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Define free-form CSS custom properties in settings.custom, reference them in the styles tree with WordPress token syntax, and use the generated --wp--custom--... variables in ordinary CSS. Use registered presets for values that should appear as standardized Site Editor controls, such as colors, font sizes, spacing, and shadows.
This approach gives the editor and the front end the same token values while keeping your theme’s design decisions in one place.
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A block theme’s theme.json is both a configuration file and a source for generated CSS. Values declared in the file can be consumed by WordPress style definitions and by your own stylesheet. When a value is declared under settings.custom, WordPress automatically turns its key path into a CSS custom-property name, assigns the value, and loads that property for the editor and the front end.
For example, this declaration creates two custom properties:
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{
"settings": {
"custom": {
"lineHeight": {
"sm": "1.25",
"md": "1.5"
}
}
}
}The resulting names are equivalent to:
--wp--custom--line-height--sm: 1.25;
--wp--custom--line-height--md: 1.5;The conversion is systematic:
- The
customnamespace becomes--wp--custom. - Each key is converted to kebab case, so
lineHeightbecomesline-height. - Each nested object adds another
---separated segment.
A practical nesting depth is preferable. Deeper objects create longer names that are harder to read and maintain, even though WordPress can generate them.
Define a custom property in settings.custom
Use settings.custom for free-form theme tokens that do not belong to one of WordPress’s standardized preset collections. The object can contain a single value or nested groups of values.
A single custom token
{
"settings": {
"custom": {
"contentWidth": "70rem"
}
}
}This produces a property equivalent to --wp--custom--content-width: 70rem.
A grouped set of tokens
{
"settings": {
"custom": {
"lineHeight": {
"sm": "1.25",
"md": "1.5",
"lg": "1.75"
},
"contentWidth": {
"narrow": "42rem",
"wide": "75rem"
}
}
}
}The generated names are equivalent to --wp--custom--line-height--sm, --wp--custom--line-height--md, --wp--custom--line-height--lg, --wp--custom--content-width--narrow, and --wp--custom--content-width--wide.
Choose key names for the meaning of a token rather than for one particular selector. A token named lineHeight.md can then be reused by paragraphs, headings, or a block style without renaming it when the design evolves.
Custom properties versus registered presets
Both systems produce CSS variables, but they solve different problems. Use a custom setting when the value is a theme-specific implementation token. Use a preset when WordPress already defines a supported design feature and you want the Site Editor to treat it as a standardized, user-facing option.
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| Decision point | settings.custom |
Standard preset |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Free-form theme token for any value your design system needs. | Standardized value for a supported feature such as color, font size, font family, spacing, or shadow. |
| Editor presentation | Not automatically a standardized control in the Site Editor. | Designed to participate in the corresponding Site Editor feature. |
| Generated namespace | --wp--custom--... |
--wp--preset--{feature}--{slug} |
| theme.json reference | var:custom|... |
var:preset|... |
| Typical example | var:custom|line-height|md |
var:preset|color|primary |
| Best fit | Internal spacing ratios, line-height scales, layout limits, or another token with no matching preset collection. | A value that should have WordPress’s conventional naming, classes, and user controls. |
Do not create a custom color token merely to avoid defining a palette entry if the color is intended to be selected or changed through the editor. A palette entry communicates that intent and gives WordPress the standardized preset namespace.
A complete theme.json example
The following version 2 example defines a custom line-height scale, registers a color palette entry, and consumes both tokens in global and block-specific styles.
{
"$schema": "https://schemas.wp.org/trunk/theme.json",
"version": 2,
"settings": {
"custom": {
"lineHeight": {
"sm": "1.25",
"md": "1.5"
}
},
"color": {
"palette": [
{
"name": "Primary",
"slug": "primary",
"color": "#1e40af"
}
]
}
},
"styles": {
"typography": {
"lineHeight": "var:custom|line-height|md"
},
"color": {
"text": "var:preset|color|primary"
},
"blocks": {
"core/paragraph": {
"typography": {
"lineHeight": "var:custom|line-height|sm"
}
}
}
}
}In this example, the body-level typography uses the medium custom line height, body text uses the registered primary color, and paragraphs override the line height with the smaller value. The corresponding generated variables are equivalent to:
body {
--wp--custom--line-height--sm: 1.25;
--wp--custom--line-height--md: 1.5;
--wp--preset--color--primary: #1e40af;
}The exact emitted stylesheet can include additional WordPress-generated rules, but these are the token names your CSS and style references should target.
