In addition to being able to assign color keyword values (color names, hex values, RGB), CSS2 allowed authors to specify colors in a manner that integrated them into the user's graphic environment. For example, rgb(255,0,0) represents the same color as #FF000 and the color name red. CSS1 & CSS2īoth the CSS1 specification () and the CSS2 specification () included the same 16 color names that were defined in HTML 3.2 and HTML 4.0.Īs with the HTML specifications, CSS supported the use of hexadecimal notation to specify colors outside this range.īut CSS also introduced the rgb() function, which allows colors to be specified as a comma-separated list of three digits, with each set of digits in the 0-255 range. However, due to the limitations of computer monitors at the time, web designers often limited themselves to just the web safe colors. So it was still possible to use a wide range of colors outside of the color names. These colors were originally picked as being the standard 16 colors supported with the Windows VGA palette.ĭespite the limited number of color names, both specifications allowed the use of hexadecimal notation. The same color names were included in the HTML 4.01 specification, which became an official recommendation on 24 December 1999. The following color code chart contains the 16 official HTML color names from the HTML 3.2 specification, which became an official recommendation on 14 January 1997. This is no longer the case - CSS has taken over the responsibility for defining colors within HTML documents. There was a time where the HTML specification defined the color names that could be used within HTML documents. Using web safe colors can provide a bright and bold look, and could bring a fresh new look to your website! HTM元 and HTML4 Color Names However, there's nothing to stop you continuing to use this color palette today. Nowadays, there's usually no need to limit yourself to the web safe colors, as most computers (and even mobile devices) can display millions of colors, so the issue is no longer prevalent. If a website specified a color that wasn't available on the monitor, it would either display another color that was available, or attempt to make up the color by using a dithering process. Also, some of those colors weren't displayed consistently between different systems. Back then, most computer monitors had an 8-bit color depth, which means they could display only 256 colors. The 'web safe color palette' was used heavily in the early days of the web, especially in the late 1990s.īeing 'web safe' meant that the color would be displayed consistently across different computer systems. Click on a color to display it in a new page. This chart displays the 216 'web safe' colors. Here's a quick glimpse back in time to see how colors used to be done on the web.

Css color codes with e