return {
	--                                    ╭───────────────╮
	--                                    │ 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" },

	-- ╭───────────────────────────╮
	-- │ 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" },
			},
		},
	},
}