Sass' mixins are used to multiplex style blocks, suitable for scenarios where structure is fixed but parameter changes; functions are used to return values, suitable for calculation or conversion. 1. Mixins outputs CSS style, suitable for browser compatibility processing, componentization and layout encapsulation; 2. Functions returns colors, numbers and other values, and does not output CSS directly; 3. It is recommended to manage mixin and function files according to function classification and introduce them uniformly; 4. Use clear naming and annotations to improve readability; 5. Use Sass built-in functions such as lighten(), percentage(), etc. to simplify development. Mastering these two can significantly improve code quality and maintenance efficiency.
When writing CSS, it is common to repeat the code, especially when the style logic is complicated. Sass' mixins and functions are tools used to solve this problem, which can make our style sheets clearer and easier to maintain.

Let’s start from several practical perspectives to see how to use these two functions well.

What is Mixins? When should I use it?
Mixins is a feature provided by Sass that allows you to define a style block that can be reused in multiple places. You can understand it as a "style template", suitable for style combinations where structure is fixed but may require parameter changes.
For example: You want to add rounded corners and shadows to multiple elements, and write them manually every time -webkit-border-radius
or box-shadow
is not only troublesome but also prone to errors. You can use mixin at this time:

@mixin box-style($radius, $shadow) { border-radius: $radius; box-shadow: $shadow; }
Then call it in any selector:
.card { @include box-style(8px, 0 2px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.1)); }
Use scenarios include:
- Browser-compatible prefix processing
- Style componentization (such as buttons, cards)
- Layout-related structural packaging
What are Functions? What's the difference with Mixins?
Functions in Sass are mainly used to return a value instead of outputting CSS directly. If you want to do some calculations or process and return the result, function is a more suitable choice.
For example, we want to generate a light version based on a main color:
@function lighten-color($color, $amount) { @return lighten($color, $amount); }
Then use it like this:
$primary-color: #3498db; .button { background-color: lighten-color($primary-color, 20%); }
Summary of key differences:
- Mixin outputs CSS style code, function returns value (color, number, string, etc.)
- If you need to insert a set of style rules, use mixin; if you just do calculations or conversions, use function
Practical Tips: How to Organize Your Mixins and Functions
Centralized management of commonly used functions can improve development efficiency and avoid repeated labor. Suggested practices include:
- Classified by function : For example
_mixins/_buttons.scss
,_functions/_colors.scss
- Unified import entry files : Create a
main.scss
or_all.scss
to uniformly import all mixin and function files - Clear naming specifications : names like
text-truncate()
can be used at a glance, which is more intuitive thantxt-trunc()
Another tip: Don't be afraid to write comments. Although you know what this mixin is for, you may be confused when someone takes over it when he sees a sentence @include layout-flex()
.
Don't forget some practical functions built into Sass
Sass itself has built-in many practical functions, especially color processing, such as:
-
lighten()
/darken()
-
saturate()
/desaturate()
-
opacify()
/transparentize()
These can be used to dynamically adjust the color value without rebuilding the wheels yourself.
for example:
$base: #ff0000; $lighter: lighten($base, 20%); // Turns into a little pink red
There are also some numerical operation functions that are quite convenient, such as percentage()
, round()
, etc., which can be flexibly used in daily development.
Basically that's it. Mixins and functions are two very practical features of Sass. Mastering them well allows you to write cleaner, maintainable CSS code. It is not complicated, but it is easy to ignore details and accumulate slowly.
The above is the detailed content of Sass mixins and functions CSS tutorial. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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