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Inside theme.json, do not write the ordinary CSS form var(--wp--...). WordPress’s style engine uses a pipe-delimited token reference.
Custom token syntax
"lineHeight": "var:custom|line-height|md"The segments after custom follow the generated property path. A nested lineHeight.md object therefore uses var:custom|line-height|md.
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Preset token syntax
"text": "var:preset|color|primary"The first segment identifies the preset feature, and the last segment is the preset slug. For a palette entry with the slug primary, the generated variable follows the pattern --wp--preset--color--primary.
Where style references belong
WordPress supports global styles, semantic elements, and block styles in the styles tree. Put a value at the narrowest level that expresses its intent:
| Location | Use it for | Generated scope |
|---|---|---|
styles |
Defaults shared by the page, such as global typography or text color. | Top-level rules emitted for the body selector. |
styles.elements |
Semantic elements supported by the global styles system, such as links or headings. | Rules for the corresponding semantic element. |
styles.blocks |
A block-specific exception or default, such as a paragraph line height. | Rules emitted for that block’s selector. |
Keeping the declaration in settings and the consumption in styles separates a token’s definition from the places where it is applied. It also lets WordPress expose supported style properties through Appearance > Editor > Styles.
Use generated variables in ordinary CSS
In a stylesheet, use the standard CSS custom-property function. The WordPress token syntax is only for values inside theme.json.
.example-class {
line-height: var(--wp--custom--line-height--md);
color: var(--wp--preset--color--primary);
}This works because WordPress loads the generated variables for both the editor and the front end. A class in an external stylesheet, or CSS entered through the styles.css field, can consume the same token names as the style engine.
Use the exact generated spelling. --wp--custom--lineHeight--md will not match the generated --wp--custom--line-height--md, because camelCase keys are converted to kebab case.
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Choose between theme.json and style.css
Start with theme.json when the value maps to a standard WordPress style property. This is the path that gives users the best chance to adjust the value through the Site Editor and keeps editor and front-end rendering aligned.
Prefer theme.json when
- The value is a color, font size, font family, spacing value, shadow, or another supported style feature.
- The value should be available through Appearance > Editor > Styles.
- You are applying it globally, to a semantic element, or to a block through the
stylestree. - You want WordPress to generate the standard preset naming and related classes.
Use stylesheet CSS when
- The selector is outside the standard global-styles model.
- The property or CSS feature is not represented by a supported
theme.jsonstyle property. - You need a component-specific rule, pseudo-element, state selector, or other selector-level behavior that the style tree cannot express.
Even when the declaration is in a stylesheet, keep the token itself in settings.custom when it is a reusable theme value. The stylesheet should consume the variable rather than duplicate its literal value.
Normal CSS cascade and specificity still apply. A later or more specific rule can override a declaration that consumes a variable, and a block rule can override a global rule. Custom properties do not remove the need to inspect the selector and the order in which styles are loaded.
Step-by-step: add and use a custom token
- Open the active theme’s
theme.json. Work in the theme file that WordPress actually loads, and preserve the file’s existing top-level structure. - Add a
settings.customobject. Define a meaningful key and value. For grouped values, use one nested object per scale or category. - Predict the generated name. Convert camelCase keys to kebab case and join nested keys with
--. ForlineHeight.md, the result is--wp--custom--line-height--md. - Apply the token through a supported style property when possible. In the
stylestree, reference it withvar:custom|..., not the CSSvar()form. - Apply it in a stylesheet when the selector requires ordinary CSS. Use
var(--wp--custom--...)exactly as WordPress generated it. - Reload both editing contexts. Check the Site Editor and the front end. The generated CSS is intended to be available in both, so a discrepancy usually indicates a JSON error, a selector/cascade issue, or a context-specific rule.
- Inspect the computed rule. Confirm that the consuming declaration is present and that the custom property resolves to the expected value. If it is crossed out, investigate specificity or source order rather than changing the token name.
Step-by-step: register a value as a preset
- Identify the supported feature. Use the documented settings collection for the value: colors, font sizes, font families, spacing, shadows, or another supported preset group.
- Give the value a stable slug. The slug becomes part of the generated name, so avoid presentation-specific names that will become misleading after a redesign.
- Define the preset in its collection. A color, for example, belongs in the color palette rather than in
settings.custom. - Reference it in
theme.json. Usevar:preset|{feature}|{slug}. - Use the generated CSS form when needed. In a stylesheet, the same color preset follows
--wp--preset--{feature}--{slug}.
