HSL to RGB color conversion

Question

I am looking for a JavaScript / PHP algorithm to convert between HSL color to RGB.

It seems to me that HSL is not very widely used so I am not having much luck search

Answer 1

This is how I do it which is easy to remember is to think of RGB as three spokes on a wheel, 120 degrees apart.

H = hue (0-360)
S = saturation (0-1)
L = luminance (0-1)

R1 = SIN( H ) * L 
G1 = SIN( H + 120 ) * L 
B1 = SIN( H + 240 ) * L 

The tricky part is saturation, which is to a scale down to the average of those three.

AVERAGE = (R1 + G1 + B1) / 3 

R2 = ((R1 - AVERAGE) * S) + AVERAGE 
G2 = ((G1 - AVERAGE) * S) + AVERAGE 
B2 = ((B1 - AVERAGE) * S) + AVERAGE 

RED = R2 * 255 
GREEN = G2 * 255 
BLUE = B2 * 255 

Answer 2

If you're looking for something that definitely conforms with the CSS semantics for HSL and RGB, you could use the algorithm specified in the CSS 3 specification, which reads:

HOW TO RETURN hsl.to.rgb(h, s, l): 
   SELECT: 
      l<=0.5: PUT l*(s+1) IN m2
      ELSE: PUT l+s-l*s IN m2
   PUT l*2-m2 IN m1
   PUT hue.to.rgb(m1, m2, h+1/3) IN r
   PUT hue.to.rgb(m1, m2, h    ) IN g
   PUT hue.to.rgb(m1, m2, h-1/3) IN b
   RETURN (r, g, b)

HOW TO RETURN hue.to.rgb(m1, m2, h): 
   IF h<0: PUT h+1 IN h
   IF h>1: PUT h-1 IN h
   IF h*6<1: RETURN m1+(m2-m1)*h*6
   IF h*2<1: RETURN m2
   IF h*3<2: RETURN m1+(m2-m1)*(2/3-h)*6
   RETURN m1

I believe this is the source for some of the other answers here.

Answer 3

Php Implementation of Chris's C# Code

Also from here, which explains the math of it very well.

This is basically a bunch of functions to convert to and from HSL (Hue Saturation Lightness)

Tested and working on PHP 5.6.15

TL;DR: The full code can be found here on Pastebin.

---

Hex to HSL

Input: Hex color in format: [#]0f4 or [#]00ff44 (pound sign optional)
Output: HSL in Degrees, Percent, Percent

/**
 * Input: hex color
 * Output: hsl(in ranges from 0-1)
 * 
 * Takes the hex, converts it to RGB, and sends
 * it to RGBToHsl.  Returns the output.
 * 
*/
function hexToHsl($hex) {
    $r = "";
    $g = "";
    $b = "";

    $hex = str_replace('#', '', $hex);

    if (strlen($hex) == 3) {
        $r = substr($hex, 0, 1);
        $r = $r . $r;
        $g = substr($hex, 1, 1);
        $g = $g . $g;
        $b = substr($hex, 2, 1);
        $b = $b . $b;
    } elseif (strlen($hex) == 6) {
        $r = substr($hex, 0, 2);
        $g = substr($hex, 2, 2);
        $b = substr($hex, 4, 2);
    } else {
        return false;
    }

    $r = hexdec($r);
    $g = hexdec($g);
    $b = hexdec($b);

    $hsl =  rgbToHsl($r,$g,$b);
    return $hsl;
}

RGB to HSL

Input: RGB in range 0-255 Output: HSL in Degrees, Percent, Percent.

/**
 * 
 *Credits:
 * https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4793729/rgb-to-hsl-and-back-calculation-problems
 * http://www.niwa.nu/2013/05/math-behind-colorspace-conversions-rgb-hsl/
 *
 * Called by hexToHsl by default.
 *
 * Converts an RGB color value to HSL. Conversion formula
 * adapted from http://www.niwa.nu/2013/05/math-behind-colorspace-conversions-rgb-hsl/.
 * Assumes r, g, and b are contained in the range [0 - 255] and
 * returns h, s, and l in the format Degrees, Percent, Percent.
 *
 * @param   Number  r       The red color value
 * @param   Number  g       The green color value
 * @param   Number  b       The blue color value
 * @return  Array           The HSL representation
*/
function rgbToHsl($r, $g, $b){  
    //For the calculation, rgb needs to be in the range from 0 to 1. To convert, divide by 255 (ff). 
    $r /= 255;
    $g /= 255;
    $b /= 255;

