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prettier · postcss · less parser · live

Format Less stylesheets with Prettier

Prettier's postcss plugin understands @-variables, mixins, and nesting. Reformats Less files consistently. Runs locally.

Less Formatter
Input
117 B
1 lines
Output
0 B
1 lines
Status
loading
parser…
Ratio
0.00×
out/in
input · less
output · formatted less
Loading parser…
Quick Start

How to format Less

Prettier's Less parser handles @-prefixed variables, parent selectors, mixin calls, and nested rules — then reprints with consistent style.

  1. 01

    Paste Less source

    Variables, mixins, parent selectors, and at-rules all flow through.

    Parsing runs through Prettier’s standalone bundle (or the language-specific equivalent) loaded lazily — no parser ships until the tool is opened.

    lessPrettierASTstandalonelazy
    input · sourceraw · AST
    .a{@x:1px;width:@x}
    loaded · parsedAST · ready
  2. 02

    Tune indent & width

    Tab width sets indentation; print width forces long shorthand to wrap.

    Indent width, tab style, and print-width re-format through a memoised pass — switching 2 → 4 spaces never re-parses, only re-prints.

    optionsindentprint-widthmemoisedlive
    opts · optionstab/width · live
    tab=2
width=80
    options applied · livelive
  3. 03

    Watch it reflow

    Declarations land one-per-line; nested rules indent and parent selectors stay attached.

    The formatter is deterministic and idempotent: running it twice produces byte-identical output, which keeps diffs and git noise to a minimum.

    liveidempotentdeterministicdiff-cleanstable
    out · formattedpretty · ready
    .a {
  @x: 1px;
  width: @x;
}
    formatted · liveidempotent
  4. 04

    Copy or download

    Export as .less or copy to clipboard — input stays in the browser.

    Download writes a Blob with the language-appropriate extension; copy uses navigator.clipboard.writeText so the output preserves all whitespace exactly.

    exportclipboardbloblanguage MIMEclient-side
    ok · copiedready · done
    ✓ Copied
    shipped · ready to shipsuccess
Pro tips

Formatting tips that keep diffs sane

Pick one config and pin it

Inconsistent formatting causes diff churn. Commit .prettierrc / .editorconfig and enforce in CI.

Format on save

Editor integration is faster feedback than a pre-commit hook. Use both for belt-and-braces.

Idempotency matters

Running the formatter twice should produce identical output. Test this on a representative file.

Match the language community

Default to community conventions: 2 spaces for JS/CSS, 4 for Python, tabs for Go. Fights over indent are a productivity tax.

Print-width drives wrapping

80, 100, and 120 are the common targets. Wider lines parse fast but review slower side-by-side.

Don’t mix formatters and linters

Prettier handles whitespace; ESLint handles correctness. Disable overlapping rules to avoid fight-club configs.

Related toolsCSS FormatterSCSS FormatterCSS MinifierSort CSS PropsHTML FormatterSort Tailwind
Use Cases

When to format Less

Legacy stylesheets, theme files, vendor mixins.

Legacy stylesheets

Tidy an inherited Bootstrap-2-era Less codebase. Idempotent: running the formatter twice produces byte-identical output, which is the foundation of a clean CI gate. Pair with a pre-commit hook so PRs arrive already formatted, focusing review on logic.

idempotent

Theme files

Reformat Ant Design / antd theme overrides. Pairs with EditorConfig + .prettierrc for end-to-end consistency. Whitespace-only changes vanish so reviewers see real diffs, and git blame stays honest about who wrote what.

CI-ready

Vendor mixins

Make compressed mixin libraries readable. Output respects your indent width, tab style, and print-width — settings carry over for repeat runs. Switching 2-space to 4-space costs nothing in CPU but standardises an entire codebase.

diff-clean

Code review

Strip whitespace churn so diffs show real changes. Format-on-save is the fastest feedback loop; CI is the safety net. Together they make inconsistent indentation a thing of the past and free up review cycles for genuine concerns.

PR-friendly

Quick fix

Reformat without spinning up a Less compiler. Whitespace-only changes don't trigger downstream content-hash invalidations, so CDN cache keys and CI cache layers stay warm. Real changes get all the rebuild budget.

review-ready

Docs examples

Standardise Less examples in component docs. Pairs with linters (ESLint, Stylelint, pylint) that catch what formatting alone can't — bugs, unused imports, dead code. Each tool stays in its lane, and the codebase stays clean.

deterministic
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Use the SCSS Formatter — they share the postcss plugin but use different parsers.
No. @-variables are reformatted only for whitespace; values are kept verbatim.
Both `.mixin();` and `.mixin();` style calls are preserved exactly.
No — only formatting. Use the Less compiler for variable resolution.
No — Prettier runs locally in your browser tab.
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