background-color : Background Color Property

The background-color property sets the background color of an element in PDF documents. This property is essential for creating visual distinction, highlighting content areas, and establishing document aesthetics.

On this page

Usage
Supported Values
Supported Elements
Notes
Data Binding
Examples
See Also

Usage

selector {
    background-color: value;
}

The background-color property accepts multiple value formats including named colors, hexadecimal notation, RGB/RGBA functions, and the transparent keyword.

Supported Values

Named Colors

Standard CSS color names such as red, blue, green, white, lightgray, etc.

Hexadecimal Colors

Short form: #RGB (e.g., #f0f for magenta)
Long form: #RRGGBB (e.g., #ff00ff for magenta)

RGB/RGBA Functions

RGB: rgb(red, green, blue) where values are 0-255
RGBA: rgba(red, green, blue, alpha) where alpha is 0.0-1.0 for transparency

Transparent

transparent - Makes the background fully transparent (equivalent to rgba(0,0,0,0))

Supported Elements

The background-color property can be applied to:

Block elements (<div>, <section>, <article>)
Paragraphs (<p>)
Headings (<h1> through <h6>)
Table cells (<td>, <th>)
Table rows (<tr>)
Lists (<ul>, <ol>)
List items (<li>)
All container elements

Notes

Background colors fill the entire content area including padding but not margin
RGBA values enable semi-transparent backgrounds that blend with underlying content
The transparent keyword is useful for explicitly removing backgrounds
Background colors do not inherit from parent elements
Multiple overlapping elements with RGBA backgrounds create layered transparency effects
Background colors are rendered behind text and other content
PDF rendering maintains exact color fidelity across all viewers
For printed documents, consider color contrast and readability

Data Binding

The background-color property can be dynamically set using data binding expressions, enabling background colors to change based on model data, status conditions, or configuration settings.

Example 1: Dynamic status backgrounds in reports

<style>
    .status-badge {
        display: inline-block;
        padding: 6pt 12pt;
        border-radius: 4pt;
        color: white;
        font-weight: bold;
    }
</style>
<body>
    {{#each transactions}}
    <div class="status-badge" style="background-color: {{statusColor}}">
        {{status}}
    </div>
    {{/each}}
</body>

With model data:

{
    "transactions": [
        { "status": "Approved", "statusColor": "#16a34a" },
        { "status": "Pending", "statusColor": "#f59e0b" },
        { "status": "Rejected", "statusColor": "#dc2626" }
    ]
}

Example 2: Conditional highlighting based on thresholds

<style>
    .data-cell {
        padding: 8pt;
        text-align: right;
    }
</style>
<body>
    <table>
        <thead>
            <tr>
                <th>Department</th>
                <th>Budget Usage</th>
            </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
            {{#each departments}}
            <tr>
                <td>{{name}}</td>
                <td class="data-cell" style="background-color: {{usage > 90 ? '#fee2e2' : usage > 75 ? '#fef3c7' : '#dcfce7'}}">
                    {{usage}}%
                </td>
            </tr>
            {{/each}}
        </tbody>
    </table>
</body>

Example 3: Themed sections with brand colors

<style>
    .section {
        padding: 20pt;
        margin-bottom: 15pt;
    }
    .section-title {
        font-size: 18pt;
        font-weight: bold;
        margin-bottom: 10pt;
    }
</style>
<body>
    <div class="section" style="background-color: {{branding.primaryBackground}}">
        <h2 class="section-title" style="color: {{branding.primaryText}}">Executive Summary</h2>
        <p style="color: {{branding.primaryText}}">{{summary.executive}}</p>
    </div>

    <div class="section" style="background-color: {{branding.secondaryBackground}}">
        <h2 class="section-title" style="color: {{branding.secondaryText}}">Financial Overview</h2>
        <p style="color: {{branding.secondaryText}}">{{summary.financial}}</p>
    </div>
</body>

With configuration:

{
    "branding": {
        "primaryBackground": "#dbeafe",
        "primaryText": "#1e40af",
        "secondaryBackground": "#dcfce7",
        "secondaryText": "#166534"
    }
}

