Color Guide
Four references for working with color in CSS, all built on this site: how to write a color value in the first place, the full list of predefined color names, the older web-safe palette, and curated color palettes to browse. Pick a topic below.
CSS Color Formats
Hex, rgb(), hsl(), and newer functions like oklch(). What each one looks like, how it works, and when to reach for it.
HTML Color Names
All 141 predefined CSS color names, grouped by hue, with the hex, RGB, and HSL value for each.
Web Safe Colors
The 216-color palette built to render consistently across older browsers and displays.
Color Palettes
Curated color palettes to browse, copy, or turn straight into a CSS gradient.
FAQ
What's the difference between color names and web safe colors?Color names are a fixed set of 141 human-readable keywords (like
tomato or navy) built into CSS. Web safe colors are a 216-color palette originally chosen to render identically across older displays and browsers, not tied to any naming convention. They overlap in a few places but serve different purposes: one is about readability, the other about cross-platform consistency.
Which color reference should I use?
Color Names if you want a readable keyword for a common color. Web Safe Colors if you're targeting very old hardware or need guaranteed consistent rendering. CSS Color Formats if your question is really about syntax, hex vs rgb() vs hsl(), rather than which specific color to pick.