---
title: Built-In Functions
---

In addition to allowing users to [define their own functions][], there are many
useful functions built right into Sass. These functions are called using the
normal CSS function syntax, with the addition of [special Sass argument
syntax][].

[define their own functions]: at-rules/function
[special Sass argument syntax]: at-rules/function#arguments

Sass's built-in functions are divided into a few categories:

* Any function that Sass doesn't recognize as built-in or user-defined is
  treated as a [plain CSS function][].
* [Number functions][] operate on [numbers][], usually to perform some sort of
  math.
* [String functions][] make it easy to combine, search, or split apart
  [strings][].
* [Color functions][] generate new [colors][] based on existing ones, making it
  easy to build color themes.
* [List functions][] access and modify values in [lists][].
* [Map functions][] make it possible to look up the value associated with a key
  in a [map][], and much more.
* [Selector functions][] provide access to Sass's powerful selector engine.
* [Introspection functions][] expose the details of Sass's inner workings.

[plain CSS function]: functions/css
[Number functions]: functions/math
[numbers]: values/numbers
[String functions]: functions/strings
[strings]: values/strings
[Color functions]: functions/colors
[colors]: values/colors
[List functions]: functions/lists
[lists]: values/lists
[Map functions]: functions/maps
[map]: values/maps
[Selector functions]: functions/selectors
[Introspection functions]: functions/meta


<% function "if($condition, $if-true, $if-false)" do %>
  Returns `$if-true` if `$condition` is [truthy][], and `$if-false` otherwise.

  This function is special in that it doesn't even evaluate the argument that
  isn't returned, so it's safe to call even if the unused argument would throw an
  error.

  [truthy]: ../at-rules/control/if#truthiness-and-falsiness

  <% example(autogen_css: false) do %>
    @debug if(true, 10px, 15px); // 10px
    @debug if(false, 10px, 15px); // 15px
    @debug if(variable-defined($var), $var, null); // null
    ===
    @debug if(true, 10px, 15px)  // 10px
    @debug if(false, 10px, 15px)  // 15px
    @debug if(variable-defined($var), $var, null)  // null
  <% end %>
<% end %>