Linear Color Psychology & Meaning
Linear's subtle purple signals focused productivity. It's not excited or urgent — it's the color of deep work and quiet progress. The palette matches the tool's philosophy.
#FFFFFF
#5E6AD2
#1A1A2E
#6B7280
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Linear Color Palette
#FFFFFF · #5E6AD2 · #1A1A2E · #6B7280
AA
WCAG Grade
4.8:1
Contrast Ratio
2,700
Saves
6,900
AI Copies
Use #FFFFFF as the background. Use #5E6AD2 as the primary accent. Use #1A1A2E as secondary. Use #6B7280 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Linear — cool, night, minimal.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Linear color scheme. Use these values for web design (HEX/RGB), print projects (CMYK), or specialized design software (HSL).
| Swatch | Design Role | HEX | RGB | CMYK | HSL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background Luminance: 100.0% | 255, 255, 255 | 0%, 0%, 0%, 0% | 0°, 0%, 100% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 17.3% | 94, 106, 210 | 55%, 50%, 0%, 18% | 234°, 56%, 60% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 1.2% | 26, 26, 46 | 43%, 43%, 0%, 82% | 240°, 28%, 14% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 16.7% | 107, 114, 128 | 16%, 11%, 0%, 50% | 220°, 9%, 46% |
Linear Tints & Shades
Hover states, borders and elevation need lighter and darker steps of your base colors. Here are computed tints and shades for every color in the Linear palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#FFFFFF neutral gray
#5E6AD2 gently saturated blue
#1A1A2E gently saturated blue
#6B7280 muted blue
Linear Palette Contrast Matrix (WCAG 2.1)
Every color tested as text on every other color as background. Body copy needs 4.5:1 (AA), large text and UI components 3:1. AAA requires 7:1.
| Text on Background | Preview | Ratio | Grade | Safe For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1A1A2E on #FFFFFF |
Aa Sample Text
| 17.06:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #FFFFFF on #1A1A2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 17.06:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #6B7280 on #FFFFFF |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.83:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #FFFFFF on #6B7280 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.83:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #5E6AD2 on #FFFFFF |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.70:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #FFFFFF on #5E6AD2 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.70:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #1A1A2E on #5E6AD2 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.63:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #5E6AD2 on #1A1A2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.63:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #6B7280 on #1A1A2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.53:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #1A1A2E on #6B7280 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.53:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #6B7280 on #5E6AD2 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.03:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E6AD2 on #6B7280 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.03:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Triadic Scheme
The Linear palette is built using a triadic relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
Hue Wheel
A triadic palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.
History & Design Context
Linear launched 2019 and became beloved by product teams. The measured purple palette reflected the founders' belief that good software should be calm, not stimulating.
Best Design Use Cases
Purple for active states and brand identity. Very dark navy for the primary UI surface. White for content.
Industries This Palette Suits
Project management, issue tracking, product development.
Colors That Pair Well With Linear
Need a fifth color? These three companions are computed from the palette's own hue positions on the color wheel, so they extend the scheme without breaking its harmony.
yellow
directly opposite #5E6AD2 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
violet
30° beside #5E6AD2 — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
tinted neutral
a ink-black carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Linear Without Breaking Accessibility
- Use #5E6AD2 for buttons and links — it scores 4.7:1 against the #FFFFFF background (above the 3:1 UI-components threshold).
- Set body text in #6B7280 — 4.8:1 against #FFFFFF passes WCAG AA (AA) for long-form reading.
- Let #1A1A2E carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a deep lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #5E6AD2.
How to Implement the Linear Color Scheme
To use this Linear color palette in your web project, you can copy the following CSS variables or Tailwind CSS configuration. These roles ensure your UI maintains accessibility and visual hierarchy.
Option 1: CSS Variables
:root {
/* {name} Palette - ihatecolors.com */{'
'} --color-bg: {colors[0]};{'
'} --color-primary: {colors[1]};{'
'} --color-secondary: {colors[2]};{'
'} --color-text: {colors[3]};{'
'} {'}'}Web Design Tip
Use #FFFFFF for the main background and #5E6AD2 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #6B7280 and #FFFFFF is 4.83:1 (AA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Linear Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Linear color palette?
The Linear palette contains #FFFFFF, #5E6AD2, #1A1A2E, #6B7280. Click any swatch on this page to copy its value, or export all four at once as CSS variables, Tailwind config, SCSS or a Figma-ready list.
Is the Linear color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #1A1A2E on #FFFFFF reaches 17.1:1 (AAA). For body text always keep a 4.5:1 ratio and for large UI elements 3:1 — the full contrast matrix above shows the exact score for every color-on-color combination in this palette.
What colors go well with the Linear palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #D2C760, #906AC8, #151414 extend it naturally: the complementary hue for high-energy accents, an analogous neighbor for calm transitions, and a tinted neutral for surfaces. All three are computed from this palette's hues on the color wheel.
What mood does the Linear palette create?
Linear reads as cool, night, minimal. Gently saturated blue drives the personality, grounded by neutral gray — a combination that works best when the very light base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Linear color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Linear palette is free for personal, client and commercial work — websites, branding, apps, print and social content, with no attribution required.
How do I add the Linear palette to Tailwind or CSS?
Use the export panel on this page: CSS variables, a Tailwind config block, SCSS variables, or a Figma copy list are generated from Linear's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.