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You do not need to ban hex codes from CSS. Hex remains valid and widely supported; the maintenance problem is repeating unlabelled color literals throughout a stylesheet. Define colors once with meaningful names such as --color-text and --color-surface, then reference those tokens wherever the roles recur. You can keep hex as the token value if it is the clearest notation for your team.
Why stop scattering hex codes through CSS?
A value such as #202124 tells you the color components, but not what the color is for. When the same literal appears across many rules, a later palette change means finding every copy and deciding which occurrences should change. Semantic custom properties make the role visible and centralize that decision.
This is a maintainability recommendation, not a CSS rule. The W3C Design System advises using palette variables rather than copying hex values so that CSS updates can carry through to the site. Its guidance is an example of a useful design-system practice, not a requirement imposed by the CSS standard. See the W3C Design System settings guidance.
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Define reusable color tokens
Put shared palette values in a central scope, commonly :root, and name them for their purpose rather than their appearance. Then use the token in component rules:
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:root {
--color-text: #202124;
--color-surface: #fff;
--color-link: #005a9c;
}
body {
color: var(--color-text);
background: var(--color-surface);
}
a {
color: var(--color-link);
}These values illustrate syntax only; they have not been tested for contrast in a particular context. The key improvement is that the declarations communicate roles and provide one place to update the palette. Keep names consistent with the design system your team uses—for example, distinguish a page surface from a raised surface if those roles need different values.
Hex is still valid CSS
CSS hex colors represent red, green, and blue components in sRGB, optionally with alpha transparency. The four forms are #RGB, #RGBA, #RRGGBB, and #RRGGBBAA. MDN describes the feature as widely available across browsers since July 2015; that availability does not make hex the best notation for every codebase. See MDN’s reference for the CSS hex-color type.
CSS also supports named colors and functions including rgb(), hsl(), hwb(), lab(), and oklch(). These are different ways to express color, not replacements for semantic token names. A token such as --color-link explains intent regardless of whether its value is written in hex, RGB, or another supported notation. MDN’s CSS color values guide describes the available forms.
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Choose a notation that suits the task
There is no universal winner among color notations. Consider what the team needs to understand or change, how compact the code should be, and which browsers the project supports. MDN’s CSS style guide recommends common named colors when the exact palette is unimportant, defaults to rgb() for a specific color, and suggests HSL or other functions when their representation is meaningful—for example, when working with a color wheel or gradient. That is MDN’s style guidance, not a CSS requirement. It also notes that hex is terser but may be less readable and is interchangeable with rgb() when convenience is the deciding factor. See MDN’s CSS code style guide.
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- Keep hex when it is concise and familiar to the team; place repeated values behind tokens.
- Use RGB when explicit channels are helpful for reading or editing a specific color.
- Use HSL or another function when its channel model makes the adjustment or effect easier to reason about.
- Use named CSS colors sparingly when a standard color name is suitable. The fixed set of names is not a substitute for project-specific roles such as text, surface, or warning.
For accessibility review, sRGB remains a practical baseline: MDN says it is the default and preferred color space for accessibility because it is ubiquitous, and notes that contrast standards and guidance are predominantly written around it. That does not mean every hex or RGB pairing is accessible. See MDN’s guide to colors and luminance.
Tokens do not make colors accessible by themselves
A semantic name improves maintainability, not contrast. Check the actual rendered foreground and background pairings, and check non-text interface colors where they convey a boundary, state, or information. The W3C Design System summarizes WCAG 2.2 minimum contrast guidance as 4.5:1 for regular text, 3:1 for large text, and 3:1 for relevant UI component boundaries or states and graphical objects. Apply the criteria to the specific content and interface element, rather than assuming a notation or token passes. See the W3C Design System settings page.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When to use newer color features
CSS can derive colors from existing values with relative color syntax and color-mix(). The light-dark() function can select between light and dark values according to a selected or requested color scheme. These can help when the design calls for derived colors or theme-aware values, but they are optional tools—not prerequisites for replacing scattered literals with reusable variables. Check support against your project’s browser requirements before adopting a feature.
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A practical migration path
- Find repeated literals. Search the stylesheet for recurring color values and identify which uses share the same design role.
- Name the roles. Create tokens such as
--color-text,--color-surface, and--color-link; avoid names that only describe a particular shade if the value may change. - Replace matching declarations. Update rules to use
var(--token-name). Do not merge colors merely because they look similar if they serve distinct roles or states. - Review the rendered result. Check the affected pages and states, including contrast and component boundaries. A successful find-and-replace does not establish accessibility.
- Choose notation per project. Retain hex, or use another supported form where it improves readability or manipulation. The reusable role is more important than a wholesale notation conversion.
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