colorCode.js

A color conversion class with support for 4 and 8 digit CSS4 HEX rgb + alpha codes.

Conversion tool example: https://ravk.nl/colorcode

Basic Usage Example

A simple example using the colorCode class to convert a color to a hex value:

var color = new colorCode(162,222,208,0.9);
return color.hex();

'#a2ded0e5' // return

Modifying Channels

Besides using the hex() and rgb() methods to set new colors, the color can also be modified by directly editing the object properties. The following example sets the color using an rgba() string, and then changes each of the channels individually.

// creating colorCode instance
var color = new colorCode().rgb('rgba(162,222,208,0.9)');

// setting RGB values
color.red = 185;
color.green = 255;
color.blue = 160;

console.log(color.hex());

// setting opacity to 50%
color.alpha = 0.5;

console.log(color.hex());

'#b9ffa0e5' // rgba(185, 255, 160, 0.9)
'#b9ffa07f' // rgba(185, 255, 160, 0.5)

The alpha value can be 'removed' by setting it to undefined. The hex() and rgb() methods will then return a six digit code and an rgb() string respectively.

color.alpha = undefined;

constructor(red, green, blue, alpha)

When creating an instance of the colorCode class, you have the option of setting the RGB and A channels.

var color = new colorCode(162,222,208,0.5);

Alternatively, another method can be chained to the constructor to immediately parse a string instead.

var color = new colorCode().hex('#a2ded0');

The constructor is equivalent to the set() method.

color.set(162,222,208,0.5);

hex(string)

To set or get the color in hex format, use the hex() method.

Setter

When a value is provided to the method, it parses the hex string to set the color. Using a pound symbol is optional and not required. The method supports both six (standard) and eight (with alpha channel) digit hex codes.

color.hex('#a2ded07f');

In addition to six and eight digit hex codes, three (standard) and four (with alpha channel) codes are also supported.

color.hex('#aed7');

Getter

When no value is provided, the hex() method returns the hex code of the object's color. When no alpha channel is set, the function returns a six digit hex string. When an alpha value is set the method returns an eight digit hex string.

return color.hex();

'#a2ded07f' // return

rgb(string)

To set or get the color in rgb format, use the rgb() method.

Setter

When a value is provided to the method, it parses the CSS rgb or rgba string to set the color.

color.rgb('rgba(162,222,208,0.5)');

Getter

When no value is provided, the rgb() method returns a CSS rgb or rgba string of the object's color. When no alpha channel is set, the function returns a CSS rgb() string. When an alpha value is set the method returns a CSS rgba() string.

return color.rgb();

'rgba(162,222,208,0.5)' // return

Comparing two colors

When converting a design into code, you might want it to be as dynamic as possible. Often you might have two similar colors that are relative two eachother, but are unsure how to get from one to the other, meaning you cannot arrive at color B from color A through color operations in SCSS. The method .hslDeltaTo(object) allows you to get the required change in percentage for hue, saturation and lightness (HSL) to arrive at the given color. For example:

var colorA = new colorCode('#3e45f9');
var colorB = new colorCode('#6b55fa');
// get percentage values required to transform color A into color B with HSL operations
colorA.hslDifference(colorB);

returns:

[ "4.545454545454546%", "0%", "8.19672131147541%" ]

This means in order to get from colorA to colorB, you must:

• Increase hue by ~4.55%
• Saturation remains the same
• Increase lightness by ~8.2%

This can be used to write SCSS that will automatically derive colorB from colorA, making these two colors fully dynamic even without additional information from the designer.

Compare script

For ease of use, there is also a separate compare.js file that can be executed in node.js:

node node/compare.js

or using the batch file:

compare

This will prompt for two hex values and return Hue, Sat, Lit percentages, as well as a generated scss line that will convert color A into color B.