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Color Converter

Understanding Color Formats

In web development and design, colors can be expressed in multiple formats—each with its own strengths. HEX (#FF5733) is the most compact and traditional CSS format. RGB (rgb(255, 87, 51)) is intuitive because it directly represents Red, Green, and Blue channels (0-255 each). HSL (hsl(9, 100%, 60%)) is the most designer-friendly, using Hue (color wheel position), Saturation (color intensity), and Lightness (brightness).

All three formats represent the exact same colors, but choosing the right one depends on your workflow. HEX is great for static designs, RGB is perfect when you're thinking in terms of color mixing, and HSL shines when you need to programmatically adjust colors (like creating lighter/darker variants or complementary palettes).

Expert Tip: Why HSL is Superior for Design Systems

Designers, this will change your workflow: HSL makes creating color variants trivial. Want a darker shade? Just reduce the Lightness value from hsl(9, 100%, 60%) to hsl(9, 100%, 40%). Need a complementary color? Add 180° to Hue: hsl(189, 100%, 60%). This is why modern design systems (Tailwind, Material Design) increasingly use HSL internally—it makes building color palettes mathematical and predictable.

Common Mistake: Forgetting the # in HEX

One of the most common errors: writing color: FF5733; in CSS without the # symbol. This will fail silently! Always use color: #FF5733;. Another pitfall: confusing RGB percentages with decimals. RGB uses 0-255, not 0-100%. So rgb(50, 50, 50) is a dark gray, while rgb(128, 128, 128) is medium gray. Don't mix up alpha in RGBA (0-1) with opacity (0-100%).

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Reviewed by Sarah Kim, UI/UX Designer

"Color conversion is essential for every web designer's workflow. This tool provides instant HEX↔RGB↔HSL conversion with a visual picker, making it perfect for extracting colors from designs or building theme palettes. HSL support is especially valuable for creating accessible color scales."

Last Updated: November 26, 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between HEX, RGB, and HSL?

HEX (#RRGGBB) uses hexadecimal notation (e.g., #FF5733) and is compact for CSS. RGB (Red, Green, Blue) uses decimal values 0-255 for each channel (e.g., rgb(255, 87, 51)), making it intuitive. HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) uses degrees for hue (0-360) and percentages for saturation/lightness (e.g., hsl(9, 100%, 60%)), which is more human-friendly for color adjustments. All three represent the same color, just in different formats.

How do I convert HEX to RGB?

To convert HEX to RGB: 1) Remove the # symbol. 2) Split into 3 pairs (RR, GG, BB). 3) Convert each hex pair to decimal. Example: #FF5733 → RR=FF (255), GG=57 (87), BB=33 (51) → rgb(255, 87, 51). Our tool does this instantly, including alpha channel support for RGBA (transparency).

What does the alpha channel (RGBA) do?

The alpha channel controls transparency/opacity. In RGBA format (e.g., rgba(255, 87, 51, 0.5)), the fourth value ranges from 0 (fully transparent) to 1 (fully opaque). 0.5 means 50% transparent. This is crucial for overlays, shadows, and modern UI design. HEX also supports alpha with 8 digits (#FF573380 = 50% transparent orange).

Why use HSL instead of RGB or HEX?

HSL is better for color manipulation: Hue (0-360°) rotates around the color wheel, making it easy to find complementary colors (+180°). Saturation (0-100%) controls color intensity—useful for creating muted/vibrant variants. Lightness (0-100%) adjusts brightness without changing the color. For example, to make a color darker, just reduce lightness. Designers prefer HSL for building color palettes programmatically.

Can I use these color formats in CSS?

Yes! All modern browsers support HEX (#FF5733), RGB (rgb(255, 87, 51)), RGBA (rgba(255, 87, 51, 0.5)), HSL (hsl(9, 100%, 60%)), and HSLA. For best compatibility: HEX for solid colors, RGBA for transparency. HSL is perfect for CSS variables and dynamic color schemes (e.g., --primary: hsl(9, 100%, 60%)).

References & Further Reading