API reference

The contents of the webcolors module fall into five categories:

  1. A set of (optional) data types for representing color values.

  2. Constants for several purposes.

  3. Normalization functions which sanitize input in various formats prior to conversion or output.

  4. Conversion functions between each method of specifying colors.

  5. Implementations of the color parsing and serialization algorithms in HTML5.

See the documentation regarding conventions for information regarding the types and representation of various color formats in webcolors.

All conversion functions which involve color names take an optional argument to determine the specification from which to draw color names. See the set of specification identifiers for valid values.

All conversion functions, when faced with identifiably invalid hexadecimal color values, or with a request to name a color which has no name in the requested specification, or with an invalid specification identifier, will raise ValueError.

Imports and submodules

The public, supported API of webcolors is exported from its top-level module, webcolors. Although the codebase is internally organized into several submodules for easier maintenance, the existence, names, and organization of these submodules is not part of webcolors’ supported API and cannot be relied upon.

For example: although normalize_hex() is actually implemented in a submodule named webcolors._normalization, it must always be referred to as webcolors.normalize_hex, never as webcolors._normalization.normalize_hex.

Data types

Integer and percentage rgb() triplets, and HTML5 simple colors, can be passed to functions in webcolors as plain 3-tuple of the appropriate data type. But the following NamedTuple instances are also provided to represent these types more richly, and functions in webcolors which return triplets or simple colors will return instances of these:

class webcolors.IntegerRGB(red: int, green: int, blue: int)[source]

NamedTuple representing an integer RGB triplet.

Has three fields, each of type int and in the range 0-255 inclusive:

red

The red portion of the color value.

green

The green portion of the color value.

blue

The blue portion of the color value.

class webcolors.PercentRGB(red: str, green: str, blue: str)[source]

NamedTuple representing a percentage RGB triplet.

Has three fields, each of type str and representing a percentage value in the range 0%-100% inclusive:

red

The red portion of the color value.

green

The green portion of the color value.

blue

The blue portion of the color value.

class webcolors.HTML5SimpleColor(red: int, green: int, blue: int)[source]

NamedTuple representing an HTML5 simple color.

Has three fields, each of type int and in the range 0-255 inclusive:

red

The red portion of the color value.

green

The green portion of the color value.

blue

The blue portion of the color value.

Additionally, to aid in type annotations, the following type aliases are defined, and used throughout this module:

webcolors.IntTuple

alias of IntegerRGB | HTML5SimpleColor | Tuple[int, int, int]

webcolors.PercentTuple

alias of PercentRGB | Tuple[str, str, str]

Constants

The following constants are available for indicating the specification from which to draw color name choices, in functions which can work with multiple specifications.

webcolors.CSS2

Represents the CSS2 specification. Value is "css2".

webcolors.CSS21

Represents the CSS2.1 specification. Value is "css21".

webcolors.CSS3

Represents the CSS3 specification. Value is "css3".

webcolors.HTML4

Represents the HTML 4 specification. Value is "html4".

Informative functions

webcolors.names(spec: str = 'css3') List[str][source]

Return the list of valid color names for the given specification.

The color names will be normalized to all-lowercase, and will be returned in alphabetical order.

Note

Spelling variants

Some values representing named gray colors can map to either of two names in CSS3, because it supports both "gray" and "grey" spelling variants for those colors. Functions which produce a name from a color value in other formats all normalize to the "gray" spelling for consistency with earlier CSS and HTML specifications which only supported "gray". Here, however, all valid names are returned, including – for CSS3 – both variant spellings for each of the affected "gray"/"grey" colors.

Examples:

>>> names(spec=HTML4)
['aqua', 'black', 'blue', 'fuchsia', 'gray', 'green',
 'lime', 'maroon', 'navy', 'olive', 'purple', 'red',
 'silver', 'teal', 'white', 'yellow']
>>> names(spec="CSS1")
Traceback (most recent call last):
    ...
ValueError: "CSS1" is not a supported specification ...
Raises:

ValueError – when the given spec is not supported.

Normalization functions

webcolors.normalize_hex(hex_value: str) str[source]

Normalize a hexadecimal color value to a string consisting of the character # followed by six lowercase hexadecimal digits (what HTML5 terms a “valid lowercase simple color”).

If the supplied value cannot be interpreted as a hexadecimal color value, ValueError is raised. See the conventions used by this module for information on acceptable formats for hexadecimal values.

