Bug: Dark mode users see a white flash on page load

[rahul-rajak-nsut]

Summary

Dark mode users experience a white flash during initial page load because the theme is applied only after hydration completes.

Contexts

The current theme initialization runs after the page has already rendered once, causing the browser to briefly display light mode before switching to dark mode.

This behavior is noticeable during hard refreshes and slower page loads, especially when dark mode is stored in localStorage or inferred from system preferences.

Tasks

• Investigate the current theme initialization flow
• Ensure the correct theme is applied before first paint
• Verify dark mode persists correctly across refreshes
• Confirm no regression in light mode behavior

Acceptance Criteria

• No visible white flash during initial load in dark mode
• Works correctly with both saved preferences and system theme settings
• Existing functionality remains unaffected
• Tests/docs updated if required

Area

web

Difficulty

Easy to Intermediate — requires understanding of theme initialization and hydration timing.

[Soumika649]

Hi
I would like to work on this issue under GSSOC'26.
Could you please assign it to me?

[SaishWadnere]

I would like to work on this issue under GSSoC'26. The white flash occurs because the dark theme is applied after hydration, causing an initial light-mode render. I plan to fix this by adding a small inline script in the to apply the correct theme before the first paint and sync it with the existing theme logic.

I have reviewed the implementation approach and can submit a clean PR with testing and documentation updates. Please assign this issue to me if available.