The short version
- A CSS gradient code describes colours and directions; anyone can copy it and get the same result.
- A Mark code such as GR·K7Q2·MX names one specific Gradiently Mark, and it never changes, whoever owns the Mark.
- Searching the Market for a Mark code works without the dots and in any case, so grk7q2mx finds GR·K7Q2·MX.
- A Mark code says which Mark; a certificate number such as GRC-7K2M-9QXA-4TPW says whose it is at one point in time.
- Anyone can check a Mark's code or certificate to see who holds it and its full history.
On this page
A gradient code usually means CSS: a line such as linear-gradient(135deg, #1f0b3a, #f472b6) that tells a browser which colours to blend and in which direction. In Gradiently, a gradient code means something different: a short public identifier like GR·K7Q2·MX that names one exact Mark, a living gradient with exactly one owner at a time. CSS code is a recipe anyone can copy. A Mark code is a name, and it points to a public record of who holds that look.
Two kinds of gradient code
Both are useful, and they answer different questions. CSS code answers how do I make this? A Mark code answers which one is it, and whose?
CSS gradient code
- Describes colours, stops and angle
- Anyone can paste it and get the same result
- Flat: no grain, light, motion or type
- Belongs to nobody in particular
- Lives in a stylesheet
Mark code
- Names one Mark: colours, materials, light, grain, motion, type voice
- Opens the exact Mark in the Market
- Renders live at any size, with words it makes room for
- Has exactly one owner at a time, on a public record
- Lives in briefs, style guides and messages
linear-gradient(135deg, #1f0b3a 0%, #7c3aed 55%, #f472b6 100%)If CSS is what you came for, start with hex color codes, then build blends from them. The rest of this page is about Mark codes.
How to read a Mark code
Every Mark code has the same shape: the letters GR, then four characters, then two, separated by a middle dot.
GRWhat it is
Example
K7Q2What it is
Example
MXWhat it is
Example
·What it is
GR·K7Q2·MX. The characters are digits and capital letters, leaving out I, L, O and U, which are easy to confuse with 1, 0 and V.A Mark's code is fixed for life. When a Mark changes hands, through a gift or a sale on the Market, the code stays the same and only the owner on its record changes. That makes it safe to write into documents that will outlive any one owner. For what a Mark is in the first place, read what a Mark is.
How to look up a Mark by its code
- 1
Open the Market
Go to the Market and use the search box. It accepts names, colour words and codes.
- 2
Type the code any way you like
Dots are optional and case doesn't matter.
GR·K7Q2·MX,gr·k7q2·mxandgrk7q2mxall find the same Mark. - 3
Open the Mark's page
Each Mark has its own page at
gradiently.design/m/followed by its code. Its Details show colours, materials, type voice, its creator, its owner and its history. - 4
Design with it, or claim it
If nobody has claimed it, you can design with it for free. Claiming makes it yours; how to claim a Mark walks through it.
Mark code GR·K7Q2·MX
Typed into search grk7q2mx (no dots, any case)
Mark page gradiently.design/m/GR·K7Q2·MX
Certificate number GRC-7K2M-9QXA-4TPWMark code or certificate number
They look alike and do different jobs. Use the Mark code to say which look you mean. Use the certificate number to prove who holds it.
Mark code
GR·K7Q2·MXCertificate number
GRC-7K2M-9QXA-4TPWMark code
Certificate number
Mark code
Certificate number
Certificate number
Where to use a Mark code
A code is short enough to write anywhere and precise enough that nobody picks the wrong look. A few places it earns its keep:
- Your brand guidelines. Next to your hex colours, write the Mark's name and code, so anyone joining later finds the exact background. Brand style guide has a template.
- Briefs to freelancers and agencies. "Use GR·K7Q2·MX for the launch" removes a round of guessing.
- AI assistants. Connected to Gradiently, ChatGPT or Claude can search Marks by code and design with the one you name. See Gradiently in Claude.
- Team chat. Paste the code; a teammate types it into search, dots or no dots.
A brand guidelines slide at 1920×1080 that names the Mark by its code instead of describing it.
How to check who holds a Mark
Ownership is public by design. Open the Mark's page to see its current owner and history, or go to gradiently.design/verify and enter either the Mark code or a certificate number. No account is needed. The result says whether a certificate is current, who holds the Mark and since when; verify a certificate explains every verdict.
GR·JYGV·KE
Flint Retreat
See this MarkOwnership is a record in the Gradiently registry. It isn't an NFT and it isn't a trademark; it is a clear, checkable answer to whose look this is. If you are searching for a Mark by feel rather than by code, find a gradient by colour shows how.
Questions people ask
What is a gradient code?
Usually CSS such as linear-gradient(...) that describes colours and direction. In Gradiently, a gradient code is a Mark code like GR·K7Q2·MX that names one specific Mark.
Do I need to type the dots in a Mark code?
No. Market search accepts codes without dots and in any case, so grk7q2mx works.
Does a Mark code change when the Mark is sold or given away?
No. The code stays the same for life; only the owner on its record and its certificate change.
What is the difference between a Mark code and a certificate number?
The Mark code names the Mark. The certificate number, such as GRC-7K2M-9QXA-4TPW, proves who held it for one period of ownership.
Can I turn a Mark code into CSS?
Not exactly. A Mark includes materials, light, grain, motion and a type voice that a single CSS gradient can't express. It renders live in Gradiently and exports at every size.
Written by Gradiently
The team behind Gradiently, a design tool built around Marks: living gradients that make everything you design look like yours.
See our profile