Frequently asked questions
What are complementary colors?
Complementary colors sit opposite each other on the color wheel — they create the strongest contrast and make each other look more vivid. Here the complement is computed in OKLCH by rotating the hue 180 degrees while keeping lightness and chroma, so the pair stays balanced instead of one looking washed out.
What is the difference between analogous, triadic, tetradic, and split-complementary?
Analogous colors are neighbors on the wheel — gentle and harmonious. Triadic uses three colors evenly spaced 120 degrees apart — vibrant but balanced. Tetradic uses four colors in two complementary pairs — rich, but harder to balance. Split-complementary takes a base plus the two colors adjacent to its complement — high contrast, but softer than a straight complement. Monochromatic keeps a single hue and varies lightness and chroma.
Why compute color harmonies in OKLCH instead of HSL?
Because OKLCH is perceptually uniform. Rotating hue in HSL also changes how light a color looks, so an HSL triad often comes out uneven — one swatch jumps forward, another recedes. In OKLCH the lightness and chroma are held constant as the hue rotates, so every color in the harmony reads with consistent visual weight.
How do I use a color harmony in a design?
Use one color as the dominant tone and the others as accents or supporting colors, rather than in equal amounts — a common rule is a primary, a secondary, and a small accent. Check each pairing for legibility with the contrast checker before using it for text.
Can I share a color harmony?
Yes. The base color is encoded in the page URL, so the link always reproduces the same harmony set. Copy it to share or bookmark — everything is computed in your browser, and nothing is uploaded.
