How are CSS custom properties (variables) used?
Jul 22, 2025 am 01:03 AMCSS variables improve style management efficiency by defining reusable values. Developers use the --prefix to declare variables, usually define global variables in :root, and then reference them through the var() function, such as .button { background-color: var(--primary-color); }. Variables can be scoped as needed, such as redefining --text-color in .dark-mode to implement dark mode. JavaScript can dynamically update variables through setProperty to achieve interactive effects such as topic switching. When using it, please note that variable names are case sensitive, provide fallback values, avoid circular references, and reasonably control the scope of use to ensure maintenance and flexibility.
CSS custom properties, also known as CSS variables, are a powerful feature that allows developers to define reusable values within their stylesheets. They make managing themes, dynamic styling, and consistent design systems much easier.

Declaring and Using Custom Properties
Custom properties are declared using a special syntax: they start with two dashes ( --
) followed by the name you choose. You can declare them on any CSS selector, but it's most common to define them on the :root
pseudo-class so they're globally available.
:root { --primary-color: #007bff; --font-size-base: 16px; }
Then, you use them inside your regular CSS rules with the var()
function:

.button { background-color: var(--primary-color); font-size: var(--font-size-base); }
This makes it easy to update styles in one place instead of searching through your CSS for every instance of a color or size.
Scoping Variables for Specific Use Cases
While defining variables globally is useful, sometimes you want different values depending on context. You can redeclare the same variable inside a more specific selector.

For example, if you have light and dark mode sections:
:root { --text-color: #333; } .dark-mode { --text-color: #eee; }
Now, when .dark-mode
is applied to an element (or its ancestor), all nested elements using var(--text-color)
will get the updated value automatically.
This kind of scoping helps keep your theme logic clean without duplicating entire style blocks.
Updating Variables Dynamically with JavaScript
One of the biggest advantages of CSS variables is that they can be changed at runtime using JavaScript. This opens the door to dynamic UI changes like switching themes or adjusting layout based on user input.
To do this, you access the element where the variable is defined and use setProperty()
:
document.documentElement.style.setProperty('--primary-color', '#ff5722');
You might use this when building a theme switcher or adjusting font sizes based on user preferences. It's especially handy because the change takes effect immediately across all styles using that variable.
Also, since these updates happen in the DOM, they can be animated or toggled easily.
Tips and Common Pitfalls
- Variable names are case-sensitive —
--color
and--Color
are treated as different variables. - Fallback values can be used in
var()
— eg,var(--missing-var, red)
will use red if--missing-var
isn't defined. - Avoid circular references , which can cause unexpected behavior.
- Try not to overuse them for every single small value; they're best suited for things that generally need reuse or runtime updates.
They may seem simple at first glance, but getting the scoping and naming right can prevent headaches later.
Basically that's it. CSS variables are not magic, but using them well can greatly improve the maintainability and flexibility of the code.
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