Web Dev: HEX vs HSL

Brad Hickey
Jul 22, 2022 12:14:51 PM
When developing web applications, TEAM IM has historically used HEX codes when specifying colors.  For example, #007FCE is TEAM IM's primary blue.  Recently however, we have switched from using HEX to using HSL, which stands for Hue, Saturation, and Lightness. 
 
There were two main drivers behind the decision to switch to HSL.  First, it adds consistency across our application color schemes.  For example, TEAM IM's primary blue in HSL is 203, 100%, 40%.  If a developer needed to use a darker blue, they would simply keep the hue and saturation and change the lightness.  203, 100%, 20% would produce a darker blue while 203, 100%, 60% would produce a lighter blue. 
 
Second, this takes all decision making out of the developers hands.  If an application uses 203, 100%, 40% as a primary color, creating secondary colors is as easy as changing the hue.  For example, 15, 100%, 40% would work great as a secondary color for error messages and 145, 100%, 40% for success messages. 
 
We recommend using this practice to create a style guide while designing an application, as this type of consistency is quicker for developers while being visually pleasing to the end-users. 
 
NOTE: If you are using a Microsoft product such as Word or PowerPoint to create a style guide, keep in mind that they do not use HSL with percents, but rather 0-255 values, where 100% = 255.  In this case 15, 100%, 40% would be 15, 255, 102.

 

About TEAM IM

TEAM IM is an experienced solution company that advises, develops, implements, supports, and manages enterprise grade process, information and content management systems. For more than twenty years, TEAM IM has acted as a trusted advisor to our clients through our offices in Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the United States. Our mission is to assist our client to get the most out of their investments in technology. Whether our clients are large government agencies or corporations, construction firms, accounting firms, heavy industry, or smaller organizations, we strive to deliver demonstrable business benefits and generate real return on investment for our clients.

Our products and services offer solutions to transform your business by automating and modernizing your operations. We work hand-in-hand with our clients to understand their goals and create and execute multi-year, continuous improvement plans. Our mission is to support and manage every solution we deliver, so we take care to design long term, future proof, maintainable solutions. We work with best-in-class technology partners that we have carefully selected to ensure we can execute our plan and achieve our clients continuous improvement goals.

Our products and solutions encompass Advisory Services, Implementation Services and Managed Support Services. We specialize in Business Process Automation and Optimization, Content Platforms and Content Services and we are also a leader in Mobile App/Field Services software development and Digital Workplaces. We have industry-specific solutions for the Construction and Accounting Services sectors, and cross-industry solutions for Accounts Payable, Contract Management, App Modernization, Field Services and File Sharing.

At TEAM IM we are passionate about delivering outstanding outcomes for you, our clients.

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