CSS variables, also known as CSS custom properties, serve several key purposes:
- They allow you to define a value once and reuse it throughout your stylesheet, which reduces repetition and makes managing styles easier. For example, you can define a primary color variable and use it in multiple places, so changing the color requires updating only the variable instead of every instance
- CSS variables improve readability and semantics by using meaningful names (e.g.,
--main-text-color) instead of hard-to-read values like hex codes, making the code easier to understand and maintain
- They enable dynamic styling changes at runtime without needing preprocessors. This means you can change styles dynamically with JavaScript, such as switching themes or adjusting colors based on user interaction or conditions like screen size
- CSS variables support scoping, so you can define them globally (e.g., in the
:rootselector) or locally within specific selectors, providing flexibility in how styles are applied
- They help create more maintainable, scalable, and consistent CSS codebases, especially for large or complex websites, by centralizing common values like colors, font sizes, and spacing
In summary, CSS variables make stylesheets more efficient, easier to update, more readable, and enable dynamic and responsive design capabilities
