The Impact of Dark Mode on Programmers' Productivity in Mogadishu, Somalia

Abstract

Dark mode is now a default in most programming environments, yet its influence on the productivity and visual comfort of developers in the Horn of Africa remains empirically unexamined. This study provides the first empirical examination of dark mode and programmers' productivity in Mogadishu, Somalia. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted between January and April 2026 among 401 programmers using a structured, self-administered 25-item questionnaire distributed electronically, and data were analysed in Python (pandas, scipy) using descriptive statistics and Pearson's chi-square (χ²) test of independence. Dark mode was the preferred and most comfortable display option for 56.1% (n = 225) of respondents, and 54.6% (n = 219) judged it easier to read and more conducive to better performance. Majorities felt that dark mode improved their focus while coding (65.3%, n = 262) and reduced their eye strain (59.4%, n = 238), while 41.1% (n = 165) perceived their coding speed to be faster in dark mode than in light mode. Reduced eye strain was the most frequently cited benefit (42.6%, n = 171). Display-mode preference was significantly associated with sex (χ² = 12.57, p = 0.002) and with years of programming experience (χ² = 44.06, p < 0.001), and the perceived effect on focus was strongly associated with frequency of dark-mode use (χ² = 34.62, p < 0.001). Somali programmers thus experience dark mode as a meaningful aid to comfort and self-reported productivity, particularly in low light, and its adoption is patterned by demographic and experiential factors. Software firms, training institutions and policymakers should treat configurable display polarity as a component of digital workplace wellbeing rather than a matter of aesthetic preference.