RGB vs HSL vs HEX: The Complete Guide to Color Formats
Published on February 4, 2026 • 11 min read
You've seen them everywhere: #FF6B6B, rgb(255, 107, 107), hsl(0, 100%, 71%). Three different ways to write the exact same color. But why do we have multiple formats? And more importantly — which one should you actually use?
What You'll Learn
Quick Overview
HEX
#FF6B6B6 characters, compact, most common in CSS
RGB
rgb(255, 107, 107)Red, Green, Blue values 0-255
HSL
hsl(0, 100%, 71%)Hue, Saturation, Lightness
All three formats can represent exactly the same colors. The difference is in how they describe those colors — and that difference matters depending on what you're trying to do.
HEX: The Web Standard
#FF6B6B# + 6 hexadecimal characters (0-9, A-F)
How HEX Works
HEX codes use the hexadecimal (base-16) number system. Each pair of characters represents one color channel:
- FF = 255 in decimal (maximum red)
- 6B = 107 in decimal (medium green)
- 6B = 107 in decimal (medium blue)
HEX Shorthand
When each pair has identical digits, you can use 3-character shorthand:
#FFFFFF → #FFF#FF0000 → #F00#336699 → #369HEX with Alpha (Transparency)
Modern browsers support 8-character HEX with alpha:
#FF6B6B80The last two characters (80) = 50% opacity
✓ HEX Advantages
- • Most compact format
- • Universal browser support
- • Easy to copy/paste
- • Industry standard for design tools
- • Works in all CSS properties
✗ HEX Disadvantages
- • Not human-readable
- • Hard to adjust manually
- • Can't easily make darker/lighter
- • No intuitive relationship between values
RGB: The Digital Native
rgb(255, 107, 107)Three values from 0-255, representing light intensity
How RGB Works
RGB is based on how screens actually work. Every pixel on your screen is made of three tiny lights: red, green, and blue. By combining these at different intensities, you can create any visible color.
RGB with Alpha (RGBA)
Add a fourth value for transparency (0 = invisible, 1 = solid):
rgba(255, 107, 107, 0.5)✓ RGB Advantages
- • Matches how screens work
- • Easy alpha transparency (RGBA)
- • Great for animations and transitions
- • Values are decimal (easier math)
- • Widely supported everywhere
✗ RGB Disadvantages
- • Still not intuitive
- • Hard to predict color from values
- • Making variations is trial-and-error
- • Longer than HEX codes
HSL: The Designer's Choice
hsl(0, 100%, 71%)Hue (0-360°), Saturation (0-100%), Lightness (0-100%)
How HSL Works
HSL describes colors the way humans actually think about them. Instead of mixing light channels, you specify:
Hue (0-360°)
The position on the color wheel. 0° = red, 120° = green, 240° = blue
Saturation (0-100%)
Color intensity. 0% = gray, 100% = pure, vivid color
Lightness (0-100%)
How light or dark. 0% = black, 50% = pure color, 100% = white
💡 Why HSL is Powerful
Want a darker version? Just reduce lightness. Want it muted? Reduce saturation. Need a complementary color? Add 180° to the hue. HSL makes color relationships obvious and adjustments predictable.
Creating Color Variations with HSL
91%
81%
71%
51%
31%
Same hue and saturation, just changing lightness
✓ HSL Advantages
- • Human-readable and intuitive
- • Easy to create color variations
- • Simple to adjust brightness/saturation
- • Perfect for design systems
- • Great for CSS custom properties
✗ HSL Disadvantages
- • Less common in design tools
- • Perceptual lightness isn't uniform
- • Some tools don't support it well
- • Longer syntax than HEX
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | HEX | RGB | HSL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Readability | Low | Medium | High |
| Compactness | Best | Medium | Medium |
| Easy variations | Hard | Hard | Easy |
| Tool support | Excellent | Excellent | Good |
| Alpha support | 8-digit hex | rgba() | hsla() |
| Animations | Poor | Good | Good |
| Design systems | Okay | Okay | Best |
When to Use Which Format
Use HEX When...
- • You're copying colors from design tools (Figma, Sketch)
- • You need compact, clean code
- • You're working with brand guidelines
- • You want maximum compatibility
- • You're storing colors in a database
Use RGB When...
- • You're doing color math or calculations
- • You're animating colors with JavaScript
- • You need transparency (RGBA)
- • You're working with canvas or WebGL
- • You're processing images programmatically
Use HSL When...
- • You're building a design system
- • You need to create color variations (light/dark modes)
- • You want readable, maintainable color code
- • You're using CSS custom properties
- • You need to adjust colors on the fly
🎨 Modern Best Practice
Many developers now use HSL for development (easy to adjust) and convert to HEX for production. CSS custom properties make this pattern especially powerful:
:root {
--primary-h: 0;
--primary-s: 100%;
--primary-l: 71%;
--primary: hsl(var(--primary-h), var(--primary-s), var(--primary-l));
--primary-dark: hsl(var(--primary-h), var(--primary-s), 51%);
--primary-light: hsl(var(--primary-h), var(--primary-s), 91%);
}Converting Between Formats
Every color can be expressed in any format. Here's the same color in all three:
#FF6B6Brgb(255, 107, 107)hsl(0, 100%, 71%)Instant Color Conversion
Use ColorHexify to convert between HEX, RGB, and HSL instantly. Pick any color and see all formats side by side — plus check contrast ratios and explore harmonious combinations.
Convert Colors NowThe Bottom Line
There's no universally "best" format — only the best format for your specific situation. Here's a simple rule of thumb:
- HEX for everyday use and design handoffs
- RGB for programmatic color manipulation
- HSL for design systems and variations
The more you work with colors, the more natural switching between formats becomes. Start with whatever feels comfortable, and expand your toolkit as needed.
Now go pick some colors — in whatever format you prefer.