--- title: Functions layout: documentation doc-tab: overview doc-subtab: functions --- {% include subnav-overview.html %}

# Functions

## Utility functions to calculate colors and other values

Bulma uses 3 custom functions to help define the values and colors dynamically:

- `powerNumber($number, $exp)`: calculates the value of a number exposed to another one. Returns a number.
- `colorLuminance($color)`: defines if a color is dark or light. Return a decimal number between 0 and 1 where <= 0.5 is dark and > 0.5 is light.
- `findColorInvert($color)`: returns either 70% transparent black or 100% opaque white depending on the luminance of the color.

{% include anchor.html name="The `findColorInvert()` function" %}

The `findColorInvert($color)` function takes a color as an input, and outputs either transparent black `rgba(#000, 0.7)` or white `#fff`:

- if `colorLuminance($color) > 0.55`, it outputs `rgba(#000, 0.7)`
- otherwise, it outputs `#fff`

Its purpose is to guarantee a readable shade for the text when the input color is used as the background.

color | color luminance | findColorInvert() | result
--- | --- | --- | ---
`#00d1b2` | `0.52831` | `#fff` | Button
`#3273dc` | `0.23119` | `#fff` | Button
`#23d160` | `0.51067` | `#fff` | Button
`#ffdd57` | `0.76863` | `rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7)` | Button
`#ff3860` | `0.27313` | `#fff` | Button
`#ffb3b3` | `0.61796` | `rgba(0,0,0,0.7)` | Button
`#ffbc6b` | `0.63053` | `rgba(0,0,0,0.7)` | Button
`hsl(294, 71%, 79%)` | `0.5529` | `rgba(0,0,0,0.7)` | Button

For colors that have a luminance close to the `0.55` threshold, it can be useful to override the `findColorInvert()` function, and rather set the invert color manually.
For example, this shade of purple has a color luminance of `0.5529`. It can be preferable to set a color invert of white instead of transparent black:

with `findColorInvert()` | `$purple-invert: findColorInvert($purple)` | `rgba(0,0,0,0.7)` | Button
with manual setting | `$purple-invert: #fff` | `#fff` | Button