How to override Angular Material theme

Angular Material is a widely used UI component library for Angular applications. It provides a set of pre-built themes that you can use to style your application. However, there may be instances where you want to override the default themes and apply your own custom styles. In this article, we will explore how to override the Angular Material theme using CSS.

1. Understanding Angular Material theming

Before we dive into how to override the default themes, it’s important to understand how theming works in Angular Material. Angular Material uses a theming system that allows you to define a set of palettes and styles for your application. These palettes and styles are then applied to various components to give them a consistent look and feel.

2. Using custom CSS to override the theme

To override the default theme in Angular Material, you can use custom CSS to apply your own styles to the components. For example, if you want to change the color of the primary button, you can use the following CSS:

  .mat-primary {
    background-color: #ff0000; /* red color */
    color: #ffffff; /* white text */
  }
  

In this example, we are targeting the primary button using the .mat-primary class and applying our own background color and text color styles. You can similarly override other components by targeting their respective classes and applying custom styles.

3. Using CSS variables for theming

Another approach to overriding the default theme in Angular Material is to use CSS variables. CSS variables allow you to define custom properties that can be reused throughout your stylesheets. Angular Material provides a set of pre-defined CSS variables that you can use to customize the theme.

For example, to change the primary color of your application, you can use the –primary variable like this:

  :root {
    --primary: #ff0000; /* red color */
  }
  

By defining the –primary variable at the root level, you can change the primary color of all the components that use this variable in their styles.

4. Considerations when overriding the theme

When overriding the default theme in Angular Material, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure to test your custom styles thoroughly to ensure they do not break the functionality or accessibility of the components. Additionally, it’s important to stay updated with the latest changes in Angular Material and adjust your custom styles accordingly.

By following these tips, you can effectively override the Angular Material theme and apply your own custom styles to create a unique and personalized look for your application.