---
title: CSS Variables
description: Using token-aware CSS variables in Chakra UI
---

## Overview

CSS variables have become the defacto way to create shared values on the web.
It's very useful to avoid prop interpolations, classname regeneration, and
reduce runtime evaluation of token values.

## Examples

### Basic

Use the `css` prop to create css variables

```jsx
<Box css={{ "--font-size": "18px" }}>
  <h3 style={{ fontSize: "calc(var(--font-size) * 2)" }}>Hello</h3>
  <p style={{ fontSize: "var(--font-size)" }}>Hello</p>
</Box>
```

### Access tokens

Use the full token path to access tokens

```jsx
<Box css={{ "--color": "colors.red.500" }}>
  <p style={{ color: "var(--color)" }}>Hello</p>
</Box>
```

Here's an example of how to access size tokens

```jsx
<Box css={{ "--size": "sizes.10" }}>
  <p style={{ width: "var(--size)", height: "var(--size)" }}>Hello</p>
</Box>
```

### Responsive Styles

Use the responsive syntax to make css variables responsive

```jsx
<Box css={{ "--font-size": { base: "18px", lg: "24px" } }}>
  <h3 style={{ fontSize: "calc(var(--font-size) * 2)" }}>Hello</h3>
  <p style={{ fontSize: "var(--font-size)" }}>Hello</p>
</Box>
```

### Color Opacity Modifier

When accessing color tokens, you can use the opacity modifier to access the
color with an opacity. The requirement is to use the `{}` syntax.

```jsx
<Box css={{ "--color": "{colors.red.500/40}" }}>
  <p style={{ color: "var(--color)" }}>Hello</p>
</Box>
```

### Virtual Color

Variables can point to a virtual color via the `colors.colorPalette.*` value.
This is useful for creating theme components.

```jsx
<Box colorPalette="blue" css={{ "--color": "colors.colorPalette.400" }}>
  <p style={{ color: "var(--color)" }}>Hello</p>
</Box>
```
