Sass @return

Posted in Sass Tutorial

Updated on Aug 31, 2024

By Mari Selvan

👁️ 15 - Views

⏳ 4 mins

💬 1 Comment

Photo Credit to CodeToFun

🙋 Introduction

The @return directive in Sass is used to specify the value that a mixin should return.

This directive allows you to create mixins that not only apply styles but also return values that can be utilized elsewhere in your Sass code.

By using @return, you can enhance the flexibility and reusability of your mixins, making your Sass code more modular and maintainable.

💡 Syntax

The syntax for the @return directive is simple. It is used within a mixin to define the value that the mixin will return.

Syntax

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@mixin mixin-name($arguments) {
  // Mixin logic
  @return value;
}

🔢 Parameters

mixin-name: The name of the mixin.
$arguments: The parameters passed to the mixin.
value: The value that you want to return from the mixin.

↩️ Return Value

The @return directive outputs the specified value from the mixin, which can be used in expressions or as part of other style rules.

📝 Example Usage

Here are some practical examples to illustrate how the @return directive can be used in Sass.

📜 Example 1: Returning a Value from a Mixin

example.scss

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@mixin border-radius($radius) {
  @return $radius;
}

.button {
  border-radius: border-radius(10px);
}

In this example, the border-radius mixin returns the value 10px, which is then used to set the border-radius property of the .button class.

📜 Example 2: Using @return in Calculations

example.scss

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@mixin calculate-spacing($base-spacing) {
  @return $base-spacing * 2;
}

.container {
  padding: calculate-spacing(20px);
}

Here, the calculate-spacing mixin returns a value that is twice the base spacing. The .container class uses this returned value for its padding.

📜 Example 3: Returning a Color from a Mixin

example.scss

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@mixin theme-color($color-name) {
  $colors: (
    primary: #007bff,
    secondary: #6c757d
  );
  @return map-get($colors, $color-name);
}

.header {
  background-color: theme-color(primary);
}

This example shows how to use the @return directive to fetch and return a color from a map. The theme-color mixin retrieves the color value associated with the given name and applies it to the .header background.

🎉 Conclusion

The @return directive in Sass is a powerful feature that enhances the functionality of mixins by allowing them to return values. This capability makes your Sass code more dynamic and reusable, as you can now create mixins that not only apply styles but also produce values for use in other parts of your stylesheets.

Mastering the @return directive can significantly improve the modularity and organization of your Sass code. By leveraging @return, you can create sophisticated mixins that streamline your workflow and facilitate better design consistency across your projects.

Experiment with @return to explore its full potential and integrate it into your Sass mixins to enhance your stylesheet management and design capabilities.