Examples:

>>> normalize_hex("#0099cc")
'#0099cc'
>>> normalize_hex("#0099CC")
'#0099cc'
>>> normalize_hex("#09c")
'#0099cc'
>>> normalize_hex("#09C")
'#0099cc'
>>> normalize_hex("#0099gg")
Traceback (most recent call last):
    ...
ValueError: '#0099gg' is not a valid hexadecimal color value.
>>> normalize_hex("0099cc")
Traceback (most recent call last):
    ...
ValueError: '0099cc' is not a valid hexadecimal color value.
Parameters:

hex_value – The hexadecimal color value to normalize.

Raises:

ValueError – when the input is not a valid hexadecimal color value.

webcolors.normalize_integer_triplet(rgb_triplet: IntegerRGB | HTML5SimpleColor | Tuple[int, int, int]) IntegerRGB[source]

Normalize an integer rgb() triplet so that all values are within the range 0..255.

Examples:

>>> normalize_integer_triplet((128, 128, 128))
IntegerRGB(red=128, green=128, blue=128)
>>> normalize_integer_triplet((0, 0, 0))
IntegerRGB(red=0, green=0, blue=0)
>>> normalize_integer_triplet((255, 255, 255))
IntegerRGB(red=255, green=255, blue=255)
>>> normalize_integer_triplet((270, -20, -0))
IntegerRGB(red=255, green=0, blue=0)
Parameters:

rgb_triplet – The percentage rgb() triplet to normalize.

webcolors.normalize_percent_triplet(rgb_triplet: PercentRGB | Tuple[str, str, str]) PercentRGB[source]

Normalize a percentage rgb() triplet so that all values are within the range 0%..100%.

Examples:

>>> normalize_percent_triplet(("50%", "50%", "50%"))
PercentRGB(red='50%', green='50%', blue='50%')
>>> normalize_percent_triplet(("0%", "100%", "0%"))
PercentRGB(red='0%', green='100%', blue='0%')
>>> normalize_percent_triplet(("-10%", "-0%", "500%"))
PercentRGB(red='0%', green='0%', blue='100%')
Parameters:

rgb_triplet – The percentage rgb() triplet to normalize.

Conversions from color names to other formats

webcolors.name_to_hex(name: str, spec: str = 'css3') str[source]

Convert a color name to a normalized hexadecimal color value.

The color name will be normalized to lower-case before being looked up.

Examples:

>>> name_to_hex("white")
'#ffffff'
>>> name_to_hex("navy")
'#000080'
>>> name_to_hex("goldenrod")
'#daa520'
>>> name_to_hex("goldenrod", spec=HTML4)
Traceback (most recent call last):
    ...
ValueError: "goldenrod" is not defined as a named color in html4.
Parameters:
  • name – The color name to convert.

  • spec – The specification from which to draw the list of color names. Default is CSS3.

Raises:

ValueError – when the given name has no definition in the given spec.

webcolors.name_to_rgb(name: str, spec: str = 'css3') IntegerRGB[source]

Convert a color name to a 3-tuple of int suitable for use in an rgb() triplet specifying that color.

The color name will be normalized to lower-case before being looked up.

Examples:

>>> name_to_rgb("white")
IntegerRGB(red=255, green=255, blue=255)
>>> name_to_rgb("navy")
IntegerRGB(red=0, green=0, blue=128)
>>> name_to_rgb("goldenrod")
IntegerRGB(red=218, green=165, blue=32)
Parameters:
  • name – The color name to convert.

  • spec – The specification from which to draw the list of color names. Default is CSS3.

Raises:

ValueError – when the given name has no definition in the given spec.

webcolors.name_to_rgb_percent(name: str, spec: str = 'css3') PercentRGB[source]

Convert a color name to a 3-tuple of percentages suitable for use in an rgb() triplet specifying that color.

The color name will be normalized to lower-case before being looked up.

Examples:

>>> name_to_rgb_percent("white")
PercentRGB(red='100%', green='100%', blue='100%')
>>> name_to_rgb_percent("navy")
PercentRGB(red='0%', green='0%', blue='50%')
>>> name_to_rgb_percent("goldenrod")
PercentRGB(red='85.49%', green='64.71%', blue='12.5%')
Parameters:
  • name – The color name to convert.

  • spec – The specification from which to draw the list of color names. Default is CSS3.

Raises:

ValueError – when the given name has no definition in the given spec.

Conversions from hexadecimal color values to other formats

webcolors.hex_to_name(hex_value: str, spec: str = 'css3') str[source]

Convert a hexadecimal color value to its corresponding normalized color name, if any such name exists.

The hexadecimal value will be normalized before being looked up.

Note

Spelling variants

Some values representing named gray colors can map to either of two names in CSS3, because it supports both "gray" and "grey" spelling variants for those colors. This function will always return the variant spelled "gray" (such as "lightgray" instead of "lightgrey"). See the documentation on name conventions for details.

