[openstreetmap/openstreetmap-website] Dark Mode for maps (Issue #5328)

[Wilhem275]

> and if we implement some straightforward preferences (e.g. auto/light/dark prefs for UI and/or maps) then I think most people will be reasonably happy with the outcome

> That's what you'll get if there's an option for the map mode independent of the ui mode.

@gravitystorm @AntonKhorev 

Is there any possibile conflict in giving users both a Dark UI toggle **and** a Dark Map choice? 
The only one that comes to my mind is that some cartographers may oppose any alteration to their style, to the point of refusing any kind of dark mode for their layer (despite being given freedom to develop or choose one).

Is it possible to reach out to cartographers and ask for their opinion before further interface discussions? Maybe they just don't care and the problem doesn't even exist. Or maybe they're so much against alterations to their styles that no Dark Map will exist at all until someone develops one from scratch.

In this latter extreme scenario, it would all boil down to who's preference should prevail: users who absolutely want a Dark Map no matter how, or cartographers who absolutely want their style untouched.
I suspect cartographers have more power in this, as they may pull back their style from the project (o even escalate into a legal dispute?).
Users can always develop their own dark style, if they care about it... and remember we're talking about the extreme situation of an absolute refusal by the cartographer. If they develop a dark version or accept filtering, the problem doesn't exist.


In any case, this is one more reason why I would not implement a general Dark Map toggle overriding all styles, but instead present dark map styles to the user as individual choices in the Layers menu (no matter if the dark styles are native or by filtering, I'm not debating this).
If you implement a general toggle for all styles then you have to work out a way to override it for specific layers.
If the choice is via Layers menu... then it's just one less item in the list (and, remember, users can easily bookmark "Light OSM" and "Dark OSM" to launch whatever style fits them at any time of the day).

> @Wilhem275 If your opinion isn't just based on fear, then you should have no problem pointing out what specific issues you've noticed with the proposed solutions. I don't mean to criticize you, though. It's common for users to be against significant UI changes. I'm just saying that we shouldn't let that fear stop us from adding new features.

@pkrasicki I think I already gave an extensive answer [here](https://github.com/openstreetmap/openstreetmap-website/issues/5328#issuecomment-2481422710).
To cut it short: developing a filter to adapt a single style is already a risky business, but it can work. What can't work is having one single filtering rule that can work well for ALL styles.

Map styles are based on the mathematical relationship between the colours of all different elements. Within a single style, they're already a large number of relationship to manage trough one general set of rules.
Multiply this by all styles and their variations at different zoom levels, it becomes a staggering number with many conflicts.

It's not a fear, it's an absolute certainty that the output will be a mess 😄
Exactly what's happening here:

![image](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/0c42db89-9320-48f2-8b0a-e8562f833a99)

One size can't fit all.

As an alternative, you can develop specific filters for each style (and each zoom level...), this could work. But, can you guarantee to develop and maintain specific filters for each layer?
And by "develop" I mean also trialling them with a large number of users, not just launching into production a result satisfying you, me and four people in here. One by one, for each zoom level.
Seems quite a big job to me...

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