# Code Style. Less

> **TL;DR**
> `File | Settings | Editor | Code Style | Style Sheets | Less` for Windows and Linux
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> `IntelliJ IDEA | Settings | Editor | Code Style | Style Sheets | Less` for macOS
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> `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Windows), `⌘ Comma` (macOS), `⌘ Comma` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (XWin), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (KDE), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Sublime Text), `⌘ Comma` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Visual Studio), `⌘ Comma` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Eclipse), `⌘ Comma` (Eclipse (macOS)) ![the Settings icon](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.general.settings.svg)

Use this page to configure formatting  options for Less files. When you change these settings, the Preview pane shows how this will affect your code.

## Tabs and Indents

| Use tab character |      * If this checkbox is selected, tab characters are used: * On pressing the `Tab` (Windows), `⇥` (macOS), `⇥` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⇥` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Tab` (XWin), `Tab` (GNOME), `Tab` (KDE), `Tab` (Emacs), `Tab` (Sublime Text), `⇥` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Tab` (NetBeans), `Tab` (Visual Studio), `⇥` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Tab` (Eclipse), `⇥` (Eclipse (macOS)) key * For indentation * For reformatting code    * If the checkbox is cleared, IntelliJ IDEA uses spaces instead of tabs.    |
| Smart tabs |    An indentation consists of two parts. One part results from nesting code blocks, and the other part is determined by alignment.                            * If this checkbox is selected, the part that results from nesting contains both tabs and spaces (if necessary), while the part defined by alignment consists only of spaces.    * If this checkbox is cleared, only tabs are used. This means that after reformatting a group of spaces that fits the specified tab size is automatically replaced with a tab, which may result in breaking fine alignment.     > **Tip:** > The Smart Tabs checkbox is available if the Use tab character checkbox is selected.                     |
| Tab size | In this field, specify the number of spaces that fits in a tab. |
| Indent |  In this field, specify the number of spaces to be inserted for each indent level.  |
| Continuation indent |       In this field, specify the number of spaces to be inserted between the values of properties.      |
| Keep indents on empty lines | If this checkbox is selected, IntelliJ IDEA retains indents on empty lines as if they contained some code. If the checkbox is cleared, IntelliJ IDEA deletes the tab characters and spaces on empty lines. |

## Blank Lines

Use this tab to define where and how many blank lines you want IntelliJ IDEA to retain and insert in your code after reformatting.  The results are displayed in the Preview pane.

> **Tip:**
> The settings on this tab do not affect the number of blank lines before the first and after the last item.

| Keep Maximum Blank Lines |  In this area, specify the number of extra blank lines to be kept after reformatting. |
|  Minimum Blank Lines  |      In this area, configure whether to have or not to have extra empty lines around top-level blocks and nested selectors. In the field next to each option, specify the minimum number of extra blank lines to be left.     |

## Other

In this tab, specify the alignment, braces, spaces, and quotes options to be applied on reformatting.

| Braces placement |    Use this list to specify where IntelliJ IDEA should place the opening braces of selectors. The available options are:        * At the end of line    * Next line    |
| Align values |    Use this list to specify how IntelliJ IDEA should align attributes and values. The available options are:        * Do not align: select this option to specify alignment on the first character of an attribute name.    * On value: select this option to specify alignment on the first character of the value of an attribute.    * On colon    |
|  Quote marks  |      In the CSS, SCSS, and Less context, IntelliJ IDEA by default uses double quotes for generated string literals in `import` statements and URLs.  To use single quotes, select Single from this list.        To apply the chosen style to the entire file after reformatting, select the Enforce on format checkbox below the list.       > **Note:** > Currently changing the configuration for quotation marks does not affect injected style sheets and CSS code inside the `<style>` tags.    |
| Align closing brace with properties | If this checkbox is selected, the closing brace of the selector will be placed under the list of properties.      If this checkbox is not selected, the closing brace of the selector will be placed under the selector.     |
| Keep single-line blocks | If this checkbox is selected, the blocks with a single property will be confined to one line.      If this checkbox is not selected, each property will be placed to its own line.     |
| Spaces | Select the checkboxes in this area to add a space after the colon delimiting key and value, and before the opening brace of the selector.  |
| Comments |     Use the controls in this area to configure positioning of line and block comments and spaces inside them.        * Line comment at first column: select this checkbox to start line comments at the first column. When the checkbox is cleared, line comments are aligned in the code.    * Add a space at line comment start: when this checkbox is selected, a space will be inserted between a line comment character and the first character of a commented line.    * Add spaces around block comments: select this checkbox to add leading and trailing spaces in block comments. By default, when you enclose a code fragment in a block comment, the text starts right after the opening `/*` characters without any spaces. Before the closing `*/` characters no space is inserted either. This default code style may conflict with some linters' rules, for example, ESLint.    |
|  HEX Colors |     Use this area to configure the hex color syntax. You can select from the following check options:        * Convert hex colors to: select this checkbox to configure the hex color letter case. You can choose Lower case or Upper case.    * Convert hex colors format to: select this checkbox to configure the hex color format length. You can choose Long format or Short format.     View changes in the Preview pane.    |

## Set from

The link appears in the upper-right corner of the page, when applicable.  Click this link and choose the language to be used as the base for the current language code style.

To return to the initial set of code style settings and discard the changes, click Reset.

## See also

### Language and Framework-Specific Guidelines

[Style Sheets](style-sheets.html)

### External Links

[Less](http://lesscss.org/)

### Procedures

[Code style schemes](configuring-code-style.html)