BROWSER SAFE COLOR CHART

Below is a color chart made up of the 216 browser safe colors. Back in the World Wide Web "Dark Ages" (sometime before the mid-1990's) the super-hot computers of the day could only display 256 colors. At that time any color outside of the browser safe range would not be displayed by the computers. Browsers, such as Netscape and Internet Explorer, would substitute safe colors for "non-safe" colors. The resulting displays were pixilated. It is an effect called "dithering." It could be considered a way to imitate browser safe colors through artifice.

The latest versions of the primary browsers, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera, and Chrome use improved graphics engines that allow them to display colors far better than previously possible. In addition, unlike early color computers which could only display 256 colors, modern computers will display many millions or colors. This means that it is not necessary to design Web graphics using strictly browser safe colors.

Some Web designers believe that when writing the HTML code for Web pages it is still be useful to follow the browser safe color formula. Very old browsers may have difficulty with the color code if it does not fit the standard format. Further, there is the issue of whether or not the page code will validate if non-standard colors are specified. In situations where validation is part of the criteria (such as in a class assignment), then limiting options to browser safe colors may still be necessary.

From the design standpoint it is often easier for designers without the "eye for color" to select from a narrow range of possibilities rather than from a nearly unlimited pallet.

The chart below describes the colors in hexadecimal format, which is the most common way to specify color on the Web. All browsers understand hexadecimal. Browsers also can display colors using the RGB format based on a three-digit value for RGB; Red, Green, Blue. An example of RGB is (255,000,000), which is red. The shorthand version is (255,0,0).

HSL is a relatively new method of displaying color and is supported by the latest versions of all browsers. HSL stands for Hue, Saturation, and Lightness. HSL is specified using one three-digit value and two percentages. An example is (180,65%,75%) which is a shade of blue with 65% saturation and 75% lightness. Visit our HSL Color">Web HSL color page here for more information.

Both RGB and HSL have even newer versions, RGBA and HSLA. The "A" refers to what is called the "alpha channel." Alpha channel controls transparency.

RGB, HSL, RGBA, and HSLA are beyond the scope of this reference chart. We have elected to limit the color selections below to the traditional colors as used by most beginning Web builders. For information about RGBA visit our RGBA Web Colors page here.

The hexadeimal formulas that make up each color are mathematical calculations, not artistic choices. By examining the hexadecimal code representing each color you can see the math progression. Hexadecimal numbering is based on 0-f. The codes noted on the chart below consist of a two digit figure for each color. Thus, the code for red is ff0000. The code for green is 00ff00. The code for blue is 0000ff.

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