    $myMax = max($r, $g, $b);
    $myMin = min($r, $g, $b);

    $maxAdd = ($myMax + $myMin);
    $maxSub = ($myMax - $myMin);

    //luminence is (max + min)/2
    $h = 0;
    $s = 0;
    $l = ($maxAdd / 2.0);

    //if all the numbers are equal, there is no saturation (greyscale).
    if($myMin != $myMax){
        if ($l < 0.5) {
            $s = ($maxSub / $maxAdd);
        } else {
            $s = (2.0 - $myMax - $myMin); //note order of opperations - can't use $maxSub here
            $s = ($maxSub / $s);
        }

        //find hue
        switch($myMax){
            case $r: 
                $h = ($g - $b);
                $h = ($h / $maxSub);
                break;
            case $g: 
                $h = ($b - $r); 
                $h = ($h / $maxSub);
                $h = ($h + 2.0);
                break;
            case $b: 
                $h = ($r - $g);
                $h = ($h / $maxSub); 
                $h = ($h + 4.0);
                break;
        } 
    }

    $hsl = hslToDegPercPerc($h, $s, $l);
    return $hsl;
}

HSL (0-1 range) to Degrees, Percent, Percent format

For the math calculations, HSL is easier to deal with in the 0-1 range, but for human readability, it's easier in Degrees, Percent, Percent. This function takes HSL in the ranges 0-1, and returns HSL in Degrees, Percent, Percent.

/**
 * Input: HSL in ranges 0-1.
 * Output: HSL in format Deg, Perc, Perc.
 * 
 * Note: rgbToHsl calls this function by default.
 * 
 * Multiplies $h by 60, and $s and $l by 100.
 */
function hslToDegPercPerc($h, $s, $l) {
    //convert h to degrees
    $h *= 60;

    if ($h < 0) {
        $h += 360;
    }

    //convert s and l to percentage
    $s *= 100;
    $l *= 100;

    $hsl['h'] = $h;
    $hsl['s'] = $s;
    $hsl['l'] = $l;
    return $hsl;
}

HSL (Degrees, Percent, Percent format) to HSL in range 0-1

This function converts HSL in the format Degrees, Percent, Percent, to the ranges 0-1 for easier computing.

/**
 * Input: HSL in format Deg, Perc, Perc
 * Output: An array containing HSL in ranges 0-1
 * 
 * Divides $h by 60, and $s and $l by 100.
 * 
 * hslToRgb calls this by default.
*/
function degPercPercToHsl($h, $s, $l) { 
    //convert h, s, and l back to the 0-1 range

    //convert the hue's 360 degrees in a circle to 1
    $h /= 360;

    //convert the saturation and lightness to the 0-1 
    //range by multiplying by 100
    $s /= 100;
    $l /= 100;

    $hsl['h'] =  $h;
    $hsl['s'] = $s;
    $hsl['l'] = $l;

    return $hsl;
}

HSL to RGB

Input: HSL in the format Degrees, Percent, Percent Output: RGB in the format 255, 255, 255.

/**
 * Converts an HSL color value to RGB. Conversion formula
 * adapted from http://www.niwa.nu/2013/05/math-behind-colorspace-conversions-rgb-hsl/.
 * Assumes h, s, and l are in the format Degrees,
 * Percent, Percent, and returns r, g, and b in 
 * the range [0 - 255].
 *
 * Called by hslToHex by default.
 *
 * Calls: 
 *   degPercPercToHsl
 *   hueToRgb
 *
 * @param   Number  h       The hue value
 * @param   Number  s       The saturation level
 * @param   Number  l       The luminence
 * @return  Array           The RGB representation
 */
function hslToRgb($h, $s, $l){
    $hsl = degPercPercToHsl($h, $s, $l);
    $h = $hsl['h'];
    $s = $hsl['s'];
    $l = $hsl['l'];

    //If there's no saturation, the color is a greyscale,
    //so all three RGB values can be set to the lightness.
    //(Hue doesn't matter, because it's grey, not color)
    if ($s == 0) {
        $r = $l * 255;
        $g = $l * 255;
        $b = $l * 255;
    }
    else {
        //calculate some temperary variables to make the 
        //calculation eaisier.
        if ($l < 0.5) {
            $temp2 = $l * (1 + $s);
        } else {
            $temp2 = ($l + $s) - ($s * $l);
        }
        $temp1 = 2 * $l - $temp2;