Presets are UI-oriented tokens: WordPress can provide standardized names and controls for them. Custom settings remain the better choice when there is no matching feature or when the value is an internal implementation detail.
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How the editor and front end stay in sync
WordPress emits the generated custom-property declarations for the editor and for the front end. A block preview in the Site Editor can therefore use the same token as the published page instead of maintaining a separate editor-only value.
The shared token does not guarantee that every selector has identical styling. The editor may add its own wrapper or block classes, and your stylesheet may have a rule that targets only the front end. When a value appears correct in one context but not the other, first verify that both contexts load the same generated property and then check selector scope and specificity.
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Using standard style properties also matters for user customization. Values placed in the appropriate styles location can be adjusted through Appearance > Editor > Styles, whereas a free-form selector rule in an external stylesheet is not automatically exposed as an editor control.
Naming and organization practices
Use semantic names
Name a token for its role or scale, such as lineHeight.md, contentWidth.narrow, or contentWidth.wide. Names such as blueText or mobileMargin couple the variable to one use and make later changes harder.
Keep nesting shallow
Nested keys are useful for scales, but every level becomes part of the public variable name. A short, predictable path is easier to type in CSS and easier to audit in browser developer tools.
Keep slugs stable
Preset slugs and custom key paths are consumed by your style definitions and stylesheets. Renaming one is a coordinated change: update every var:custom|..., var:preset|..., and var(--wp--...) reference that uses it.
Separate definition from application
Declare values under settings, apply supported properties under styles, and reserve stylesheet rules for selectors or features that the style tree cannot represent. This keeps the token inventory discoverable and reduces duplicated literals.
Common mistakes and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The variable is undefined in CSS. | The generated name was guessed incorrectly. | Rebuild the name from the key path: convert camelCase to kebab case and add one segment for each nested key. |
A token in theme.json is ignored. |
Ordinary CSS syntax was used inside the JSON style value. | Use var:custom|... or var:preset|... in theme.json. Reserve var(--wp--...) for stylesheets. |
| A color does not appear as a normal editor option. | It was declared as a free-form custom value instead of a color preset. | Register it in the appropriate preset collection with a name, slug, and value. |
| The front end has the value but the editor does not. | A stylesheet selector is limited to front-end markup, or the editor has a competing rule. | Check that the variable declaration loads in the editor, then inspect the consuming selector and specificity in the editor context. |
| A block ignores the global value. | A block-level style or more specific selector overrides the global rule. | Inspect the block rule under styles.blocks and the computed cascade before changing the token itself. |
| JSON validation fails after adding a token. | Missing commas, mismatched braces, or a value placed outside the expected object. | Validate the JSON structure, ensure settings, custom, and styles are correctly nested, and keep the schema declaration available for editor validation. |
| A refactor leaves old values in use. | A key or slug was renamed without updating consumers. | Search for the old var:... path and old --wp--... name, then update every reference. |
Version and schema considerations
The complete example uses "version": 2, matching the documented example for these settings and references. The $schema value points to WordPress’s living theme.json schema: https://schemas.wp.org/trunk/theme.json. If you target a newer theme.json API version, check the living reference and the version-specific behavior before adapting the example; property support and editor behavior can evolve.
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A practical review checklist
- Is the value a free-form token, or does WordPress provide a matching preset collection?
- Does every custom key produce the kebab-case name you expect?
- Are nested groups shallow enough to keep the generated name readable?
- Inside
theme.json, are references written asvar:custom|...orvar:preset|...? - Inside CSS, are references written as
var(--wp--custom--...)orvar(--wp--preset--...)? - Is the value applied at the correct level: global styles, an element, or a block?
- Would placing the property in the standard
stylestree give users a useful Appearance > Editor > Styles control? - Have you checked both the Site Editor and the front end?
- Have you inspected the computed cascade before changing a correctly generated token?
- Will a renamed key or slug require updates to multiple consumers?
Bottom line
Put reusable, theme-specific values in settings.custom; let WordPress turn their key paths into --wp--custom--... variables. Register colors, typography scales, spacing, shadows, and other supported user-facing values as presets so they receive the --wp--preset--... namespace and Site Editor integration. Reference tokens with pipe syntax in theme.json and with normal CSS var() syntax in stylesheets. Defining the token once and applying it through the appropriate global, element, or block style keeps editor previews and front-end output on the same design system.
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