Functions in SCSS

Functions and operations in Sass allow for computing and

iterating on styles.
With Sass functions you can:
Operate on color values
Iterate on lists and maps
Apply styles based on conditions
Assign values that result from math operations
This lesson will focus on unlocking their power!

Arithmetic and Color

As mentioned, Sass specifically comes equipped with functions that
make working with colors easier.
The alpha parameter in a color like RGBA or HSLA is a mask
denoting opacity. It specifies how one color should be merged with
another when the two are on top of each other.
In Sass, the function fade-out makes a color more
transparent by taking a number between 0 and 1 and
decreasing opacity, or the alpha channel, by that amount:
$color: rgba(39, 39, 39, 0.5);
$amount: 0.1;
$color2: fade-out($color, $amount);//rgba(39, 39, 39, 0.4)
The fade-in color function changes a color by increasing its
opacity:
$color: rgba(55,7,56, 0.5);
$amount: 0.1;
$color2: fade-in($color, $amount); //rgba(55,7,56, 0.6)

The function adjust-hue($color, $degrees) changes the

hue of a color by taking color and a number of degrees
(usually between -360 degrees and 360 degrees), and rotate
the color wheel by that amount.
Color Functions
Sass also allows us to perform mathematical functions to compute
measurements including colors.
Here is how Sass computes colors:
The operation is performed on the red, green, and blue
components.
It computes the answer by operating on every two digits.
$color: #010203 + #040506;
The above would compute piece-wise as follows:
01 + 04 = 05
02 + 05 = 07
03 + 06 = 09
and compile to:
color: #050709;
Sass arithmetic can also compute HSLA and string colors such as
red and blue.

color: red + blue;

Arithmetic
The Sass arithmetic operations are:
addition +
subtraction -
multiplication *
division /, and
modulo %.
Note: Modulo, or %, is the remainder in a given division, so "9%2"
would be "1".
SCSS arithmetic requires that the units are compatible; for
example, you can't multiply pixels by ems.
Also, just like in regular math, multiplying two units together results
in squared units:10px * 10px = 100px * px.
Since there is no such thing as squared units in CSS, the above
would throw an error. You would need to multiply 10px * 10 in
order to obtain 100px.

Division Can Be Special

In CSS the / character can be used as a separator. In Sass, the
character is also used in division.
Here are the specific instances / counts as division:
If the value, or any part of it, is stored in a variable or returned
by a function.
If the value is surrounded by parentheses, unless those
parentheses are outside a list and the value is inside.
If the value is used as part of another arithmetic expression.
Here are a few examples:
width: $variable/6; //division
line-height: (600px)/9; //division
margin-left: 20-10 px/ 2; //division
font-size: 10px/8px; //not division
Each Loops
Beyond the simple math and color transformations we explored in
the previous exercises, Sass also allows for more complex
functions.
Each loops in Sass iterate on each of the values on a list. The
syntax is as follows:
@each $item in $list {
//some rules and or conditions
}
The value of $item is dynamically assigned to the value of the
object in the list according to its position and the iteration of the
loop.

For Loops
For loops in Sass can be used to style numerous elements or
assigning properties all at once. They work like any for-loop you've
seen before.
Sass's for loop syntax is as follows:
@for $i from $begin through $end {
//some rules and or conditions
}
In the example above:
 $i is just a variable for the index, or position of the element in
the list
$begin and $end are placeholders for the start and end points
of the loop.
The keywords through and to are interchangeable in Sass
For-loops are useful for many things, but in the following exercises
we will be using them to style a block of rainbow divs!

Conditionals
In Sass, if() is a function that can only branch one of two ways
based on a condition. You can use it inline, to assign the value of a
property:
width: if( $condition, $value-if-true, $value-if-false);
For cases with more than two outcomes, the @if, @else-if, and
@else directives allow for more flexibility.
@mixin deck($suit) {
@if($suit == hearts || $suit == spades){
color: blue;
}
@else-if($suit == clovers || $suit == diamonds){
 color: red;
}
@else{
//some rule
}
}
The mixin above is a good example for how we would want to
handle the coloring of a deck of cards based on a suit condition.

Generalizations
Functions in Sass allow for an easier way to style pages,
work with colors, and iterate on DOM elements.
Having both for loops and each loops gives the programmer
different formats to iterate on both lists and maps.
The introduction of conditional statements allows you to
create logic-based styling rules using SCSS.
There are other native Sass functions available to use, and you can
even make your own custom functions if you have a good
foundation in Ruby, check out more information here.
Congrats! This lesson equipped you with new knowledge on some
of the most popular functions and operations available to you in
SCSS. Next, let's learn about the best practices for growing your
Sass codebase.