How to use NetBeans in Dark Mode with the Darcula Theme?

Question

How do I install Darcula through Netbeans itself?

Seemingly a matter of enabling the correct plugins through the GUI?

Versus installing after manually downloading:

I'd expect it to be available through the GUI as:

The most recent stable version of this plugin is available at the NetBeans Plugin Portal as Darcula LAF for NetBeans and thus it can be installed from "Tools|Plugins|Available Plugins" from the NetBeans IDE.

or some alternate dark type theme...

Answer 1

Darcula LaF is only downloadable from the pre-Apache NetBeans catalog (http://plugins.netbeans.org/PluginPortal/) and not the Apache one (https://netbeans.apache.org/plugins/index.html).

To install it on Apache NetBeans, you will need to add this catalog as a plugin source.

To do this :

• open NetBeans ;
• go to Tools > Plugins ;
• the Plugins window opens. Click on the "Settings" tab ;
• click "Add" to add a new update center ;
• name it as you wish and provide the following URL: http://plugins.netbeans.org/nbpluginportal/updates/8.2/catalog.xml.gz then click "Ok". I think it's here that you did not provide the correct URL :) The number of available plugins should suddenly raise ;
• You should now be able to find Darcula LaF !

Alternatively, and as you seems to know already, you can download the Darcula archive from plugins.netbeans.org and install it manually from the Tools > Plugins > Downloaded tab.

Enjoy and save your eyes ;)