---
id: colors
title: Colors
sidebar_label: Colors
---

## Standard colors

Oh My Posh supports multiple different color references, being:

- True color using [hex colors][hexcolors] (for example `#CB4B16`).
- 16 [ANSI color names][ansicolors].
  These include 8 basic ANSI colors and `default`

  `black` `red` `green` `yellow` `blue` `magenta` `cyan` `white` `default`

  as well as 8 extended ANSI colors:

  `darkGray` `lightRed` `lightGreen` `lightYellow` `lightBlue` `lightMagenta` `lightCyan` `lightWhite`

- 256 color palette using their number representation.
  For example `0` is black, `1` is red, `2` is green, etc.
- The `transparent` keyword which can be used to create either a transparent foreground override
  or transparent background color using the segment's foreground property.
- The `foreground` keyword which can be used to reference the current segment's foreground color.
- The `background` keyword which can be used to reference the current segment's background color.
- The `parentForeground` keyword which can be used to inherit the previous active segment's foreground color.
- The `parentBackground` keyword which can be used to inherit the previous active segment's background color.
- The `accent` keyword which references the OS accent color (Windows only).

## Color templates

Array of string [templates][templates] to define the color based on the current context.
Under the hood this uses go's [text/template][go-text-template] feature extended with [sprig][sprig] and
offers a few standard properties to work with. For segments, you can look at the **Template Properties**
section in the documentation. The general template properties are listed [here][template-properties].

The following sample is based on the [AWS Segment][aws].

```json
{
  "type": "aws",
  "style": "powerline",
  "powerline_symbol": "\uE0B0",
  "foreground": "#ffffff",
  "background": "#111111",
  "foreground_templates": [
    "{{if contains \"default\" .Profile}}#FFA400{{end}}",
    "{{if contains \"jan\" .Profile}}#f1184c{{end}}"
  ]
}
```

The logic is as follows: when `foreground_templates` contains an array, we will check every template line until there's
one that returns a non-empty string. So, when the contents of `.Profile` contain the word `default`, the first template
returns `#FFA400` and that's the color that will be used. If it contains `jan`, it returns `#f1184c`. When none of the
templates returns a value, the foreground value `#ffffff` is used as a fallback value.

## Color overrides

You have the ability to override the foreground and/or background color for text in any property that accepts it.
The syntax is custom but should be rather straight-forward: `<foreground,background>text</>`. For example,
`<#ffffff,#000000>this is white with black background</> <#FF479C>but this is pink</>`.
Anything between the color start `<#FF479C>` and end `</>` will be colored accordingly.

If you want to print a colored bracket that isn't the same as the segment's `foreground`, you can
do so like this:

```json
"template": "<#CB4B16>┏[</>",
```

If you also wanted to change the background color in the previous command, you would do so like this:

```json
"template": "<#CB4B16,#FFFFFF>┏[</>",
```

To change _only_ the background color, just omit the first color from the above string:

```json
"template": "<,#FFFFFF>┏[</>",
```

## Palette

If your theme defined the Palette, you can use the _Palette reference_ `p:<palette key>` in places where the
**Standard color** is expected.

### Defining a Palette

Palette is a set of named **Standard colors**. To use a Palette, define a `"palette"` object
at the top level of your theme:

```json
{
    "$schema": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JanDeDobbeleer/oh-my-posh/main/themes/schema.json",
    "palette": {
        "git-foreground": "#193549",
        "git": "#FFFB38",
        "git-modified": "#FF9248",
        "git-diverged": "#FF4500",
        "git-ahead": "#B388FF",
        "git-behind": "#B388FF",
        "red":   "#FF0000",
        "green": "#00FF00",
        "blue":  "#0000FF",
        "white": "#FFFFFF",
        "black": "#111111"
    },
    "blocks": {
        ...
    }
}
```

Color names (palette keys) can have any string value, so be creative.
Color values, on the other hand, should adhere to the **Standard color** format.

### Using a Palette

You can now use _Palette references_ in any [Segment's][segment] `foreground`, `foreground_templates`,
`background`, `background_templates` properties, and other config properties that expect **Standard color** value.
_Palette reference_ format is `p:<palette key>`. Take a look at the [Git][git] segment using _Palette references_:

```json
{
    "type": "git",
    "style": "powerline",
    "powerline_symbol": "\uE0B0",
    "foreground": "p:git-foreground",
    "background": "p:git",
    "background_templates": [
        "{{ if or (.Working.Changed) (.Staging.Changed) }}p:git-modified{{ end }}",
        "{{ if and (gt .Ahead 0) (gt .Behind 0) }}p:git-diverged{{ end }}",
        "{{ if gt .Ahead 0 }}p:git-ahead{{ end }}",
        "{{ if gt .Behind 0 }}p:git-behind{{ end }}"
    ],
    ...
},
```

Having all of the colors defined in one place allows you to import existing color themes (usually with slight
tweaking to adhere to the format), easily change colors of multiple segments at once, and have a more
organized theme overall. Be creative!

