Gradient Generator
Create beautiful CSS gradients for your designs. Generate linear, radial, and conic gradients with custom color stops and copy the CSS code instantly.
Color Stops
CSS Code
background: linear-gradient(90deg, #3B82F6 0%, #10B981 100%); Presets
Table of Contents
What is a CSS Gradient?
A CSS gradient is a smooth transition between two or more colors. Gradients are a powerful design tool that can add depth, dimension, and visual interest to your web designs. Unlike solid colors, gradients create a sense of movement and can guide the user's eye across your interface.
CSS gradients are widely supported across all modern browsers and can be used for backgrounds, borders, text effects, and more. They're lightweight, scalable, and don't require image files, making them perfect for responsive web design.
Gradient Types Explained
Linear Gradient
Linear gradients transition colors along a straight line. You can control the direction of the gradient using an angle (in degrees) or directional keywords like "to right", "to bottom", etc. Linear gradients are the most commonly used type and work great for backgrounds, buttons, and cards.
Example: linear-gradient(90deg, #3B82F6, #10B981)
Radial Gradient
Radial gradients transition colors from a central point outward in a circular or elliptical pattern. They're perfect for creating spotlight effects, circular backgrounds, or drawing attention to a specific area. You can control the center position and shape of the gradient.
Example: radial-gradient(circle at center, #3B82F6, #10B981)
Conic Gradient
Conic gradients transition colors around a central point, like a color wheel. They're great for creating pie charts, color wheels, or unique circular effects. Conic gradients rotate around a center point, creating a spiral-like effect.
Example: conic-gradient(from 0deg at center, #3B82F6, #10B981)
Use Cases
CSS gradients are versatile and can be used in many design contexts:
- Backgrounds: Create eye-catching backgrounds for websites, sections, or components
- Buttons: Add depth and visual interest to buttons and call-to-action elements
- Cards: Enhance card designs with subtle or bold gradient backgrounds
- Text Effects: Apply gradients to text for modern, stylish typography
- Borders: Create gradient borders using background-clip or border-image
- Overlays: Use gradients as overlays on images to improve text readability
- Data Visualization: Create charts, graphs, and visualizations with gradient colors
- Brand Identity: Incorporate gradients into your brand's visual identity
Color Stops
Color stops define where colors begin and end in a gradient. Each color stop consists of a color and a position (usually expressed as a percentage or length value). The gradient smoothly transitions between adjacent color stops.
Position
The position value determines where the color appears in the gradient. Values range from 0% (start) to 100% (end). You can use any value between 0% and 100%, and colors will automatically transition between stops.
Multiple Stops
You can add multiple color stops to create complex, multi-color gradients. The more stops you add, the more control you have over the gradient's appearance. However, too many stops can make the gradient look busy or muddy.
Color Format
Color stops accept any valid CSS color value, including hex codes (#3B82F6), RGB values (rgb(59, 130, 246)), HSL values (hsl(217, 91%, 60%)), and named colors (blue).
Best Practices
Keep It Subtle
While bold gradients can be eye-catching, subtle gradients often work better for professional designs. Use gradients to enhance your design, not overwhelm it.
Consider Contrast
Ensure sufficient contrast between gradient colors and any text or content placed on top. Test your gradients with actual content to ensure readability.
Use Appropriate Colors
Choose colors that work well together. Complementary colors, analogous colors, or colors from the same family often create the most harmonious gradients.
Limit Color Stops
While you can add many color stops, 2-4 stops usually create the cleanest, most effective gradients. Too many stops can create a muddy or chaotic appearance.
Test on Different Screens
Gradients can appear differently on various screens and devices. Test your gradients on different displays to ensure they look good everywhere.
Performance Considerations
CSS gradients are performant and don't require image files, making them ideal for responsive designs. However, complex gradients with many stops may have a slight performance impact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Linear gradients transition colors along a straight line in a specific direction. Radial gradients transition from a central point outward in a circular pattern. Conic gradients transition colors around a central point, like a color wheel. Each type creates a different visual effect and is suited for different design purposes.
Yes! CSS gradients are a standard web technology and can be used freely in any project, commercial or personal. The gradients you generate are yours to use however you like.
To apply a gradient to text, use the CSS property background-clip: text along with -webkit-background-clip: text and -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent. This clips the background gradient to the text shape.
Yes! You can animate gradients using CSS animations or transitions. However, animating gradient properties directly isn't always smooth. Consider using pseudo-elements or opacity animations for smoother effects.
Linear and radial gradients are supported in all modern browsers. Conic gradients have excellent support in modern browsers but may require fallbacks for older browsers. Always test your gradients across different browsers.
For most designs, 2-4 color stops work best. Too few stops create a simple gradient, while too many can make the gradient look muddy or chaotic. Start with 2-3 stops and add more only if needed for your specific design.
Currently, gradients are not saved automatically. You can copy the CSS code and save it manually, or bookmark the page. The CSS code you copy can be used directly in your stylesheets or design tools.