Read the background material behind the tools so you can choose formats, compare palettes, and move from quick experiments to implementation-ready decisions.
These articles are designed for people who need more than a single tool result. They explain why one format is easier to maintain than another, how to judge extracted colors before using them in a UI, and what to check before saving a value into CSS, a token file, or a design handoff.
Learn the tradeoffs between HEX, RGB, RGBA, and 8-digit HEX. This guide explains when each format is easier to read, when transparency should be encoded directly, and which mistakes tend to happen during design-to-code handoff.
8 min read · Format decisions
Understand how to turn extracted colors into practical UI decisions. This guide covers how to assign roles to palette colors, where contrast checks fit into the process, and when a palette needs refinement before it becomes part of a system.
8 min read · Workflow review
Learn how relative luminance and WCAG contrast ratios are calculated, then apply the same method to opaque and transparent colors in real UI reviews.
7 min read · Contrast checks
Read the contrast calculation guideWalk through one five-color palette from extraction to final token decisions, including accepted contrast pairings and colors that were rejected for text use.
6 min read · Worked example
Understand what dominant colors mean, why large neutral areas can skew the result, and when a second extraction after cropping is the better review step.
6 min read · Method note
Start with the complete CSS format guide. It includes channel conversion, alpha mapping, code examples, and practical format decisions in one article.
Start with the palette workflow guide, then review the contrast calculation guide before saving final implementation values.
Use the workflow and semantic token sections in the palette guide after choosing your final format so values remain easier to review and reuse.
Use the directory page for a full overview of the tools, guide articles, and policy pages without leaving the public site structure.
Read a guide first if you are still deciding which format or palette direction you actually need. Context saves time before you start copying values.
Use the tool for the fast conversion or extraction step, then come back to the article when you need a more durable implementation choice.
Treat the final step as documentation. The tool helps you move quickly, while the guide helps you store the result in a way your team can understand later.
If you already know what you need, jump directly into the interactive pages and come back to the guide library whenever you need more context.
Tools are good at producing answers, but guides are better at explaining decisions. Static pages make the site easier to understand before JavaScript runs, give search engines more context, and help visitors judge whether a tool fits their workflow.