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

[Christoph Hormann]

I think i need to clarify something regarding:

> For example, the maintainers of the current default map layer (openstreetmap-carto) have stated that they aren't planning on creating a dark version of their style

While this is true there are a number of additional points that are important here:

* we very much would like to see the style modified to allow easier adjustment to a different color scheme simply by swapping out the color definitions.
* we would also like to see style variations with substantially different color schemes being developed and deployed - and some OSM-Carto developers might even be intertested in working on such variations.  We just think that this should be done in a separate project and not be intermixed with the main OSM-Carto development with its recognizable and equally cherished and hated trademark color scheme.  Doing design work on OSM-Carto in a way that works well with our single color scheme is challenging already because of the very rich nature of the style and ther huge number of distinct colors it uses.  Requiring style developers to always design for two different color schemes at the same time would substantially raise the bar in terms of skills required for doing design work and would therefore not be helpful regarding our goals.
* in contrast to other tile layers we, the OSM-Carto maintainers, do not have any control or even influence on the operational management of the tile service.  We just maintain the style.  Hence the decision if and how to create a new tile service with an OSM-Carto derived style with a darker base color is not ours.

If there is interest in the OSM-Community to have an OSM-Carto derived style with a darker base color on osm.org my suggestion would be to:

1. contribute to OSM-Carto to modify the style to allow easier color scheme adjustment.  The main point that needs some work here is the patterns, because these are currently hand colored individually.  A solution for this exists in the AC-Style (see [here](https://imagico.de/blog/en/managing-patterns/)) and could serve as inspiration for developing something in OSM-Carto as well.
2. either organize a community project to develop an alternative color scheme as an add-on for OSM-Carto (substituting the color definitions) or organize funding to contract a style developer to design this.  
3. get commitment from a tile hoster (could be the OSMF, but also a local chapter or a company) to host such a style.

But you should always bear in mind that this only makes sense if you indeed pursue the idea to have a style as rich and complex as OSM-Carto.  If what you actually want is a simple garden variety roads + buildings + POIs + decorative landcover style with a dark color basis then OSM-Carto is not a good choice to start with.

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