Examples:

>>> hex_to_name("#ffffff")
'white'
>>> hex_to_name("#fff")
'white'
>>> hex_to_name("#000080")
'navy'
>>> hex_to_name("#daa520")
'goldenrod'
>>> hex_to_name("#daa520", spec=HTML4)
Traceback (most recent call last):
    ...
ValueError: "#daa520" has no defined color name in html4.
Parameters:
  • hex_value – The hexadecimal color value to convert.

  • spec – The specification from which to draw the list of color names. Default is CSS3.

Raises:

ValueError – when the given color has no name in the given spec, or when the supplied hex value is invalid.

webcolors.hex_to_rgb(hex_value: str) IntegerRGB[source]

Convert a hexadecimal color value to a 3-tuple of int suitable for use in an rgb() triplet specifying that color.

The hexadecimal value will be normalized before being converted.

Examples:

>>> hex_to_rgb("#fff")
IntegerRGB(red=255, green=255, blue=255)
>>> hex_to_rgb("#000080")
IntegerRGB(red=0, green=0, blue=128)
Parameters:

hex_value – The hexadecimal color value to convert.

Raises:

ValueError – when the supplied hex value is invalid.

webcolors.hex_to_rgb_percent(hex_value: str) PercentRGB[source]

Convert a hexadecimal color value to a 3-tuple of percentages suitable for use in an rgb() triplet representing that color.

The hexadecimal value will be normalized before being converted.

Examples:

>>> hex_to_rgb_percent("#ffffff")
PercentRGB(red='100%', green='100%', blue='100%')
>>> hex_to_rgb_percent("#000080")
PercentRGB(red='0%', green='0%', blue='50%')
Parameters:

hex_value – The hexadecimal color value to convert.

Raises:

ValueError – when the supplied hex value is invalid.

Conversions from integer rgb() triplets to other formats

webcolors.rgb_to_name(rgb_triplet: IntegerRGB | HTML5SimpleColor | Tuple[int, int, int], spec: str = 'css3') str[source]

Convert a 3-tuple of int, suitable for use in an rgb() color triplet, to its corresponding normalized color name, if any such name exists.

To determine the name, the triplet will be converted to a normalized hexadecimal value.

Note

Spelling variants

Some values representing named gray colors can map to either of two names in CSS3, because it supports both "gray" and "grey" spelling variants for those colors. This function will always return the variant spelled "gray" (such as "lightgray" instead of "lightgrey"). See the documentation on name conventions for details.

Examples:

>>> rgb_to_name((255, 255, 255))
'white'
>>> rgb_to_name((0, 0, 128))
'navy'
Parameters:
  • rgb_triplet – The rgb() triplet.

  • spec – The specification from which to draw the list of color names. Default is CSS3.

Raises:

ValueError – when the given color has no name in the given spec.

webcolors.rgb_to_hex(rgb_triplet: IntegerRGB | HTML5SimpleColor | Tuple[int, int, int]) str[source]

Convert a 3-tuple of int, suitable for use in an rgb() color triplet, to a normalized hexadecimal value for that color.

Examples:

>>> rgb_to_hex((255, 255, 255))
'#ffffff'
>>> rgb_to_hex((0, 0, 128))
'#000080'
Parameters:

rgb_triplet – The rgb() triplet.

webcolors.rgb_to_rgb_percent(rgb_triplet: IntegerRGB | HTML5SimpleColor | Tuple[int, int, int]) PercentRGB[source]

Convert a 3-tuple of int, suitable for use in an rgb() color triplet, to a 3-tuple of percentages suitable for use in representing that color.

Note

Floating-point precision

This function makes some trade-offs in terms of the accuracy of the final representation. For some common integer values, special-case logic is used to ensure a precise result (e.g., integer 128 will always convert to "50%", integer 32 will always convert to "12.5%"), but for all other values a standard Python float is used and rounded to two decimal places, which may result in a loss of precision for some values due to the inherent imprecision of IEEE floating-point numbers.

Examples:

>>> rgb_to_rgb_percent((255, 255, 255))
PercentRGB(red='100%', green='100%', blue='100%')
>>> rgb_to_rgb_percent((0, 0, 128))
PercentRGB(red='0%', green='0%', blue='50%')
>>> rgb_to_rgb_percent((218, 165, 32))
PercentRGB(red='85.49%', green='64.71%', blue='12.5%')
Parameters:

rgb_triplet – The rgb() triplet.

Conversions from percentage rgb() triplets to other formats

webcolors.rgb_percent_to_name(rgb_percent_triplet: PercentRGB | Tuple[str, str, str], spec: str = 'css3') str[source]

Convert a 3-tuple of percentages, suitable for use in an rgb() color triplet, to its corresponding normalized color name, if any such name exists.