Examples

Example 1: Basic background color

<style>
    .highlight-box {
        background-color: lightyellow;
        padding: 10pt;
    }
</style>
<body>
    <div class="highlight-box">
        <p>This content has a light yellow background.</p>
    </div>
</body>

Example 2: Hexadecimal background

<style>
    .info-panel {
        background-color: #e0f2fe;
        padding: 12pt;
        border: 1pt solid #0369a1;
    }
</style>
<body>
    <div class="info-panel">
        <p>Information panel with light blue background</p>
    </div>
</body>

Example 3: Contrasting backgrounds

<style>
    .dark-section {
        background-color: #1f2937;
        color: white;
        padding: 15pt;
    }
    .light-section {
        background-color: #f9fafb;
        color: #111827;
        padding: 15pt;
    }
</style>
<body>
    <div class="dark-section">
        <h2>Dark Theme Section</h2>
        <p>White text on dark background</p>
    </div>
    <div class="light-section">
        <h2>Light Theme Section</h2>
        <p>Dark text on light background</p>
    </div>
</body>

Example 4: RGBA transparency

<style>
    .overlay {
        background-color: rgba(0, 0, 255, 0.2);
        padding: 10pt;
    }
</style>
<body>
    <div class="overlay">
        <p>This has a semi-transparent blue background</p>
    </div>
</body>

Example 5: Table row alternating colors

<style>
    table {
        width: 100%;
        border-collapse: collapse;
    }
    tr:nth-child(even) {
        background-color: #f3f4f6;
    }
    tr:nth-child(odd) {
        background-color: white;
    }
    td {
        padding: 8pt;
    }
</style>
<body>
    <table>
        <tr><td>Row 1</td><td>Data 1</td></tr>
        <tr><td>Row 2</td><td>Data 2</td></tr>
        <tr><td>Row 3</td><td>Data 3</td></tr>
        <tr><td>Row 4</td><td>Data 4</td></tr>
    </table>
</body>

Example 6: Colored table headers

<style>
    .table-header {
        background-color: #1e40af;
        color: white;
        padding: 10pt;
        font-weight: bold;
    }
    .table-cell {
        background-color: white;
        padding: 8pt;
        border: 1pt solid #d1d5db;
    }
</style>
<body>
    <table>
        <thead>
            <tr>
                <th class="table-header">Product</th>
                <th class="table-header">Price</th>
            </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
            <tr>
                <td class="table-cell">Widget</td>
                <td class="table-cell">$29.99</td>
            </tr>
        </tbody>
    </table>
</body>

Example 7: Alert boxes with semantic colors

<style>
    .alert {
        padding: 12pt;
        margin: 8pt 0;
        border-radius: 4pt;
    }
    .alert-success {
        background-color: #dcfce7;
        color: #166534;
        border: 1pt solid #16a34a;
    }
    .alert-warning {
        background-color: #fef3c7;
        color: #92400e;
        border: 1pt solid #f59e0b;
    }
    .alert-error {
        background-color: #fee2e2;
        color: #991b1b;
        border: 1pt solid #dc2626;
    }
</style>
<body>
    <div class="alert alert-success">
        <strong>Success!</strong> Your changes have been saved.
    </div>
    <div class="alert alert-warning">
        <strong>Warning!</strong> Please review your input.
    </div>
    <div class="alert alert-error">
        <strong>Error!</strong> Something went wrong.
    </div>
</body>

<style>
    .container {
        display: table;
        width: 100%;
    }
    .sidebar {
        display: table-cell;
        width: 150pt;
        background-color: #f3f4f6;
        padding: 12pt;
    }
    .content {
        display: table-cell;
        background-color: white;
        padding: 12pt;
    }
</style>
<body>
    <div class="container">
        <div class="sidebar">
            <h3>Navigation</h3>
            <p>Menu items here</p>
        </div>
        <div class="content">
            <h1>Main Content</h1>
            <p>Document content here</p>
        </div>
    </div>
</body>

Example 9: Highlighted text with background

<style>
    .highlight-yellow {
        background-color: #fef08a;
        padding: 2pt 4pt;
    }
    .highlight-green {
        background-color: #bbf7d0;
        padding: 2pt 4pt;
    }
    .highlight-blue {
        background-color: #bfdbfe;
        padding: 2pt 4pt;
    }
</style>
<body>
    <p>
        This is normal text with
        <span class="highlight-yellow">yellow highlighted</span>,
        <span class="highlight-green">green highlighted</span>, and
        <span class="highlight-blue">blue highlighted</span> sections.
    </p>
</body>