### _Palette references_ and **Standard colors**

Using Palette does not interfere with using **Standard colors** in your theme. You can still use **Standard colors**
everywhere. This can be useful if you want to use a specific color for a single segment element, or in a
_Color override_ ([Battery segment][battery]):

```json
{
    "type": "battery",
    "style": "powerline",
    "invert_powerline": true,
    "powerline_symbol": "\uE0B2",
    "foreground": "p:white",
    "background": "p:black",
    "properties": {
        "discharging_icon": "<#ffa500>-</> ",
        "charging_icon": "+ ",
        "charged_icon": "* ",
    }
},
```

### Handling of invalid references

Should you use an invalid _Palette reference_ as a color (for example typo `p:bleu` instead of `p:blue`),
the Pallete engine will use the Transparent keyword as a fallback value. So if you see your prompt segments
rendered with incorrect colors, and you are using a Palette, be sure to check the correctness of your references.

### Recursive resolution

Palette allows for recursive _Palette reference_ resolution. You can use a _Palette reference_ as a color
value in Palette. This allows you to define named colors, and use references to those colors as Palette values.
For example, `p:foreground` and `p:background` will be correctly set to "#CAF0F80" and "#023E8A":

```json
    "$schema": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JanDeDobbeleer/oh-my-posh/main/themes/schema.json",
    "palette": {
        "light-blue": "#CAF0F8",
        "dark-blue": "#023E8A",
        "foreground": "p:light-blue",
        "background": "p:dark-blue"
    },
    "blocks": {
        ...
    }
```

## Palettes

If you want to use a `palette` conditionally, for example for **light or dark mode**, you can define multiple
`palettes` and a [template][templates] that resolves to the `palette` key. The `template` is evaluated at
runtime so your prompt can change at any time based on the outcome of the `template`.

Take the following configuration:

```json
{
  "$schema": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/JanDeDobbeleer/oh-my-posh/main/themes/schema.json",
  "palettes": {
    "template": "{{ if eq .Shell \"pwsh\" }}latte{{ else }}frappe{{ end }}",
    "list": {
      "latte": {
        "black": "#262B44",
        "green": "#59C9A5",
        "orange": "#F07623",
        "red": "#e64553",
        "white": "#E0DEF4",
        "yellow": "#df8e1d",
        "blue": "#7287fd"
      },
      "frappe": {
        "black": "#262B44",
        "green": "#59C9A5",
        "orange": "#F07623",
        "red": "#D81E5B",
        "white": "#E0DEF4",
        "yellow": "#F3AE35",
        "blue": "#4B95E9"
      }
    }
  },
  "blocks": [
    ...
  ]
}
```

In this case, when the shell is `pwsh`, the `latte` palette will be used, otherwise it uses the `frappe` palette. If you want,
you could also add `frappe` as the default `palette`, given that one is used as a fallback when not match can be found based on what
the `template` resolves to. In case no match is available and no `palette` is defined, it will also fallback to `transparent`
for any palette color reference in templates/colors.

## Cycle

When you want to display the same **sequence of colors** (background and foreground) regardless of which segments are active, you can
make use of the cycle property. This property is a list of colors which are used one after the other in a continuous loop. A defined
cycle always gets precedence over everything else.

```json
...
"cycle": [
  {
    "background": "p:blue",
    "foreground": "p:white"
  },
  {
    "background": "p:green",
    "foreground": "p:black"
  },
  {
    "background": "p:orange",
    "foreground": "p:white"
  }
],
...
```

[hexcolors]: https://htmlcolorcodes.com/color-chart/material-design-color-chart/
[ansicolors]: https://htmlcolorcodes.com/color-chart/material-design-color-chart/
[git]: /docs/segments/git
[battery]: /docs/segments/battery
[template-properties]: /docs/configuration/templates#global-properties
[aws]: /docs/segments/aws
[go-text-template]: https://golang.org/pkg/text/template/
[sprig]: https://masterminds.github.io/sprig/
[templates]: templates.mdx