To determine the name, the triplet will be converted to a normalized hexadecimal value.

Note

Spelling variants

Some values representing named gray colors can map to either of two names in CSS3, because it supports both "gray" and "grey" spelling variants for those colors. This function will always return the variant spelled "gray" (such as "lightgray" instead of "lightgrey"). See the documentation on name conventions for details.

Examples:

>>> rgb_percent_to_name(("100%", "100%", "100%"))
'white'
>>> rgb_percent_to_name(("0%", "0%", "50%"))
'navy'
>>> rgb_percent_to_name(("85.49%", "64.71%", "12.5%"))
'goldenrod'
Parameters:
  • rgb_percent_triplet – The rgb() triplet.

  • spec – The specification from which to draw the list of color names. Default is CSS3.

Raises:

ValueError – when the given color has no name in the given spec.

webcolors.rgb_percent_to_hex(rgb_percent_triplet: PercentRGB | Tuple[str, str, str]) str[source]

Convert a 3-tuple of percentages, suitable for use in an rgb() color triplet, to a normalized hexadecimal color value for that color.

Examples:

>>> rgb_percent_to_hex(("100%", "100%", "0%"))
'#ffff00'
>>> rgb_percent_to_hex(("0%", "0%", "50%"))
'#000080'
>>> rgb_percent_to_hex(("85.49%", "64.71%", "12.5%"))
'#daa520'
Parameters:

rgb_percent_triplet – The rgb() triplet.

webcolors.rgb_percent_to_rgb(rgb_percent_triplet: PercentRGB | Tuple[str, str, str]) IntegerRGB[source]

Convert a 3-tuple of percentages, suitable for use in an rgb() color triplet, to a 3-tuple of int suitable for use in representing that color.

Some precision may be lost in this conversion. See the note regarding precision for rgb_to_rgb_percent() for details.

Examples:

>>> rgb_percent_to_rgb(("100%", "100%", "100%"))
IntegerRGB(red=255, green=255, blue=255)
>>> rgb_percent_to_rgb(("0%", "0%", "50%"))
IntegerRGB(red=0, green=0, blue=128)
>>> rgb_percent_to_rgb(("85.49%", "64.71%", "12.5%"))
IntegerRGB(red=218, green=165, blue=32)
Parameters:

rgb_percent_triplet – The rgb() triplet.

HTML5 color algorithms

Warning

Previously there were two competing HTML5 standards: one from WHATWG, and one from W3C. The WHATWG version is now the sole official HTML5 standard, and so the functions documented below implement the HTML5 color algorithms as given in section 2.3.6 of the WHATWG HTML5 standard.

webcolors.html5_parse_simple_color(value: str) HTML5SimpleColor[source]

Apply the HTML5 simple color parsing algorithm.

Examples:

>>> html5_parse_simple_color("#ffffff")
HTML5SimpleColor(red=255, green=255, blue=255)
>>> html5_parse_simple_color("#fff")
Traceback (most recent call last):
    ...
ValueError: An HTML5 simple color must be a string seven characters long.
Parameters:

value (str, which must consist of exactly the character "#" followed by six hexadecimal digits.) – The color to parse.

Raises:

ValueError – when the given value is not a Unicode string of length 7, consisting of exactly the character # followed by six hexadecimal digits.

webcolors.html5_serialize_simple_color(simple_color: IntegerRGB | HTML5SimpleColor | Tuple[int, int, int]) str[source]

Apply the HTML5 simple color serialization algorithm.

Examples:

>>> html5_serialize_simple_color((0, 0, 0))
'#000000'
>>> html5_serialize_simple_color((255, 255, 255))
'#ffffff'
Parameters:

simple_color – The color to serialize.

webcolors.html5_parse_legacy_color(value: str) HTML5SimpleColor[source]

Apply the HTML5 legacy color parsing algorithm.

Note that, since this algorithm is intended to handle many _types of malformed color values present in real-world Web documents, it is extremely forgiving of input, but the results of parsing inputs with high levels of “junk” (i.e., text other than a color value) may be surprising.

Examples:

>>> html5_parse_legacy_color("black")
HTML5SimpleColor(red=0, green=0, blue=0)
>>> html5_parse_legacy_color("chucknorris")
HTML5SimpleColor(red=192, green=0, blue=0)
>>> html5_parse_legacy_color("Window")
HTML5SimpleColor(red=0, green=13, blue=0)
Parameters:

value – The color to parse.

Raises:

ValueError – when the given value is not a Unicode string, when it is the empty string, or when it is precisely the string "transparent".