Named Colors

Named Colors

The Adwaita stylesheet provides a number of predefined colors that can be used from applications.

UI Colors

These colors are used throughout the UI. They can differ between the light and dark styles.

Many colors are grouped as background/foreground pairs. These colors are always meant to be used together as the background and foreground color, for example:

my-widget {
  background-color: @accent_bg_color;
  color: @accent_fg_color;
}

Some colors also have standalone versions. They are similar to the background version, but provide better contrast when used as foreground colors on top of a neutral background - for example, colorful text in a window.

my-widget {
  color: @accent_color;
}

Standalone colors are typically darker than the corresponding background color for the light style, and lighter than the background for the dark style.

Applications can override any of these colors by re-declaring them, for example:

@define-color accent_color #c01c28;
@define-color accent_bg_color #e01b24;

Accent Colors

The accent color is used across many different widgets, often to indicate that a widget is important, interactive, or currently active. Try to avoid using it on large surfaces, or on too many items on the same view.

The .accent style class allows to use it for widgets such as GtkLabel.

Name Light Dark
@accent_color
#1c71d8
#78aeed
@accent_bg_color
#3584e4
#3584e4
@accent_fg_color
#ffffff
#ffffff

Destructive Colors

The destructive color indicates a dangerous action, such as deleting a file. It’s used by GtkButton and AdwButtonRow with the .destructive-action style class.

Name Light Dark
@destructive_color
#c01c28
#ff7b63
@destructive_bg_color
#e01b24
#c01c28
@destructive_fg_color
#ffffff
#ffffff

Success Colors

This color is used with the .success style class, or in a GtkLevelBar with the GTK_LEVEL_BAR_OFFSET_HIGH offset.

Name Light Dark
@success_color
#1b8553
#8ff0a4
@success_bg_color
#2ec27e
#26a269
@success_fg_color
#ffffff
#ffffff

Warning Colors

This color is used with the .warning style class, or in a GtkLevelBar with the GTK_LEVEL_BAR_OFFSET_LOW offset.

Name Light Dark
@warning_color
#9c6e03
#f8e45c
@warning_bg_color
#e5a50a
#cd9309
@warning_fg_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)

Error Colors

This color is used with the .error style class.

Name Light Dark
@error_color
#c01c28
#ff7b63
@error_bg_color
#e01b24
#c01c28
@error_fg_color
#ffffff
#ffffff

Window Colors

These colors are used on GtkWindow, as well as with the .background style class.

Name Light Dark
@window_bg_color
#fafafa
#242424
@window_fg_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)
#ffffff

View Colors

These colors are used in a variety of widgets such as GtkTextView, as well as with the .view style class.

Name Light Dark
@view_bg_color
#ffffff
#1e1e1e
@view_fg_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)
#ffffff

Header Bar Colors

These colors are used for header bars and similar widgets, generally attached to the top or bottom sides of a window. The full list of widgets using them:

Name Light Dark
@headerbar_bg_color
#ffffff
#303030
@headerbar_fg_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)
#ffffff
@headerbar_border_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)
#ffffff
@headerbar_backdrop_color
#fafafa
#242424
@headerbar_shade_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12)
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.36)
@headerbar_darker_shade_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12)
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9)

@headerbar_border_color has the same default value as @headerbar_fg_color, but doesn’t change along with it. This can be useful if a light window has a dark header bar with light text; in this case it may be desirable to keep the border dark. This variable is only used for vertical borders - for example, separators between the 2 header bars in a split header bar layout.

@headerbar_backdrop_color is used instead of @headerbar_bg_color when the window is not focused. By default it’s an alias of @window_bg_color and changes together with it. When overriding header bar colors, make sure to set it to a value matching your @headerbar_bg_color.

@headerbar_shade_color is used to provide a dark shadow or a border for header bars and similar widgets. This color should always be partially transparent black.

