---
url: 'https://unocss.dev/transformers/directives.md'
description: >-
  UnoCSS transformer for @apply, @screen and theme() directives
  (@unocss/transformer-directives)
---

# Directives transformer

UnoCSS transformer for `@apply`, `@screen` and `theme()` directives: `@unocss/transformer-directives`.

## Installation

::: code-group

```bash [pnpm]
pnpm add -D @unocss/transformer-directives
```

```bash [yarn]
yarn add -D @unocss/transformer-directives
```

```bash [npm]
npm install -D @unocss/transformer-directives
```

```bash [bun]
bun add -D @unocss/transformer-directives
```

:::

```ts [uno.config.ts]
import transformerDirectives from '@unocss/transformer-directives'
import { defineConfig } from 'unocss'

export default defineConfig({
  // ...
  transformers: [
    transformerDirectives(),
  ],
})
```

::: tip
This preset is included in the `unocss` package, you can also import it from there:

```ts
import { transformerDirectives } from 'unocss'
```

:::

## Usage

### `@apply`

```css
.custom-div {
  @apply text-center my-0 font-medium;
}
```

Will be transformed to:

```css
.custom-div {
  margin-top: 0rem;
  margin-bottom: 0rem;
  text-align: center;
  font-weight: 500;
}
```

#### `--at-apply`

To be compatible with vanilla CSS, you can use CSS custom properties to replace the `@apply` directive:

```css
.custom-div {
  --at-apply: text-center my-0 font-medium;
}
```

This feature is enabled by default with a few aliases, that you can configure or disable via:

```js
transformerDirectives({
  // the defaults
  applyVariable: ['--at-apply', '--uno-apply', '--uno'],
  // or disable with:
  // applyVariable: false
})
```

#### Adding quotes

To use rules with `:`, you will have to quote the whole value:

```css
.custom-div {
  --at-apply: 'hover:text-red hover:font-bold';
  /* or */
  @apply 'hover:text-red hover:font-bold';
}
```

Using quotes after `@apply` is optional, to meet the behavior of some formatters.

### `@screen`

The `@screen` directive that allows you to create media queries that reference your breakpoints by name comes from [`theme.breakpoints`](/config/theme).

```css
.grid {
  --uno: grid grid-cols-2;
}
@screen xs {
  .grid {
    --uno: grid-cols-1;
  }
}
@screen sm {
  .grid {
    --uno: grid-cols-3;
  }
}
/* ... */
```

Will be transformed to:

```css
.grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr));
}
@media (min-width: 320px) {
  .grid {
    grid-template-columns: repeat(1, minmax(0, 1fr));
  }
}
@media (min-width: 640px) {
  .grid {
    grid-template-columns: repeat(3, minmax(0, 1fr));
  }
}
/* ... */
```

#### Breakpoint variant support

`@screen` also supports `lt`、`at` variants:

#### `@screen lt-`

```css
.grid {
  --uno: grid grid-cols-2;
}
@screen lt-xs {
  .grid {
    --uno: grid-cols-1;
  }
}
@screen lt-sm {
  .grid {
    --uno: grid-cols-3;
  }
}
/* ... */
```

Will be transformed to:

```css
.grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr));
}
@media (max-width: 319.9px) {
  .grid {
    grid-template-columns: repeat(1, minmax(0, 1fr));
  }
}
@media (max-width: 639.9px) {
  .grid {
    grid-template-columns: repeat(3, minmax(0, 1fr));
  }
}
/* ... */
```

#### `@screen at-`

```css
.grid {
  --uno: grid grid-cols-2;
}
@screen at-xs {
  .grid {
    --uno: grid-cols-1;
  }
}
@screen at-xl {
  .grid {
    --uno: grid-cols-3;
  }
}
@screen at-xxl {
  .grid {
    --uno: grid-cols-4;
  }
}
/* ... */
```

Will be transformed to:

```css
.grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr));
}
@media (min-width: 320px) and (max-width: 639.9px) {
  .grid {
    grid-template-columns: repeat(1, minmax(0, 1fr));
  }
}
@media (min-width: 1280px) and (max-width: 1535.9px) {
  .grid {
    grid-template-columns: repeat(3, minmax(0, 1fr));
  }
}
@media (min-width: 1536px) {
  .grid {
    grid-template-columns: repeat(4, minmax(0, 1fr));
  }
}
/* ... */
```

### `theme()`

Use the `theme()` function to access your theme config values using dot notation.

```css
.btn-blue {
  background-color: theme('colors.blue.500');
}
```

Will be compiled to:

```css
.btn-blue {
  background-color: #3b82f6;
}
```

### `icon()`

Use the `icon()` function to convert the icon utility to a specific svg icon.

::: warning
`icon()` depends on `@unocss/preset-icons` and will use the configuration, make sure you have added this preset.
:::

```css
.icon {
  background-image: icon('i-carbon-sun');
}
```

Will be compiled to:

```css
.icon {
  background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg viewBox='0 0 32 32' width='1em' height='1em' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' %3E%3Cpath fill='currentColor' d='M16 12.005a4 4 0 1 1-4 4a4.005 4.005 0 0 1 4-4m0-2a6 6 0 1 0 6 6a6 6 0 0 0-6-6M5.394 6.813L6.81 5.399l3.505 3.506L8.9 10.319zM2 15.005h5v2H2zm3.394 10.193L8.9 21.692l1.414 1.414l-3.505 3.506zM15 25.005h2v5h-2zm6.687-1.9l1.414-1.414l3.506 3.506l-1.414 1.414zm3.313-8.1h5v2h-5zm-3.313-6.101l3.506-3.506l1.414 1.414l-3.506 3.506zM15 2.005h2v5h-2z'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");
}
```

Cause the icon uses `currentColor` as the fill color by default, if you want to customize the color of the icon, you can use `icon('icon name', 'custom color')`.

```css
.icon {
  background-image: icon('i-carbon-moon', '#fff');
  background-image: icon('i-carbon-moon', 'theme("colors.red.500")'); /* use theme color */
}
```

Will be compiled to:

```css
.icon {
  background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg viewBox='0 0 32 32' width='1em' height='1em' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' %3E%3Cpath fill='%23fff' d='M13.503 5.414a15.076 15.076 0 0 0 11.593 18.194a11.1 11.1 0 0 1-7.975 3.39c-.138 0-.278.005-.418 0a11.094 11.094 0 0 1-3.2-21.584M14.98 3a1 1 0 0 0-.175.016a13.096 13.096 0 0 0 1.825 25.981c.164.006.328 0 .49 0a13.07 13.07 0 0 0 10.703-5.555a1.01 1.01 0 0 0-.783-1.565A13.08 13.08 0 0 1 15.89 4.38A1.015 1.015 0 0 0 14.98 3'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");
  background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml;utf8,%3Csvg viewBox='0 0 32 32' width='1em' height='1em' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' %3E%3Cpath fill='%23ef4444' d='M13.503 5.414a15.076 15.076 0 0 0 11.593 18.194a11.1 11.1 0 0 1-7.975 3.39c-.138 0-.278.005-.418 0a11.094 11.094 0 0 1-3.2-21.584M14.98 3a1 1 0 0 0-.175.016a13.096 13.096 0 0 0 1.825 25.981c.164.006.328 0 .49 0a13.07 13.07 0 0 0 10.703-5.555a1.01 1.01 0 0 0-.783-1.565A13.08 13.08 0 0 1 15.89 4.38A1.015 1.015 0 0 0 14.98 3'/%3E%3C/svg%3E");
}
```

## License

* MIT License © 2022-PRESENT [hannoeru](https://github.com/hannoeru)