---
title: Variables
layout: documentation
doc-tab: overview
doc-subtab: variables
---

{% include subnav/subnav-overview.html %}

<section class="section">
  <div class="container">
    <h1 class="title">Variables</h1>
    <h2 class="subtitle">Easily <strong>customize</strong> Bulma to match your design</h2>

    <hr>

    {% assign initial_variables = site.data.variables.utilities.initial-variables %}
    {% assign initial_vars      = initial_variables.vars %}
    {% assign derived_variables = site.data.variables.utilities.derived-variables %}
    {% assign derived_vars      = derived_variables.vars %}

    <div class="content">
      <p>Bulma has <strong>two</strong> variable files divided into <strong>4</strong> sections:</p>
      <ol>
        <li>
          <strong>Initial variables</strong>: where you define variables by <strong>literal value</strong>, like:
          <ul>
            <li><strong>colors</strong>: <code>{{ initial_vars.blue.name }}: {{ initial_vars.blue.value }}</code></li>
            <li><strong>font sizes</strong>: <code>{{ initial_vars.size-1.name }}: {{ initial_vars.size-1.value }}</code></li>
            <li><strong>dimensions</strong>: <code>{{ initial_vars.gap.name }}: {{ initial_vars.gap.value }}</code></li>
            <li><strong>other values</strong>: <code>{{ initial_vars.easing.name }}: {{ initial_vars.easing.value }}</code> or <code>{{ initial_vars.radius-large.name }}: {{ initial_vars.radius-large.value }}</code></li>
          </ul>
        </li>
        <li>
          <strong>Derived variables</strong> where variables are <strong>calculated</strong> from the values set in the previous file. For example, you can have:
          <ul>
            <li>
              <strong>Primary colors</strong> derived from the initial variables:
              <ul>
                <li><code>{{ derived_vars.primary.name }}: {{ derived_vars.primary.value }}</code></li>
                <li><code>{{ derived_vars.link.name }}: {{ derived_vars.link.value }}</code></li>
                <li><code>{{ derived_vars.info.name }}: {{ derived_vars.info.value }}</code></li>
                <li><code>{{ derived_vars.success.name }}: {{ derived_vars.success.value }}</code></li>
                <li><code>{{ derived_vars.warning.name }}: {{ derived_vars.warning.value }}</code></li>
                <li><code>{{ derived_vars.danger.name }}: {{ derived_vars.danger.value }}</code></li>
                <li><code>{{ derived_vars.dark.name }}: {{ derived_vars.dark.value }}</code></li>
                <li><code>{{ derived_vars.text.name }}: {{ derived_vars.text.value }}</code></li>
              </ul>
            </li>
            <li><code>{{ derived_vars.background.name }}: {{ derived_vars.background.value }}</code>: a general background color</li>
            <li><code>{{ derived_vars.link.name }}: {{ derived_vars.link.value }}</code>: the links use the primary color</li>
            <li><code>{{ derived_vars.family-primary.name }}: {{ derived_vars.family-primary.value }}</code>: the primary font family is the sans-serif one</li>
            <li>
              <strong>Lists and maps</strong> which are collections of already defined variables:
              <ul>
                <li><code>{{ derived_vars.colors.name }}: {{ derived_vars.colors.value }}</code></li>
                <li><code>{{ derived_vars.shades.name }}: {{ derived_vars.shades.value }}</code></li>
                <li><code>{{ derived_vars.sizes.name }}: {{ derived_vars.sizes.value }}</code></li>
              </ul>
            </li>
          </ul>
        </li>
      </ol>
      <p>
        To <strong>override</strong> any of these variables, just set them <em>before</em> importing Bulma.
      </p>
    </div>

    {% include anchor.html name="Initial variables" %}

    <div class="content">
      <p>
        These are <a href="{{ initial_variables.file_url }}" target="_blank">variables</a> with a <strong>literal</strong> value.
      </p>
    </div>

    <table class="table is-bordered is-striped">
      <tbody>
      {% for variable_hash in initial_vars %}
        {% assign variable    = variable_hash[1] %}
        {% assign starts_with = variable.value | slice: 0, 3 %}
        <tr>
          <td>
            <code style="white-space: nowrap;">{{ variable.name }}</code>
          </td>
          <td>
            {% if starts_with == 'hsl' %}
              <span class="bd-color" style="background: {{ variable.value }};"></span>
            {% endif %}
            <code>{{ variable.value }}</code>
          </td>
        </tr>
      {% endfor %}
      <tbody>
    </table>

    {% capture custom_message %}
      These are <a href="{{ derived_variables.file_url }}" target="_blank">variables</a> with a value that <strong>references</strong> another variable.
    {% endcapture %}
    {%
      include variables.html
        anchor_name    = 'Derived variables'
        data           = derived_variables
        custom_message = custom_message
        table_class    = 'is-bordered is-striped'
    %}

    {% capture custom_message %}
      You can use the following <a href="{{ site.data.variables.base.generic.file_url }}" target="_blank">generic variables</a> for general <strong>customization</strong>. Simply set one or multiple of these variables <em>before</em> importing Bulma. <a href="{{ site.url }}/documentation/overview/customize/">Learn how</a>.
    {% endcapture %}
    {%
      include variables.html
        anchor_name    = 'Generic variables'
        tab            = 'base'
        subtab         = 'generic'
        custom_message = custom_message
        table_class    = 'is-bordered is-striped'
    %}

  </div>
</section>