        //run the calculated vars through hueToRgb to
        //calculate the RGB value.  Note that for the Red
        //value, we add a third (120 degrees), to adjust 
        //the hue to the correct section of the circle for
        //red.  Simalarly, for blue, we subtract 1/3.
        $r = 255 * hueToRgb($temp1, $temp2, $h + (1 / 3));
        $g = 255 * hueToRgb($temp1, $temp2, $h);
        $b = 255 * hueToRgb($temp1, $temp2, $h - (1 / 3));
    }

    $rgb['r'] = $r;
    $rgb['g'] = $g;
    $rgb['b'] = $b;

    return $rgb;
}

Hue to RGB

This function is called by hslToRgb to convert the hue into the separate RGB values.

/**
 * Converts an HSL hue to it's RGB value.  
 *
 * Input: $temp1 and $temp2 - temperary vars based on 
 * whether the lumanence is less than 0.5, and 
 * calculated using the saturation and luminence
 * values.
 *  $hue - the hue (to be converted to an RGB 
 * value)  For red, add 1/3 to the hue, green 
 * leave it alone, and blue you subtract 1/3 
 * from the hue.
 *
 * Output: One RGB value.
 *
 * Thanks to Easy RGB for this function (Hue_2_RGB).
 * http://www.easyrgb.com/index.php?X=MATH&$h=19#text19
 *
*/
function hueToRgb($temp1, $temp2, $hue) {
    if ($hue < 0) { 
        $hue += 1;
    }
    if ($hue > 1) {
        $hue -= 1;
    }

    if ((6 * $hue) < 1 ) {
        return ($temp1 + ($temp2 - $temp1) * 6 * $hue);
    } elseif ((2 * $hue) < 1 ) {
        return $temp2;
    } elseif ((3 * $hue) < 2 ) {
        return ($temp1 + ($temp2 - $temp1) * ((2 / 3) - $hue) * 6);
    }
    return $temp1;
}

HSL to Hex

Input: HSL in format Degrees, Percent, Percent Output: Hex in format 00ff22 (no pound sign).

Converts to RGB, then converts separately to hex.

/**
 * Converts HSL to Hex by converting it to 
 * RGB, then converting that to hex.
 * 
 * string hslToHex($h, $s, $l[, $prependPound = true]
 * 
 * $h is the Degrees value of the Hue
 * $s is the Percentage value of the Saturation
 * $l is the Percentage value of the Lightness
 * $prependPound is a bool, whether you want a pound 
 *  sign prepended. (optional - default=true)
 *
 * Calls: 
 *   hslToRgb
 *
 * Output: Hex in the format: #00ff88 (with 
 * pound sign).  Rounded to the nearest whole
 * number.
*/
function hslToHex($h, $s, $l, $prependPound = true) {
    //convert hsl to rgb
    $rgb = hslToRgb($h,$s,$l);

    //convert rgb to hex
    $hexR = $rgb['r'];
    $hexG = $rgb['g'];
    $hexB = $rgb['b'];

    //round to the nearest whole number
    $hexR = round($hexR);
    $hexG = round($hexG);
    $hexB = round($hexB);

    //convert to hex
    $hexR = dechex($hexR);
    $hexG = dechex($hexG);
    $hexB = dechex($hexB);

    //check for a non-two string length
    //if it's 1, we can just prepend a
    //0, but if it is anything else non-2,
    //it must return false, as we don't 
    //know what format it is in.
    if (strlen($hexR) != 2) {
        if (strlen($hexR) == 1) {
            //probably in format #0f4, etc.
            $hexR = "0" . $hexR;
        } else {
            //unknown format
            return false;
        }
    }
    if (strlen($hexG) != 2) {
        if (strlen($hexG) == 1) {
            $hexG = "0" . $hexG;
        } else {
            return false;
        }
    }
    if (strlen($hexB) != 2) {
        if (strlen($hexB) == 1) {
            $hexB = "0" . $hexB;
        } else {
            return false;
        }
    }

    //if prependPound is set, will prepend a
    //# sign to the beginning of the hex code.
    //(default = true)
    $hex = "";
    if ($prependPound) {
        $hex = "#";
    }

    $hex = $hex . $hexR . $hexG . $hexB;

    return $hex;
}