Example 10: Invoice header with branding

<style>
    .invoice-header {
        background-color: #1e3a8a;
        color: white;
        padding: 20pt;
    }
    .invoice-title {
        font-size: 24pt;
        font-weight: bold;
        margin: 0;
    }
    .invoice-subtitle {
        font-size: 12pt;
        margin: 4pt 0 0 0;
    }
</style>
<body>
    <div class="invoice-header">
        <h1 class="invoice-title">INVOICE</h1>
        <p class="invoice-subtitle">Invoice #INV-2025-001</p>
    </div>
</body>

Example 11: Layered backgrounds with transparency

<style>
    .base-layer {
        background-color: #3b82f6;
        padding: 20pt;
    }
    .middle-layer {
        background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.5);
        padding: 15pt;
    }
    .top-layer {
        background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
        padding: 10pt;
    }
</style>
<body>
    <div class="base-layer">
        <div class="middle-layer">
            <div class="top-layer">
                <p>Multiple semi-transparent layers create depth</p>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
</body>

Example 12: Quote block styling

<style>
    .quote-block {
        background-color: #f5f5f5;
        border-left: 4pt solid #6366f1;
        padding: 12pt 12pt 12pt 16pt;
        font-style: italic;
    }
    .quote-author {
        background-color: transparent;
        color: #6b7280;
        font-size: 10pt;
        margin-top: 8pt;
    }
</style>
<body>
    <div class="quote-block">
        <p>"The best way to predict the future is to invent it."</p>
        <p class="quote-author">— Alan Kay</p>
    </div>
</body>

Example 13: Data grid with colored cells

<style>
    .data-grid {
        width: 100%;
        border-collapse: collapse;
    }
    .cell-positive {
        background-color: #d1fae5;
        color: #065f46;
        padding: 6pt;
    }
    .cell-negative {
        background-color: #fee2e2;
        color: #991b1b;
        padding: 6pt;
    }
    .cell-neutral {
        background-color: #f3f4f6;
        color: #374151;
        padding: 6pt;
    }
</style>
<body>
    <table class="data-grid">
        <tr>
            <td class="cell-positive">+12.5%</td>
            <td class="cell-negative">-3.2%</td>
            <td class="cell-neutral">0.0%</td>
        </tr>
    </table>
</body>

Example 14: Report sections with color coding

<style>
    .section {
        padding: 15pt;
        margin-bottom: 10pt;
    }
    .executive-summary {
        background-color: #dbeafe;
        border-left: 4pt solid #2563eb;
    }
    .financial-data {
        background-color: #dcfce7;
        border-left: 4pt solid #16a34a;
    }
    .recommendations {
        background-color: #fef3c7;
        border-left: 4pt solid #f59e0b;
    }
</style>
<body>
    <div class="section executive-summary">
        <h2>Executive Summary</h2>
        <p>Overview of key findings...</p>
    </div>
    <div class="section financial-data">
        <h2>Financial Data</h2>
        <p>Detailed financial information...</p>
    </div>
    <div class="section recommendations">
        <h2>Recommendations</h2>
        <p>Strategic recommendations...</p>
    </div>
</body>

Example 15: Business card layout

<style>
    .business-card {
        width: 250pt;
        height: 150pt;
        background-color: #0f172a;
        color: white;
        padding: 15pt;
    }
    .card-name {
        font-size: 16pt;
        font-weight: bold;
        margin-bottom: 5pt;
    }
    .card-title {
        font-size: 11pt;
        color: #94a3b8;
        margin-bottom: 10pt;
    }
    .card-contact {
        font-size: 9pt;
        background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
        padding: 6pt;
    }
</style>
<body>
    <div class="business-card">
        <div class="card-name">John Smith</div>
        <div class="card-title">Senior Developer</div>
        <div class="card-contact">
            john.smith@example.com<br/>
            +1 (555) 123-4567
        </div>
    </div>
</body>