# Gradient code explained: what a Mark code like GR·K7Q2·MX means

[Canonical HTML page](https://gradiently.design/guide/mark-codes-explained)

CSS gradient code tells a browser how to paint some colours. A Mark code points at one exact living gradient and the person who holds it. Here is how to read one and what to do with it.

## 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.

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

A CSS gradient code: `linear-gradient(135deg, #1f0b3a 0%, #7c3aed 55%, #f472b6 100%)`

Copy this and you have the same violet to pink blend as everyone else who copied it. That is the point of CSS, and its limit as a brand asset.

If CSS is what you came for, start with [hex color codes](https://gradiently.design/guide/color-codes-explained), 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.

| Part | Example | What it is |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Prefix | `GR` | Marks it as a Gradiently code |
| First group | `K7Q2` | Four characters of the identifier |
| Second group | `MX` | Two more characters |
| Separators | `·` | A middle dot, for reading aloud and scanning |

The parts of `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](https://gradiently.design/guide/what-is-a-mark).

## How to look up a Mark by its code

1. **Open the Market** Go to the [Market](/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·mx` and `grk7q2mx` all 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](https://gradiently.design/guide/how-to-claim-a-mark) walks through it.

```text
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-4TPW
```

One Mark, written four ways. The first three point at the Mark; the certificate number points at one owner's time with it.

## Mark 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.

| Question | Mark code | Certificate number |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Looks like | `GR·K7Q2·MX` | `GRC-7K2M-9QXA-4TPW` |
| Identifies | The Mark itself | One owner's time with the Mark |
| Changes when the owner changes | Never | A new certificate replaces the old |
| Best for | Briefs, style guides, search, AI assistants | Proof of ownership, records, clients |

Codes are names; certificates are proof. [Mark codes and certificates](https://gradiently.design/guide/mark-codes-and-certificates) covers the certificate side in full.

## 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](https://gradiently.design/guide/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](https://gradiently.design/guide/design-with-claude-connector).
- **Team chat.** Paste the code; a teammate types it into search, dots or no dots.

A widescreen brand guidelines slide stating the brand's background Mark code

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](https://gradiently.design/guide/mark-certificate-verify) explains every verdict.

The Mark on this article. Open it to see its code, its colours from darkest to brightest and its record.

Ownership 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](https://gradiently.design/guide/search-marks-by-colour) shows how.

## FAQ

### 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.