This template returns the element's legend color, to be used in HTML makeup:

• Some color codes are designed as fontcolor:

{{Element color|f-block}} → #9bff99

• Some return values are designed as full border settings:

{{Element color|Synthetic}} → 2px dotted #6e6e8e

Note: the true code returned is like: #ffc0c0; (# being "#"). This way, any HTML page will not use "#" to start a numbered list.

style=background attribute value

In code: style="background:{{element color|alkali metals}};"

•    s-block → #ff9999 
•    p-block → #fdff8c 
•    d-block → #99ccff 
•    f-block → #9bff99 
•    g-block → #fd99ff 
•    h-block → #7ed9d9 
•    i-block → #e0c880 

Theoretical elements (option, usually full color is used. See g-block):

•    s-block (predicted) → #ffcccc 
•    p-block (predicted) → #ffffbf 
•    d-block (predicted) → #c7eeff 
•    f-block (predicted) → #cdffcc 
•    g-block (predicted) → #febfff 

•    group 18 → #c0ffff Note: noble gases

•    Metal → #eee8aa 
•    Metalloid → #cccc99 
•    Non-metal → #b0e0e6 

•    saw-header → #b0e0e6 
•    saw → #e1fcff 
•    msi-header → #c3ffd8 
•    msi → #e1ffec 

msi = most stable isotope

•    Antiquity to Middle Ages → #ffb9b9 
•    Before 1800 → #dfcdff 
•    1800-1849 → #cbffb9 
•    1850-1899 → #b9ffe4 
•    1900-1949 → #ffe2b9 
•    1950-1999 → #fff6b9 
•    2000-present → #ffb9ef 

Used in: Valence (chemistry)#Maximum valences of the elements These colors correspond to the Alkali metal–noble gases range

•    0 → #c0ffff 
•    1 → #ff8989 
•    2 → #ffdead 
•    3 → #ffbfff 
•    4 → #cccccc 
•    5 → #cccc99 
•    6 → #a0ffa0 
•    7 → #ffff99 
•    8 → #d1ddff 
•    9 → #c6dd9d 
•    unknown valence → #ededed 

See Lists of metalloids § Chronological list

•    Metalloid citeclass 1of4 → #baffba Note: currently: 93%
•    Metalloid citeclass 2of4 → #badcff Note: currently: 44%
•    Metalloid citeclass 3of4 → #ffbadc Note: currently: 24%
•    Metalloid citeclass 4of4 → #ffffba Note: currently: 9%

style=border attribute value

In code: style="border:{{element color|synthetic}};"

•    Primordial → 2px solid #6e6e8e 
•    From decay → 2px dashed #6e6e8e Note: "Natural radio" deprecated
•    Synthetic → 2px dotted #6e6e8e 
•    Undiscovered → 2px solid transparent 
•    None → 2px solid transparent 

style=color attribute value

In code: style="color:{{element color|gas}};"

• A  Solid → #000000 
• A  Liquid → #000000 
• A  Gas → #000000 
• A  Unknown phase → #000000 

|1=not a color name |default=#aabbcc → #aabbcc (use # not #)

|1=not a color name |default=thistle → thistle

Usable in mainspace

•    White → #ffffff 
•    Unknown chemical properties → #e8e8e8  -- Category
• A  Unknown phase → #000000  -- State of Matter
•    Undiscovered → 2px solid transparent Note: Border -- Occurrence
•    none → 2px solid transparent Note: Border -- Occurrence

Used in: Wikipedia:WikiProject Elements/Articles/Periodic Table by Quality

•    aq-FA → #6699ff 
•    aq-A → #66ffff 
•    aq-GA → #55cc55 Note: Formal color is #66ff66
•    aq-B → #bcff66 Note: Formal color is #b2ff66
•    aq-C → #ffff66 
•    aq-Start → #ffaa66 
•    aq-Stub → #ff6666 

•    imp-Top → #ff00ff 
•    imp-High → #ff88ff 
•    imp-Mid → #ffbbff 
•    imp-Low → #ffddff 
•    imp-??? → #f8f9fa 
•    imp-n/a → #f5f5f5 

•    Black → #000000 
•    White → #ffffff 

•    blue → #0000ff 
•    green → #008000 
•    red → #ff0000 
•    yellow → #ffff00 

•    table title → #d8d8d8 
•    table header → #e0e0e0 
•    table colheader → #e8e8e8 
•    table mark → #f0f0f0 
•    table background → #f8f8f8 
•    table border → #a9a9a9 

Available background colors for periodic tables
Usage: {{Element color|table header}}

Specification (1st parameter)	Alternative specification	Returns color	Note
title	caption	#d8d8d8
header		#e0e0e0
colheader	rowheader, subheader	#e8e8e8
mark		#f0f0f0
background	bg	#f8f8f8	Also the default return value
border		#a9a9a9	Equals predefined color "grey"

The same colors, with the same key, may be hardcoded in templates and pages:

• See Category:Pages containing element color directly (6)
• {{Periodic table (32 columns, micro)/elementcell}}
• {{Periodic table (Goldschmidt classification)}} (cells, not the legend)
• {{Infobox element/symbol-to-occurrence/format2}}
• {{Infobox element/symbol-to-block/format2}}

Element color ID's used in mainspace (articles) but not in {{Element color}} are listed in Category:Element color has unknown ID (0); these articles show awarning in preview.

This template returns an RGB color number, for usage in css style setting (style="background:#ab23a6"). For certain input, a css fontcolor or border style is returned.

Template parameters[Edit template data]

Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Color class name	1	Predefined class name to return its legend color Example alkali metal	String	required

Those not for mainspace are kept in {{Element color/secondary}}

• {{element color/example}}
• {{element cell/overview}}