Hold on to your paint buckets, folks! Today marks a historic moment for the site – the color search function (first introduced almost 20 years ago at this site) is now integrated in WordPress and just got even better. Sure, you might argue that a color search tool, which not only helps you find colors by name or hex code but also changes the entire website theme to match the first and best match, is utterly useless. And you’d be right! But in the spirit of embracing life’s little absurdities, it is delightful.

Imagine typing in “coral” or “#ff7f50“, and before you know it, the website transforms into a dazzling display of that hue. Could this feature help you make better life choices? No. Will it improve your productivity? Absolutely not. But it sure does bring your browsing experience into perfect (dis)harmony with the overall chaotic “charm” of the site.

But wait, there’s more! Because who doesn’t want more meaningless, colorful fun? Now, if you search for multiple hex colors, the magic goes even further. The system will identify your colors as a palette, as if by some miracle of modern technology, and will proudly offer you the chance to export that palette in a variety of formats that, in a surprising twist, might actually be useful. Behold your options:

  • GIMP Palette: For the GIMP aficionados, export your palette to work seamlessly with the open-source editor. If you don’t have it already get GIMP here.
  • PNG Palette Image: Sure, it’s just a pretty picture of your palette, but this PNG can also be imported into several apps, including GIMP, as a palette. Double win!
  • Adobe ASE Palette: Fancy using Adobe products? The Adobe Swatch Exchange (.ase) file is a binary file that works with all the posh Adobe tools.
  • Plain Text (RGB): Need those RGB values in a basic text file? Done. It’s simple, it’s effective, and it’s probably the least exciting option -but hey, it’s there.
  • JSON Format: Now we’re talking data! Get all the juicy details – description, RGB, XYZ, and CIELAB values for each color – in a neat JSON file. For when you need to sound smart at parties.
  • XML (aRGB): And here’s the kicker – a surprisingly useful XML resource file with color values in aRGB format. This one actually might have practical value, which, frankly, caught me all off guard.

So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead, search for “hot pink” or “#00FF00 #FF9900 #0099FF“, throw in a few more hex codes, and watch in awe as the site molds itself into your custom palette – because sometimes, the most beautiful things in life are the ones that make the least sense… until suddenly, they do.