I am sorry, but everyone is getting syntax highlighting wrong

I am sorry, but everyone is getting syntax highlighting wrong

Syntax highlighting is a tool. It can help you read code faster. Find things quicker. Orient yourself in a large file.

Like any tool, it can be used correctly or incorrectly. Let’s see how to use syntax highlighting to help you work.

Christmas Lights Diarrhea

Most color themes have a unique bright color for literally everything: one for variables, another for language keywords, constants, punctuation, functions, classes, calls, comments, etc.

Sometimes it gets so bad one can’t see the base text color: everything is highlighted. What’s the base text color here?

The problem with that is, if everything is highlighted, nothing stands out. Your eye adapts and considers it a new norm: everything is bright and shiny, and instead of getting separated, it all blends together.

Here’s a quick test. Try to find the function definition here:

and here:

See what I mean?

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