@headerbar_darker_shade_color is used for the ADW_TOOLBAR_RAISED_BORDER border. This color should always be partially transparent black, and is intended to be darker than both @headerbar_bg_color and @headerbar_backdrop_color on top of white color.

These colors are used for sidebars, generally attached to the left or right sides of a window. They are used by AdwNavigationSplitView and AdwOverlaySplitView when they are not collapsed.

Name Light Dark
@sidebar_bg_color
#ebebeb
#303030
@sidebar_fg_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)
#ffffff
@sidebar_backdrop_color
#f2f2f2
#2a2a2a
@sidebar_border_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.07)
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.36)
@sidebar_shade_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.07)
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25)

@sidebar_backdrop_color is used instead of @sidebar_bg_color when the window is not focused. When overriding sidebar colors, make sure to set it to a value matching your @sidebar_bg_color.

@sidebar_shade_color is used to provide a dark border for sidebars, scroll undershoots within sidebars, as well as transitions in AdwNavigationView, AdwOverlaySplitView, AdwLeaflet and AdwFlap. This color should always be partially transparent black, with the opacity tuned to be well visible on top of @sidebar_bg_color.

@sidebar_border_color is used to provide a dark border for sidebars. This color should always be partially transparent black, with the opacity tuned to be well visible on top of @sidebar_bg_color next to @window_bg_color or @view_bg_color.

@sidebar_shade_color is used to provide scroll undershoots within sidebars, as well as transitions in AdwNavigationView, AdwOverlaySplitView, AdwLeaflet and AdwFlap. This color should always be partially transparent black, with the opacity tuned to be well visible on top of @sidebar_bg_color.

Since: 1.4

Secondary Sidebar Colors

These colors are used for middle panes in triple-pane layouts, created via nesting two split views within one another.

secondary-sidebar

Name Light Dark
@secondary_sidebar_bg_color
#f3f3f3
#2a2a2a
@secondary_sidebar_fg_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)
#ffffff
@secondary_sidebar_backdrop_color
#f6f6f6
#272727
@secondary_sidebar_border_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.07)
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.36)
@secondary_sidebar_shade_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.07)
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25)

@secondary_sidebar_backdrop_color is used instead of @secondary_sidebar_bg_color when the window is not focused. When overriding secondary sidebar colors, make sure to set it to a value matching your @secondary_sidebar_bg_color.

@secondary_sidebar_border_color is used to provide a dark border for secondary sidebars. This color should always be partially transparent black, with the opacity tuned to be well visible on top of @secondary_sidebar_bg_color next to @sidebar_bg_color.

@secondary_sidebar_shade_color is used to provide scroll undershoots within secondary sidebars, as well as transitions in AdwNavigationView, AdwOverlaySplitView, AdwLeaflet and AdwFlap. This color should always be partially transparent black, with the opacity tuned to be well visible on top of @secondary_sidebar_bg_color.

@secondary_sidebar_shade_color is used to provide a dark border for secondary sidebars, scroll undershoots within secondary sidebars, as well as transitions in AdwNavigationView, AdwOverlaySplitView, AdwLeaflet and AdwFlap. This color should always be partially transparent black, with the opacity tuned to be well visible on top of @secondary_sidebar_bg_color.

Since: 1.4

Card Colors

These colors are used for cards and boxed lists.

Name Light Dark
@card_bg_color
#ffffff
rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08)
@card_fg_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)
#ffffff
@card_shade_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.07)
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.36)

@card_shade_color is used to provide separators between boxed list rows and similar widgets. This color should always be partially transparent black, with the opacity tuned to be well visible on top of @card_bg_color.

Thumbnail Colors

These colors are used for AdwTabOverview thumbnails.

Name Light Dark
@thumbnail_bg_color
#ffffff
#383838
@thumbnail_fg_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)
#ffffff

Since: 1.3

Dialog Colors

These colors are used for AdwAlertDialog.

