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wtf is base16-schemes-source?

misterio77/base16-schemes-source — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-07-23 · repo last pushed 2021-04-14

1Audience · designerComplexity · 1/5DormantLicenseSetup · easy

TL;DR

A community registry that collects links to Base16 color scheme repositories, letting theme authors list their palettes once so every Base16 Builder tool can discover and use them across code editors and terminals.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Collects color scheme links
      Shared source list for builders
      Themes written once reused everywhere
    How it works
      Designers submit repo links
      Builders pull from this list
      Palettes auto-converted per app
    Use cases
      List a new color palette
      Discover available themes
      Build consistent editor themes
    Audience
      Theme designers
      Builder tool maintainers
      Editor and terminal users
    Rules
      MIT or more permissive license
      Keeps ecosystem open
      No legal complications

Code map

Detail Auto

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Why would anyone build with this?

REASON 1

Submit your new color palette so every Base16-compatible tool can discover and include it.

REASON 2

Find all available Base16 color schemes in one shared list for your builder tool to consume.

REASON 3

Ensure your theme works consistently across editors like Vim, Emacs, and iTerm by listing it here.

What's in the stack?

Markdown

How it stacks up

misterio77/base16-schemes-source0xkinno/neuralvault0xlocker/d17-contracts
Stars111
LanguageTypeScriptSolidity
Last pushed2021-04-14
MaintenanceDormant
Setup difficultyeasyhardhard
Complexity1/54/55/5
Audiencedesignerdeveloperdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you spin it up?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

This is a directory-style registry, no installation or build step is needed, you simply add your repo link to the list.

Listed color schemes must use MIT or a more permissive license, so anyone can freely use and distribute them.

Wtf does this do

Base16 Schemes Source is a registry that collects links to color scheme repositories so that multiple Base16 Builder tools can all access the same set of themes. In practical terms, if someone designs a color palette for code editors or terminal apps and lists it here, that palette becomes available across every tool that builds on the Base16 styling system. Base16 itself is a framework for defining themes in a structured, 16-color format. Rather than each editor or terminal application maintaining its own separate collection of themes, Base16 lets theme authors write a palette once, and then builder tools can automatically convert that palette into the specific format needed by Vim, Emacs, iTerm, or dozens of other applications. This repo serves as the shared source list that builders reference to discover and pull in available color schemes. The people who would use this are theme designers and the maintainers of Base16 Builder tools. A designer who creates a new color scheme would add their repository to this list so that builders can find it and include it automatically. End users of code editors or terminals benefit indirectly, since their preferred application can offer a wider selection of consistently formatted themes. One notable rule is that any color scheme listed here must be released under the MIT license or something more permissive. This keeps the ecosystem open and ensures that builder tools, which often generate theme files for many different applications, can freely bundle and distribute the schemes without legal complications. The README is quite sparse and does not go into further detail about how the list is maintained or what specific builder tools consume it.

Yoink these prompts

Prompt 1
I designed a new Base16 color scheme and want it listed in the base16-schemes-source registry. Write a pull request description with my repo URL, license info, and a short palette summary so maintainers can review it.
Prompt 2
Help me check whether my color scheme repo meets the listing requirements for base16-schemes-source, including MIT or more permissive licensing and a valid Base16 YAML palette file.
Prompt 3
Generate a README section for my Base16 color scheme repo that explains the palette and confirms it is ready to be submitted to the base16-schemes-source registry.
Prompt 4
List the steps I should follow to add my Base16 color palette to the base16-schemes-source registry so that builder tools can automatically discover and use it.

Frequently asked questions

wtf is base16-schemes-source?

A community registry that collects links to Base16 color scheme repositories, letting theme authors list their palettes once so every Base16 Builder tool can discover and use them across code editors and terminals.

Is base16-schemes-source actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2021-04-14).

What license does base16-schemes-source use?

Listed color schemes must use MIT or a more permissive license, so anyone can freely use and distribute them.

How hard is base16-schemes-source to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is base16-schemes-source for?

Mainly designer.

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