feat(ui): Make lightDark theme the default

[alexcarpenter]

Description

This PR builds upon https://github.com/clerk/javascript/tree/alexcarpenter/light-dark-theme by making the default theme use light-dark theming instead of needing to install a separate theme.

Checklist

• pnpm test runs as expected.
• pnpm build runs as expected.
• (If applicable) JSDoc comments have been added or updated for any package exports
• (If applicable) Documentation has been updated

Type of change

• 🐛 Bug fix
• 🌟 New feature
• 🔨 Breaking change
• 📖 Refactoring / dependency upgrade / documentation
• other:

[changeset-bot]

⚠️ No Changeset found

Latest commit: cee9d56

Merging this PR will not cause a version bump for any packages. If these changes should not result in a new version, you're good to go. If these changes should result in a version bump, you need to add a changeset.

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Project	Deployment	Review	Updated (UTC)
clerk-js-sandbox	Ready	Preview, Comment	Jan 9, 2026 4:51pm

[alexcarpenter]

!snapshot

[clerk-cookie]

Hey @alexcarpenter - the snapshot version command generated the following package versions:

Package	Version
@clerk/agent-toolkit	0.2.9-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/astro	3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/backend	3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/chrome-extension	3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/clerk-js	6.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/dev-cli	1.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/expo	3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/expo-passkeys	1.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/express	2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/fastify	2.6.9-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/localizations	4.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/nextjs	7.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/nuxt	2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/react	6.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/react-router	3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/shared	4.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/tanstack-react-start	1.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/testing	2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/ui	1.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/upgrade	2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517
@clerk/vue	2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517

Tip: Use the snippet copy button below to quickly install the required packages.
@clerk/agent-toolkit

npm i @clerk/agent-toolkit@0.2.9-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/astro

npm i @clerk/astro@3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/backend

npm i @clerk/backend@3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/chrome-extension

npm i @clerk/chrome-extension@3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/clerk-js

npm i @clerk/clerk-js@6.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/dev-cli

npm i @clerk/dev-cli@1.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/expo

npm i @clerk/expo@3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/expo-passkeys

npm i @clerk/expo-passkeys@1.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/express

npm i @clerk/express@2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/fastify

npm i @clerk/fastify@2.6.9-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/localizations

npm i @clerk/localizations@4.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/nextjs

npm i @clerk/nextjs@7.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/nuxt

npm i @clerk/nuxt@2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/react

npm i @clerk/react@6.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/react-router

npm i @clerk/react-router@3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/shared

npm i @clerk/shared@4.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/tanstack-react-start

npm i @clerk/tanstack-react-start@1.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/testing

npm i @clerk/testing@2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/ui

npm i @clerk/ui@1.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/upgrade

npm i @clerk/upgrade@2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

@clerk/vue

npm i @clerk/vue@2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109144517 --save-exact

[alexcarpenter]

!snapshot

[clerk-cookie]

Hey @alexcarpenter - the snapshot version command generated the following package versions:

Package	Version
@clerk/agent-toolkit	0.2.9-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/astro	3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/backend	3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/chrome-extension	3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/clerk-js	6.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/dev-cli	1.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/expo	3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/expo-passkeys	1.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/express	2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/fastify	2.6.9-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/localizations	4.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/nextjs	7.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/nuxt	2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/react	6.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/react-router	3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/shared	4.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/tanstack-react-start	1.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/testing	2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/ui	1.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/upgrade	2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713
@clerk/vue	2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713

Tip: Use the snippet copy button below to quickly install the required packages.
@clerk/agent-toolkit

npm i @clerk/agent-toolkit@0.2.9-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/astro

npm i @clerk/astro@3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/backend

npm i @clerk/backend@3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/chrome-extension

npm i @clerk/chrome-extension@3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/clerk-js

npm i @clerk/clerk-js@6.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/dev-cli

npm i @clerk/dev-cli@1.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/expo

npm i @clerk/expo@3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/expo-passkeys

npm i @clerk/expo-passkeys@1.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/express

npm i @clerk/express@2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/fastify

npm i @clerk/fastify@2.6.9-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/localizations

npm i @clerk/localizations@4.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/nextjs

npm i @clerk/nextjs@7.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/nuxt

npm i @clerk/nuxt@2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/react

npm i @clerk/react@6.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/react-router

npm i @clerk/react-router@3.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/shared

npm i @clerk/shared@4.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/tanstack-react-start

npm i @clerk/tanstack-react-start@1.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/testing

npm i @clerk/testing@2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/ui

npm i @clerk/ui@1.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/upgrade

npm i @clerk/upgrade@2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact

@clerk/vue

npm i @clerk/vue@2.0.0-snapshot.v20260109184713 --save-exact