# Built with LESS

### Why LESS?

Bootstrap is made with LESS at its core, a dynamic stylesheet language created by our good friend, Alexis Sellier. It makes developing systems-based CSS faster, easier, and more fun.

### What's included?

As an extension of CSS, LESS includes variables, mixins for reusable snippets of code, operations for simple math, nesting, and even color functions.

### Learn more

Visit the official website at http://lesscss.org to learn more.

# Compiling Bootstrap with LESS

Note: If you're submitting a pull request to GitHub with modified CSS, you must recompile the CSS via any of these methods.

## Tools for compiling

### Node with makefile

Install the LESS command line compiler, JSHint, Recess, and uglify-js globally with npm by running the following command:

    $ npm install -g less jshint recess uglify-js

Once installed just run `make` from the root of your bootstrap directory and you're all set.

Additionally, if you have watchr installed, you may run `make watch` to have bootstrap automatically rebuilt every time you edit a file in the bootstrap lib (this isn't required, just a convenience method).

### Command line

Install the LESS command line tool via Node and run the following command:

    $ lessc ./less/bootstrap.less > bootstrap.css

Be sure to include `--compress` in that command if you're trying to save some bytes!

### Javascript

Download the latest Less.js and include the path to it (and Bootstrap) in the `<head>`.

    <link rel="stylesheet/less" href="/path/to/bootstrap.less">
    <script src="/path/to/less.js"></script>

To recompile the .less files, just save them and reload your page. Less.js compiles them and stores them in local storage.

### Unofficial Mac app

The unofficial Mac app watches directories of .less files and compiles the code to local files after every save of a watched .less file.

If you like, you can toggle preferences in the app for automatic minifying and which directory the compiled files end up in.

### More Mac apps

#### Crunch

Crunch is a great looking LESS editor and compiler built on Adobe Air.

#### CodeKit

Created by the same guy as the unofficial Mac app, CodeKit is a Mac app that compiles LESS, SASS, Stylus, and CoffeeScript.

#### Simpless

Mac, Linux, and PC app for drag and drop compiling of LESS files. Plus, the source code is on GitHub.

# Use as static assets

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