CODEWITHSUNDEEP
colors
Gavin Miller
Gavin Miller

Reputation: 43835

Are web-safe colors still relevant?

Since the vast majority of monitors are 16-bit color or more, including mobile devices, does it make sense to even consider web-safe colors when choosing color schemes? Or is it something that ought to be relegated to history as a piece of trivia?

For those of you that don't know what web-safe colors are:

Another set of 216 color values is commonly considered to be the "web-safe" color palette, developed at a time when many computer displays were only capable of displaying 256 colors. A set of colors was needed that could be shown without dithering on 256-color displays; the number 216 was chosen partly because computer operating systems customarily reserved sixteen to twenty colors for their own use; it was also selected because it allows exactly six shades each of red, green, and blue (6 × 6 × 6 = 216).

The list of colors is often presented as if it has special properties that render them immune to dithering. In fact, on 256-color displays applications can set a palette of any selection of colors that they choose, dithering the rest. These colors were chosen specifically because they matched the palettes selected by the then leading browser applications. [Wikipedia]

Upvotes: 62

Views: 13500

Answers (13)

Jordan Reiter
Jordan Reiter

Reputation: 21022

According to research, even the web safe colors were not web safe. It was an interesting idea while it was relevant, thankfully that's over now.

Upvotes: 2

ChickenMilkBomb
ChickenMilkBomb

Reputation: 945

In my opinion, it's just history.

Upvotes: 1

Mr.X
Mr.X

Reputation: 31247

So, I'm just trying to explain the tip to determine browser-safe colors just by looking at its hex code

For a hex color #xxyyzz, the color is browser safe if

  • For pairs:

  • position 12 i.e xx values are same

  • position 34 i.e yy values are same

  • position 56 i.e zz values are same

  • Allowed values are

  • 0

  • 3

  • 6

  • 9

  • C

  • F

Upvotes: -2

Don Dilanga
Don Dilanga

Reputation: 3022

It's still important if your target very poor to developing nations, such as countries in here south asia. I personally have a full blown IPS monitor with Windows 10, so it's not a problem to me, but we are minorities, and majority of them have old hardware/computers/operating systems except mobiles phones, as it's cheap to buy a latest mobile phone, but computer hardware are expensive due to the taxes/ import cost etc.. compared to the salary of an average person.I personally witnessed many people still use old Windows XP, 98 PC with 256 colors on Pentium 4 processors. So if you target such audience, it's better to use web safe colors, but if you are doing a business it's not worth, as they are less likely to be your customers, but if you are doing an information site, a blog, an activist site that people can read and get informed without having to pay for something then always use fallback theme or something with web safe colors. since such people are mostly on windows xp/98, try to detect the OS, and if the user is from such operating systems, then use the fallback theme.

So remember that, most of people in this world are poor, and most of people still use old hardware and technologies. If you want to cover them all without working a lot hard on your current theme, then always use fallback themes. One for old mobiles, one for old desktop displays, one for modern displays and modern mobiles (responsive)

Upvotes: 3

Leah
Leah

Reputation: 3342

For me web safe color palette is no longer primary concern. Optimize for the largest target audience.

According to w3schools site visitors:

  • In January 2009 1% of site visitors had 256 color displays, 95% of users had 24 or 32 bit.
  • [Update] In January 2015 0.5% had 256 colours, 0.5% had 24 bit and 99% had 32 bit

I found similar numbers from a business app site that I look after:

32-bit  79.01%  

24-bit  15.64%  

16-bit  5.27%   

8-bit   0.08%

Upvotes: 74

TomTerrific
TomTerrific

Reputation: 131

Some colors do not display on some mobile devices. (trying to make a list)

The title bars are supposed to be a blue fade from CSS:

background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #0099CC1, #0033CC) repeat-x scroll 0 0 #006DCC;

On many devices the background is not visible, and the header looks like white-on-white.

Upvotes: -1

Roberto De Vivo
Roberto De Vivo

Reputation: 119

IMHO the point is really moot. Colors that aren't web safe are dithered anyway. It may not look the best in 256-color modes but as long as functional elements of the page/applications are not dependent on those colors it will not disturb the user experience that much.

Also most users surfing in 256-color modes will be aware of the fact colors will be dithered as I don't think that a lot of sites adhere to the web-safe colorschemes anymore.

Upvotes: 1

Matthew Rapati
Matthew Rapati

Reputation: 5696

I think the most important thing when choosing a colour palette is keeping in mind colour-blindness. There are a few different types that I know of, but the main thing is making sure that you have enough contrast between colours.

For example green text on a red background might be easier for some to read, but very difficult or maybe impossible for others (5-10% of males!), especially if the values of the colours are close.

Upvotes: 15

natas
natas

Reputation: 179

Yes, it's definitely a thing of the past. Place its importance right next to your marquee tags.

Upvotes: 1

Robert Harvey
Robert Harvey

Reputation: 180858

For those of us (like me) that didn't know exactly what web safe colors are, they were

developed at a time when many computer displays were only capable of displaying 256 colors. A set of colors was needed that could be shown without dithering on 256-color displays; the number 216 was chosen partly because computer operating systems customarily reserved sixteen to twenty colors for their own use; it was also selected because it allows exactly six shades each of red, green, and blue (6 × 6 × 6 = 216).

The list of colors is often presented as if it has special properties that render them immune to dithering. In fact, on 256-color displays applications can set a palette of any selection of colors that they choose, dithering the rest. These colors were chosen specifically because they matched the palettes selected by the then leading browser applications.

It's hard to imagine any of this applying to today's modern displays, since almost nobody runs their display in 256 colors anymore (unless perhaps they are playing an old version of Leisure Suit Larry).

Upvotes: 8

Tim
Tim

Reputation: 4410

It depends what you mean by web safe colours.

In terms of 16bit colour it's probably not worth worrying about. However Colours do not appear the same across devices. This can lead to all sorts of problems particularly if a designers gamma settings are different to your particular monitor set up.

So you still need to test your design across multiple set ups.

Upvotes: 2

Brian
Brian

Reputation: 2261

Web safe colors are pretty much not a problem anymore unless you are dealing with consumers that will have legacy (think > 10 year old) video display equipment.

Upvotes: 0

Nosredna
Nosredna

Reputation: 86246

I don't think web safe colors are relevant any more. To me, a much bigger problem for smartphones are all the fixed-width 960-pixel wide web pages.

Upvotes: 20

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