return {
	{ "SethBarberee/challenger-deep.nvim" },
	--                                    ╭───────────────╮
	--                                    │ common themes │
	--                                    ╰───────────────╯
	-- ╭──────────────────╮
	-- │ tokyonight/-dark │
	-- ╰──────────────────╯
	-- { "folke/tokyonight.nvim" },
	{
		"tiagovla/tokyodark.nvim",
		opts = {
			terminal_colors = true, -- enable terminal colors
			transparent_background = false, -- set background to transparent
			gamma = 0.90, -- adjust the brightness of the theme
			styles = {
				comments = { italic = false }, -- style for comments
				keywords = { italic = true }, -- style for keywords
				identifiers = { italic = true }, -- style for identifiers
				variables = { bold = true, underline = false }, -- style for variables
				functions = {}, -- style for functions
			},
			custom_highlights = {} or function(highlights, palette)
				return {}
			end, -- extend highlights
			custom_palette = {} or function(palette)
				return {}
			end, -- extend palette
		},
	},

	-- ╭────────────╮
	-- │ catppuccin │
	-- ╰────────────╯
	-- { "catppuccin/nvim", name = "catppuccin" },
	{
		"catppuccin/nvim",
		name = "catppuccin",
		opts = {
			term_colors = true,
			transparent_background = false,
			styles = {
				comments = {},
				conditionals = {},
				loops = {},
				functions = {},
				keywords = {},
				strings = {},
				variables = {},
				numbers = {},
				booleans = {},
				properties = {},
				types = {},
			},
			-- color_overrides = {
			-- 	mocha = {
			-- 		base = "#101010",
			-- 		mantle = "#101010",
			-- 		crust = "#202020",
			-- 	},
			-- },
			integrations = {
				telescope = {
					enabled = true,
					-- style = "nvchad",
				},
				dropbar = {
					enabled = true,
					color_mode = true,
				},
			},
		},
	},

	-- ╭───────────╮
	-- │ rose-pine │
	-- ╰───────────╯
	{
		"rose-pine/neovim",
		name = "rose-pine",
		opts = {
			variant = "moon", -- auto, main, moon, or dawn
			dark_variant = "moon", -- main, moon, or dawn
			dim_inactive_windows = false,
			extend_background_behind_borders = true,

			enable = {
				terminal = true,
				legacy_highlights = true, -- Improve compatibility for previous versions of Neovim
				migrations = true, -- Handle deprecated options automatically
			},

			styles = {
				bold = true,
				italic = true,
				transparency = false,
			},

			groups = {
				border = "muted",
				link = "iris",
				panel = "surface",

				error = "love",
				hint = "iris",
				info = "foam",
				note = "pine",
				todo = "rose",
				warn = "gold",

				git_add = "foam",
				git_change = "rose",
				git_delete = "love",
				git_dirty = "rose",
				git_ignore = "muted",
				git_merge = "iris",
				git_rename = "pine",
				git_stage = "iris",
				git_text = "rose",
				git_untracked = "subtle",

				h1 = "iris",
				h2 = "foam",
				h3 = "rose",
				h4 = "gold",
				h5 = "pine",
				h6 = "foam",
			},

			palette = {
				-- Override the builtin palette per variant
				-- moon = {
				--     base = '#18191a',
				--     overlay = '#363738',
				-- },
			},

			-- NOTE: Highlight groups are extended (merged) by default. Disable this
			-- per group via `inherit = false`
			highlight_groups = {
				-- INFO:
				-- leafy search
				CurSearch = { fg = "base", bg = "leaf", inherit = false },
				Search = { fg = "text", bg = "leaf", blend = 20, inherit = false },
			},

			before_highlight = function(group, highlight, palette)
				-- Disable all undercurls
				-- if highlight.undercurl then
				--     highlight.undercurl = false
				-- end
				--
				-- Change palette colour
				-- if highlight.fg == palette.pine then
				--     highlight.fg = palette.foam
				-- end
			end,
		},
	},

	-- ╭───────────────────────────╮
	-- │ nordic (monet is similar) │
	-- ╰───────────────────────────╯
	-- { "AlexvZyl/nordic.nvim" },
	{ "fynnfluegge/monet.nvim", name = "monet" },

	-- { "eldritch-theme/eldritch.nvim" },
	{
		"scottmckendry/cyberdream.nvim",
		name = "cyberdream",
		lazy = false,
		opts = {
			transparent = false,
			hide_fillchars = true,
			terminal_colors = true,
		},
	},

	-- ╭───────────────────────────╮
	-- │ nice dark oldschool theme │
	-- ╰───────────────────────────╯
	{ "L-Colombo/oldschool.nvim", config = true },

	--                                     ╭────────────╮
	--                                     │ theme sets │
	--                                     ╰────────────╯
	{ "EdenEast/nightfox.nvim" },

	-- ╭─────────────────────╮
	-- │ gruvbox alternative │
	-- ╰─────────────────────╯
	{
		"ribru17/bamboo.nvim",
		opts = {
			-- ────────────────────────────< optional configuration here >─────────────────────────
			code_style = {
				comments = { italic = false, bold = true },
				conditionals = { italic = true },
				keywords = { bold = true },
				functions = {},
				namespaces = { italic = true },
				parameters = { italic = true },
				strings = {},
				variables = { bold = true },
			},
			-- ─< Custom Highlights -- >────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
			colors = {}, -- Override default colors
			highlights = { -- Override highlight groups
				["@comment"] = { fg = "#555653" },
			},
		},
	},
}