How do I create a CSS gradient?

Choose a gradient type (linear, radial, or conic), add two or more color stops, and position each stop along the line from 0% to 100%. For linear and conic gradients you also set an angle. The generator writes the full `background: linear-gradient(...)` rule for you, which you paste straight into your CSS.

What is the difference between linear, radial, and conic gradients?

A linear gradient blends colors along a straight line at a chosen angle. A radial gradient blends outward from a center point in circles. A conic gradient sweeps colors around a center point like a color wheel or pie chart. All three are native CSS — no images required.

What does the gradient angle mean?

For a linear gradient, the angle sets the direction of the blend. 0deg goes bottom to top, 90deg goes left to right, and 180deg goes top to bottom. For a conic gradient, the angle sets the starting rotation of the color sweep.

How many color stops can a CSS gradient have?

CSS itself allows many stops, but two to four usually looks cleanest. This tool supports up to six stops, each with its own color picker and a position slider so you control exactly where each color sits.

Why does the tool show a contrast ratio?

The end-to-end contrast ratio compares the first and last stop using the WCAG relative-luminance formula. A high ratio means the two ends are visually distinct; a low ratio means a subtle blend. It also helps you decide whether dark or light text will read well on top of the gradient.

Are CSS gradients better than image backgrounds?

Usually yes. Gradients are vector-based, so they stay crisp at any size, add zero extra network requests, and can be animated or themed with CSS variables. Image backgrounds make sense only when you need photographic detail a gradient cannot reproduce.

DV · Development Engine

CSS Gradient Generator: Build Linear, Radial & Conic Gradients

Build beautiful CSS gradients without memorizing syntax. Choose linear, radial, or conic, add unlimited color stops, drag the angle, preview live, and copy the exact background rule. Includes HEX/RGB/HSL breakdowns and a WCAG contrast check.

Calcuva Analysis

CSS-GRADIENT-GENERATOR TOOL

July 29, 2026

Gradient Type

Angle90°

Color Stops

#ff512f0%

#dd2476100%

Presets

How to use this tool

Pick a Gradient Type

Choose Linear, Radial, or Conic — or click a preset to start from a ready-made palette you can tweak.

Set Colors & Stops

Use the color pickers to choose each stop, drag the position sliders to place them, and add or remove stops as needed.

Copy the CSS

Adjust the angle for linear and conic gradients, then click Copy to grab the full background rule for your stylesheet.

Pro Tip

Two or three well-placed stops almost always look cleaner than five. Check the end-to-end contrast ratio to decide whether dark or light text will read best on top.

Live Preview

Generated CSS

background: linear-gradient(90deg, #ff512f 0%, #dd2476 100%);

End-to-End Contrast

1.41:1

Low

Best Text

Light

#ffffff

Stops · HSL

#ff512frgb(255,81,47)hsl(10,100%,59%)

#dd2476rgb(221,36,118)hsl(333,73%,50%)

Design Gradients Without Memorizing Syntax

CSS gradients are one of the most powerful styling tools available, yet their syntax is easy to forget — the order of the angle, where the percentages go, the difference between circle and ellipse. This CSS gradient generator removes all of that friction. You build the gradient visually with color pickers and sliders, watch it update live in a large preview swatch, and copy the exact background rule when it looks right. It supports the three native gradient functions: linear-gradient, radial-gradient, and conic-gradient.

What This Tool Generates

Everything you change in the controls maps directly to real CSS. Pick a type, set an angle, drag your color stops, and the tool outputs a single line such as:

background: linear-gradient(90deg, #ff512f 0%, #dd2476 100%);

There are no vendor prefixes to worry about and no images to host — the gradient is pure CSS that renders identically across modern browsers. Paste it onto a div, a button, a hero section, or a ::before overlay.

A Worked Example: A Sunset Hero Background

Say you want a warm header background that fades from orange on the left to deep pink on the right. Start by selecting the Linear type. Set the angle to 90deg so the blend runs left to right. Give the first stop the color #ff512f at position 0%, and the second stop #dd2476 at 100%. The preview immediately shows the sunset blend, and the output reads:

background: linear-gradient(90deg, #ff512f 0%, #dd2476 100%);

Now suppose the middle looks too abrupt. Click Add Stop — the tool inserts a blended color halfway between your two existing stops, around #ee3a53 at 50%. Nudge its position slider to taste. With three stops the transition becomes smoother, and the copied CSS updates automatically. To turn the same palette into a glowing badge, switch the type to Radial and the color now beams outward from the center instead.

Reading the Color Analysis

Below the preview, the tool breaks down each stop in three formats: HEX, RGB, and HSL. This is handy when your design system stores colors in one format but your tooling expects another. HSL in particular makes it easy to see that two stops share a hue but differ in lightness.

The end-to-end contrast ratio uses the official WCAG relative-luminance calculation to compare your first and last stops. A ratio of 4.5:1 or higher means the two ends are strongly distinct; anything under 3:1 is a soft, low-contrast blend. The tool also recommends whether dark or light text will sit more legibly on top of the gradient, based on its average luminance — a small but important accessibility win.

Tips for Better Gradients

Limit your stops. Two or three colors usually look more refined than five competing ones.
Mind the hue path. Blending between opposite hues (red to green) can pass through muddy grays in the middle; add an intermediate stop to steer the transition.
Use conic for charts. A conic-gradient with hard stops is a quick way to fake a pie chart without any JavaScript.
Theme with variables. Once you have the rule, swap the hex values for CSS custom properties to support light and dark modes.

Where It Fits in Your Workflow

A gradient is rarely the last step. Once you have your background, pair this with the data visualizer to build charts that match your palette, or the social share preview tool to see how your gradient-backed card looks when shared. Bookmark this generator and you will never hand-write a gradient string again.

Common Questions

How to use this tool

Pick a Gradient Type

Set Colors & Stops

Copy the CSS

Design Gradients Without Memorizing Syntax

What This Tool Generates

A Worked Example: A Sunset Hero Background

Reading the Color Analysis

Tips for Better Gradients

Where It Fits in Your Workflow

Expert FAQ

01How do I create a CSS gradient?

02What is the difference between linear, radial, and conic gradients?

03What does the gradient angle mean?

04How many color stops can a CSS gradient have?

05Why does the tool show a contrast ratio?

06Are CSS gradients better than image backgrounds?