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Comfort Mode Toolkit is an open-source project helping developers and designers build perceptually comfortable, inclusive digital experiences—driven by real user needs, beyond just technical standards.
Can we build a web that puts users, beyond just standards, in control of their own comfort and needs?
We think so. And we're building the tools to make it happen, one thoughtful tweak at a time.
Comfort = Design that actually works for people in their real lives, not just in accessibility checklists.
Think about it: someone reading on their phone in bright sunlight has different needs than someone working late with light sensitivity. A person with vestibular disorders might get dizzy from certain color combinations that are technically "accessible." Someone having an overwhelming day needs different visual comfort than someone who's fresh and focused.
Comfort isn't one-size-fits-all—it's personal and contextual. That's exactly why we need better tools.
Every feature starts with real problems from real people. Ideas come from users, researchers, developers, and anyone who's ever squinted at a website thinking "why did they choose these colors?"
We dig into academic research, user testimonials, and accessibility best practices—then translate the complex stuff into guidelines you can actually use. No PhD in color science required.
Our process is transparent. Research, specifications, discussions, and decisions are all public. Everyone's voice matters, whether you're debugging CSS at 2am or managing a design team.
Accessibility isn't one thing—it's many different things for many different people. Our toolkit is flexible because everyone's needs are different, and that's not a problem to solve, it's reality to design for.
These aren't just nice ideas—they're our actual design constraints.
People should control their own web experience. Users pick what helps them—colors, fonts, motion settings—so the web works for their specific needs, not some theoretical average user.
Everyone's different. Comfort Mode lets users mix and match options (dyslexia-friendly fonts, reduced animation, whatever works) because inclusion means meeting people where they are.
Accessible doesn't mean ugly. We're proving websites can look chef's kiss aesthetic while working for everyone. Brands keep their visual identity while users get websites that adapt to their needs.
The best solutions come from collaboration. We actively test with real users and iterate based on what people actually tell us works—not what we think should work.
Everyone deserves to feel comfortable online. Comfort Mode gives users control without making them explain themselves or wear digital labels.
Real user needs drive everything we build. Here's how that actually happens:
Where: GitHub Issues, Discussion Posts, Community Feedback
What: Document actual problems people face with web accessibility and comfort
Who: Anyone can create an issue or start a discussion
Real example: Someone from the accessibility community explained how high contrast—the thing we usually aim for—can actually trigger vestibular symptoms. That became our research into balancing contrast with comfort
Where: Research Wiki Literature Reviews, Community Surveys
What: Gather evidence from academic studies, user experiences, existing tools
Who: Researchers, people with lived experience, developers who've hit these problems
We dig deep but keep the output practical. Academic papers inform our decisions, but the guidelines we write are for developers building real products. All our research follows strict ethical guidelines to protect user privacy and dignity.
Where: Research Hub Wiki
What: Translate research into clear, actionable guidelines
Output: Plain-English summaries with technical specs for implementation
No jargon unless absolutely necessary. If you need a color science degree to understand our docs, we've failed.
Where: Research to technical spec documentation
What: Bridge research findings to buildable solutions
Output: Technical proposals that developers can actually implement
Where: Code repositories (cm-colors, future tools)
What: Build libraries, tools, and websites based on research
Who: Developers, designers, anyone who can contribute code
We build real, working tools that solve actual problems. Not proofs-of-concept, not academic exercises—stuff you can use in production.
Where: Reddit, accessibility communities, GitHub discussions
What: Test prototypes with real users and get honest feedback
Who: People with disabilities, developers, designers, anyone using the web
This is where we find out if our clever solutions actually work in practice. Spoiler: sometimes they don't, and that's valuable information.
Where: Back to development, updated documentation
What: Use feedback to improve tools and create better versions
The cycle continues because the web keeps evolving, and so do user needs.
You do your style, we make it accessible
A Python library that takes your beautiful color choices and makes tiny, barely-noticeable tweaks so everyone can read your content. Changes so small you won't notice them, but your accessibility compliance and actual users will.
Current focus: Research into balancing high contrast accessibility requirements with vestibular safety. Turns out "accessible" colors can sometimes trigger dizziness for certain users—so we're figuring out the sweet spot.
Accessibility: Design that works for people with disabilities. Usually focused on meeting technical standards like WCAG.
Comfort: Our broader approach—design that considers anyone's needs in their lived context, temporary or permanent.
Lived Experience: Real-world knowledge from actually experiencing something (like using assistive technology or having a disability).
Perceptual: How we experience things through our senses (sight, hearing, touch, etc.).
Vestibular: Related to balance and spatial orientation. Some people have vestibular disorders triggered by certain visual elements.
WCAG: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. The technical standards most websites follow for accessibility compliance.
- Browse Current Research Issues to see what we're working on
- Try CM-Colors to see our first tool in action
- Join discussions in our Community Space
- Read our Introduction to CM Research
- Check out our Research Ethics Guide
- Learn about Using Social Media Content Ethically
- Look for issues tagged "good first issue" or "help wanted"
- Share your experiences—they matter more than you think
- Check our Developer Setup Guide - Coming soon
- Browse open issues in our planner
- Jump into development discussions
- Try our tools and tell us what breaks
- Help us understand real-world design constraints
- Connect us with users who could benefit from this work
Drop a comment in any issue, start a discussion, or reach out to maintainers. We're here to help and always interested in new perspectives.
Your comfort is reason enough. Your perspective matters. Your contributions matter.
Let's build a more comfortable web together.
Making the web work for everyone, one thoughtful tweak at a time 🌈♿