The hex color code #00ff00 is a shade of green used in HTML, CSS, and other web programming languages. It represents one of the basic web colors with a bright lime green hue. The code is formed by mixing full green (#00ff) with no red or blue components. This section will cover the technical details behind this color code, how it relates to other color systems like RGB and HSL, and its various uses in web design.
Hex Code Breakdown
The hex code #00ff00 is composed of three pairs of hexadecimal digits, or a total of six digits:
– 00 – The amount of red. 00 represents the minimum amount (0).
– ff – The amount of green. ff represents the maximum amount (255).
– 00 – The amount of blue. 00 represents the minimum amount (0).
Hexadecimal is a base-16 number system used to represent RGB color values. It uses 16 distinct digits, 0 to 9 and a to f, instead of the usual 0 to 9 used in the base-10 decimal system. Combining three hexadecimal values from 00 to ff gives 256 x 256 x 256 = 16,777,216 possible colors.
The absence of red and blue with full green produces the brightest lime green color that can be expressed in the RGB color model. This is why the hex code #00ff00 is also commonly called web lime.
Technical Specifications
Here are some other technical details behind the #00ff00 hex code:
| Name | Lime |
| Hex | #00ff00 |
| RGB | rgb(0, 255, 0) |
| CMYK | cmyk(1, 0, 1, 0) |
| HSV | hsl(120, 100%, 50%) |
– The RGB value is rgb(0, 255, 0) – zero red, full green, zero blue.
– The CMYK value is cmyk(1, 0, 1, 0) – full cyan, no magenta, full yellow, no black.
– The HSV value is hsl(120, 100%, 50%) – hue 120°, saturation 100%, lightness 50%.
These specifications all equate to the same bright lime green color. They are useful for converting between different color systems.
Web Design Uses
The #00ff00 color code sees frequent use in web design for these purposes:
– **Headings and Accent Text** – The vivid shade attracts attention, making it effective for callouts, labels, headlines, and any text you want to emphasize.
– **Hover Effects** – Lime green is a popular color for hover states on clickable buttons and links. The strong contrast from normal black text provides affordance.
– **Progress Bars** – The bright green evokes progression and growth, useful for showing download progress or scoring metrics.
– **Iconography** – Icons related to positivity, success, eco-friendliness, health, and technology often use shades of green.
– **Data Visualization** – Green draws the eye in charts and graphs, useful for highlighting slices, bars, and trend lines.
– **Illustrations and Vector Art** – The vibrant shade adds excitement to illustrations when used for elements like clothes, nature features, or abstract shapes.
Accessibility Considerations
While #00ff00 provides good contrast against black text by meeting WCAG AA level standards, it presents challenges for accessibility:
– It scores poorly for large text due to luminance contrast issues. This makes pure lime green difficult to use for headings.
– It can cause eye fatigue or visual vibrating effects for people with photosensitive epilepsy or migraine disorders when placed next to highly contrasting colors.
– Viewers with color vision deficiency may have trouble differentiating it from other greens, yellows, and oranges.
To improve accessibility, consider reducing saturation, adding shades of gray, or using it sparingly in touches. Verify any lime green shades against online contrast checkers.
Similar Colors
Here are some other shades of green close to #00ff00:
– #32cd32 – Medium spring green
– #adff2f – Green yellow
– #9acd32 – Yellow green
– #7fff00 – Chartreuse
– #90ee90 – Light green
– #98fb98 – Pale green
– #00ff7f – Spring green
These colors may serve as accessible alternatives with lower luminance contrast or more muted tones. Adjusting the hex values provides shades mixing yellow, teal, cyan, and lime hues.
Conclusion
The #00ff00 color code produces a bright lime green due to having a full green channel and no red or blue. This makes it an intense, high vibrancy shade often used for accents and attention-grabbing elements in web interfaces. But caution should be used with accessibility, and tinted or shaded variations can improve interfaces for all users. When applying lime green in web projects, do so with intent and purpose.
