace Argon (UI)

Alternative Font Options

If you prefer other fonts, the theme also works well with:

• JetBrains Mono
• Fira Code
• Cascadia Code
• Victor Mono (for italic emphasis)

Color Palette

See COLORS.md for the complete color palette reference.

Accessibility

• WCAG AA Compliant: All text meets contrast ratio requirements (4.5:1+)
• High Contrast Variant: Enhanced visibility with 7:1+ contrast ratios
• Color Blind Friendly: Tested with deuteranopia and protanopia simulators
• Reduced Motion: No animations, suitable for vestibular sensitivity

Troubleshooting

Theme not appearing in Zed

• Ensure you're using the exact theme names: "Synthwave84", "Synthwave84 Soft", "Synthwave84 High Contrast"
• Restart Zed after installation
• Check that the extension is enabled in Extensions panel

Colors look different than expected

• Verify your monitor's color profile and brightness settings
• Some terminals may not support true color - use Zed's built-in terminal
• Update to the latest Zed version for best compatibility

Installation issues

• Linux/NixOS: Ensure ~/.config/zed/extensions/ directory exists and is writable
• Permission errors: Run chmod -R 755 ~/.config/zed/extensions/synthwave84
• Manual installation: Copy the entire theme folder, not just individual files

Font rendering issues

• Install Monaspace fonts for optimal experience
• Enable font features in settings: "liga": true, "calt": true
• Clear font cache if using custom fonts: fc-cache -f -v (Linux)

Development

Theme is generated from source files:

make generate   # Build theme from src/base.json + palette.json
make validate   # Check WCAG contrast ratios
make check      # Verify theme matches source

See CLAUDE.md for architecture details.

License

MIT License

Credits

• Original Synthwave '84 concept by Robb Owen
• Ported to Zed by DROO