Name Light Dark
@dialog_bg_color
#fafafa
#383838
@dialog_fg_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)
#ffffff

Since: 1.2

Popover Colors

These colors are used for GtkPopover.

Name Light Dark
@popover_bg_color
#ffffff
#383838
@popover_fg_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)
#ffffff
@popover_shade_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.07)
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25)

@popover_shade_color is used for scroll undershoot styles within popovers, as well as transitions in AdwNavigationView, AdwOverlaySplitView, AdwLeaflet and AdwFlap. This color should always be partially transparent black, with the opacity tuned to be well visible on top of @popover_bg_color. This color is only available since 1.4.

Miscellaneous Colors

Name Light Dark
@shade_color
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.07)
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25)
@scrollbar_outline_color
#ffffff
rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5)

@shade_color is used for scroll undershoots, as well as transitions in AdwNavigationView, AdwOverlaySplitView, AdwLeaflet and AdwFlap. This color should always be partially transparent black, with the opacity tuned to be well visible on top of @window_bg_color.

@scrollbar_outline_color is used by GtkScrollbar to ensure that overlay scrollbars are visible regardless of the content color. It should always be the opposite of the scrollbar color - light with a dark scrollbar and dark with a light scrollbar.

Helper Colors

The following colors are derived from the current foreground color (currentColor) and change between regular and high contrast modes. They should be used to support the high contrast mode automatically.

Name Regular High contrast
@borders alpha(currentColor, 0.15) alpha(currentColor, 0.5)

Palette Colors

The stylesheet provides the full GNOME color palette as the following set of named colors:

Name Value
@blue_1 #99c1f1
@blue_2 #62a0ea
@blue_3 #3584e4
@blue_4 #1c71d8
@blue_5 #1a5fb4
@green_1 #8ff0a4
@green_2 #57e389
@green_3 #33d17a
@green_4 #2ec27e
@green_5 #26a269
@yellow_1 #f9f06b
@yellow_2 #f8e45c
@yellow_3 #f6d32d
@yellow_4 #f5c211
@yellow_5 #e5a50a
@orange_1 #ffbe6f
@orange_2 #ffa348
@orange_3 #ff7800
@orange_4 #e66100
@orange_5 #c64600
@red_1 #f66151
@red_2 #ed333b
@red_3 #e01b24
@red_4 #c01c28
@red_5 #a51d2d
@purple_1 #dc8add
@purple_2 #c061cb
@purple_3 #9141ac
@purple_4 #813d9c
@purple_5 #613583
@brown_1 #cdab8f
@brown_2 #b5835a
@brown_3 #986a44
@brown_4 #865e3c
@brown_5 #63452c
@light_1 #ffffff
@light_2 #f6f5f4
@light_3 #deddda
@light_4 #c0bfbc
@light_5 #9a9996
@dark_1 #77767b
@dark_2 #5e5c64
@dark_3 #3d3846
@dark_4 #241f31
@dark_5 #000000

Compatibility Colors

A number of colors has been available in Adwaita in GTK3. They are aliases of UI colors or otherwise derived from them:

Name Value
@theme_bg_color @window_bg_color
@theme_fg_color @window_fg_color
@theme_base_color @view_bg_color
@theme_text_color @view_fg_color
@theme_selected_bg_color @accent_bg_color
@theme_selected_fg_color @accent_fg_color
@insensitive_bg_color mix(@window_bg_color, @view_bg_color, 0.4)
@insensitive_fg_color alpha(@window_fg_color, 0.5)
@insensitive_base_color @view_bg_color
@theme_unfocused_bg_color @window_bg_color
@theme_unfocused_fg_color @window_fg_color
@theme_unfocused_base_color @view_bg_color
@theme_unfocused_text_color @view_fg_color
@theme_unfocused_selected_bg_color @accent_bg_color
@theme_unfocused_selected_fg_color @accent_fg_color
@unfocused_insensitive_color @insensitive_bg_color
@unfocused_borders @borders