---
id: df7c147b-b62e-4201-b7cd-dab4180b0e96
title: 'light theme: diff text fails AA; form fields look disabled (border 1.2:1)'
state: closed
labels:
- ui
assignees: []
milestone: null
created: 2026-10-27T17:24:52.500908552Z
updated: 2026-10-27T17:45:41.769545864Z
---
## What

Two light-theme contrast failures were missed by `tests/theme_contrast.rs`:

1. **Diff text on tinted backgrounds**: `--diff-add` on `--diff-add-bg` = **4.44:1**; `--diff-del` on `--diff-del-bg` = **4.11:1** (AA needs 4.5).
2. **Form fields look disabled**: `input/textarea` use `background:var(--bg-alt)` with `border:1px solid var(--border)`; light border vs field = **~1.21:1** (UI boundaries need 3:1). The fill vs page is also ~1.07:1, so the field edge is nearly invisible.

## Reproduced

Computed from the parsed CSS variables (dark passes); screenshots show the light inputs as flat grey rectangles with no visible border.

## Impact

A11y failure and a poor affordance — users cannot tell the fields are editable on light mode.

## Fix

- Darken light `--diff-add`/`--diff-del` until each passes 4.5 on its background; add those pairs to the contrast test.
- Give form controls a ≥3:1 boundary (darker border or white field on the page background) in both themes.
- Optionally add a test for control-border contrast.