SASS to Stylus Converter

The SASS to Stylus Converter is a powerful online tool that allows you to convert SASS/SCSS (Syntactically Awesome Style Sheets) code to Stylus syntax. Both SASS and Stylus are CSS preprocessors that extend CSS with variables, mixins, functions, and nested rules, making stylesheet development more efficient and maintainable. This converter helps developers migrate from SASS to Stylus or work with both preprocessors seamlessly.

What is SASS?

SASS (Syntactically Awesome Style Sheets) is a CSS preprocessor that extends CSS with dynamic behavior such as variables, mixins, operations, and functions. SASS has two syntaxes: SCSS (Sassy CSS) which uses braces and semicolons like CSS, and the indented SASS syntax. SASS uses the $ symbol for variables and @mixin/@include for mixins.

What is Stylus?

Stylus is a CSS preprocessor that provides a more expressive and dynamic syntax for CSS. Stylus is known for its flexibility - it allows you to write CSS with or without colons, semicolons, and braces. Stylus uses indentation-based syntax (similar to Python) and supports variables, mixins, functions, and more.

Key Differences Between SASS and Stylus

• Variables: SASS uses $variable while Stylus uses $variable or just variable (same prefix, but Stylus is more flexible)
• Mixins: SASS uses @mixin mixin() for definitions and @include mixin() for calls, while Stylus uses mixin() without the @ symbol
• Semicolons: SASS (SCSS) requires semicolons, while Stylus makes them optional
• Braces: SASS (SCSS) requires braces {}, while Stylus uses indentation-based syntax
• Nested Rules: Both support nesting, but Stylus relies more heavily on indentation
• Functions: Both support functions, with many similar built-in functions
• Directives: SASS uses @media, @import, etc., while Stylus uses similar syntax but without @ for some constructs

How to Use the SASS to Stylus Converter

1. Input SASS/SCSS Code: Paste or type your SASS or SCSS code into the input field on the left side
2. Auto Conversion: The conversion happens automatically as you type
3. Review Output: The converted Stylus code will appear in the output field on the right
4. Copy or Download: Use the copy button or download the converted Stylus file

Conversion Features

Our converter handles the following conversions automatically:

• Variable Preservation: Keeps $variable syntax as both SASS and Stylus use the same prefix
• Mixin Conversion: Transforms @mixin mixin() to mixin() and @include mixin() to mixin()
• Semicolon Removal: Removes semicolons as Stylus doesn't require them
• Brace Removal: Removes braces and converts to indentation-based syntax
• Indentation: Adjusts code indentation to match Stylus conventions
• Function Preservation: Many SASS functions work the same in Stylus (darken, lighten, etc.)
• Nested Rules: Preserves nested rule structure while adapting to Stylus indentation syntax

Example Conversion

Here's an example of how SASS/SCSS code is converted to Stylus:

SASS/SCSS Input:

$primary-color: #3498db;
$font-size-base: 16px;

@mixin border-radius($radius: 5px) {
  border-radius: $radius;
}

.button {
  @include border-radius(10px);
  background-color: $primary-color;
  font-size: $font-size-base;
  &:hover {
    background-color: darken($primary-color, 10%);
  }
}

Stylus Output:

$primary-color = #3498db
$font-size-base = 16px

border-radius($radius = 5px)
  border-radius $radius

.button
  border-radius(10px)
  background-color $primary-color
  font-size $font-size-base
  &:hover
    background-color darken($primary-color, 10%)

Best Practices

• Review the Output: Always review the converted code as some complex SASS features may need manual adjustment
• Test Thoroughly: After conversion, test your Stylus code to ensure it compiles correctly
• Handle Edge Cases: Some SASS-specific features like @if, @for, @each may need manual conversion
• Maintain Indentation: Stylus relies heavily on indentation, so ensure proper formatting after conversion
• Check Mixin Calls: Verify that mixin calls are correctly converted, especially in complex nested structures

Use Cases

• Migration Projects: Migrating existing SASS/SCSS codebases to Stylus
• Multi-Preprocessor Support: Working with projects that use both SASS and Stylus
• Learning Tool: Understanding the differences between SASS and Stylus syntax
• Code Conversion: Converting SASS snippets to Stylus for compatibility
• Framework Migration: Moving from SASS-based frameworks to Stylus-based ones

Common Conversion Patterns

Variables

SASS and Stylus use the same variable prefix:

• SASS: $primary-color: #3498db;
• Stylus: $primary-color = #3498db (semicolon removed, colon becomes =)

Mixins

Mixins have different syntax in SASS and Stylus:

• SASS Definition: @mixin mixin($param: value) { ... }
• Stylus Definition: mixin($param = value)
• SASS Call: @include mixin(value);
• Stylus Call: mixin(value)

Functions

Many functions are similar in both preprocessors:

• Color Functions: darken(), lighten(), saturate() work the same
• Math Functions: percentage(), round(), ceil() work similarly
• String Functions: Some string manipulation functions may differ

Limitations and Considerations

• Complex Control Structures: SASS control structures like @if, @for, @each, @while may need manual conversion
• SASS-Specific Features: Some SASS-specific features like @extend (Stylus also supports @extend), @function may need review
• Import Paths: Import statements are preserved but may need path adjustments
• Third-Party Libraries: SASS-specific libraries won't work with Stylus and need alternatives