Budibase/budibase

🐞 [ BUG ] - CSS Variable Colors Not Displayed in Color Orb

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#18,830 opened on May 20, 2026

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bugcssenv - productiongood first issuelow-hanging-fruitpicker

Description

Checklist

  • I have searched Budibase Discussions and GitHub Issues to confirm this has not already been reported.

Hosting

  • Self‑hosted
    • Method: Docker
    • Budibase Version: 3.38.0
    • App Version: 3.38.0

Describe the bug

When applying a color in Budibase, if the value is set using a CSS variable, the color orb in the design panel does not update to reflect the applied color. The CSS variable does work correctly — the component’s text color changes as expected — but the UI still shows the orb as if no color is set.

This creates confusion because it appears that no color has been applied, even though the variable is functioning properly.

To Reproduce

  1. Open any Budibase app.
  2. Select a component with text styling options.
  3. Scroll to Color under the General section.
  4. Open the color picker and set the color to a CSS variable (e.g., var(--myColor)).
  5. Ensure the CSS variable is defined (e.g., in an Embed component).
  6. Observe that the text color updates correctly, but the color orb does not reflect the applied value.

Expected behavior

The color orb should visually update to indicate that a color has been set — even when the value is a CSS variable — so the UI accurately reflects the component’s styling state.

Screenshots

App Export

If possible, attach an export of your Budibase application to assist with debugging.

Desktop (please complete the following information):

  • OS: MAC OS
  • Browser: Chrome/Safari/Firefox/Edge
  • Version:

Additional context

CSS variables work correctly at runtime; the issue is strictly with the design‑panel UI not reflecting the applied value.

Contributor guide

Tech stack
typescriptcss
Domain
frontend
Issue type
bug
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
2
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-3 hours
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
fresh
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
CSS variablesBudibase frontend development
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
70
Research direction
Investigate the color picker component in the Budibase design panel frontend. Locate the component that renders the color orb and the associated logic for determining the displayed color. Update the component to handle CSS variable values (e.g., by showing a default color or a CSS variable icon). Review linked PRs or discussions if any, but currently none.