Technology icons

Similar to app icons on a phone, technology icons help customers quickly identify Red Hat® products and components. We use them in small spaces where a logo won’t fit, like marketplaces and catalogs, diagrams, and favicons on browser tabs.

Technology icons are designed to illustrate the functionality of the technology as simply as possible at small sizes. To build recognition outside of the interface, we've also adapted the technology icons for our 4 platform sub-brands—Red Hat Enterprise Linux®, Red Hat OpenShift®, Red Hat Ansible® Automation Platform, and Red Hat AI—into artwork for marketing materials.

All technology icons require approval from the Brand Design and Naming team as well as the Red Hat legal department. Learn more about requesting a new technology icon (Red Hat associates only).

Design

Technology icons use the same design style as other Red Hat icons, but are placed inside a black or white rounded rectangle. Products—the software and services that we sell—use a black rounded rectangle. Components—like features, plug-ins, operators, builds, and other technologies that are part of or used alongside our products—use a white rounded rectangle.

Rounded rectangle

Technology icons use a rounded rectangle with a 9pt corner radius. Products use a black rounded rectangle and a gray-60 outline. Components use a white rounded rectangle with a gray-20 outline.

Details

The inner details use 1.25pt strokes with rounded corners and ends. Products use red-50 and white strokes while components use red-50 and black. For balance, we aim for a 50:50 ratio of the two colors.

Alignment

The inner details are built on key lines that align to the center of the rounded rectangle with ample clear space.

Use the icons as provided without modifications.

Do not alter the colors or scale parts of an icon.

Use the full technology icon, including the rounded rectangle.

Do not remove the icon from the rounded rectangle or place the icon in a different shape.

One-color variations

For circumstances where color is limited, like printing a piece of swag, technology icons are also available in one-color versions. The details and rounded rectangle are merged to create a single object with a transparent background.

In one-color icons, we differentiate between products and components based on if the icon is filled or unfilled. Product icons are filled, while component icons are unfilled.

Products

One-color icons for products maintain the full rounded rectangle, with the details cut out and transparent.

Components

Icons for components maintain only the outer stroke of the rounded rectangle. The inner details are merged into one flat shape and grouped with the rounded rectangle stroke.

Colorways

One-color icons should only be used in Red Hat core colors: red-50, black, white, or shades of gray.

Use the one-color version of the icon in our core colors and make sure it has enough contrast against the background.

Don't use the one-color version of the icon in a color that’s outside of our core colors.

Use a one-color icon in a color that has sufficient contrast against the background.

Don't add an outline or a shape to a one-color icon in order to make it visible. Choose a different color icon instead.

Technology icons vs. product logos

Products have both a technology icon and a product logo. Which visual to use when representing the product depends on the context and the size of the space available. Components do not have logos.

Learn more about product logos

Product logos

Product logos incorporate the Red Hat logo and the full name of the product. When you’re representing a single product and you have the space, use a product logo. They create instant recognition for our parent brand and the product.

Technology icons

In a space that’s too small for a product logo—or when you’re referring to multiple Red Hat products at the same time—use a technology icon. This avoids squished logos and visual clutter that might be created by using too many product logos in one layout.

Adding badges to icons in marketplaces

Many of our products and components are available through software marketplaces. While some marketplace offerings are owned by Red Hat, many are owned by our partners. Partner marketplaces present specific branding challenges, especially when it comes to helping our customers feel confident that they’re selecting the right offering.

Badges can be added to existing technology icons to show that the offering is a plug-in or operator, or to reinforce that it’s an official Red Hat offering. Badged icons should be used sparingly and only within marketplaces, never in marketing or on swag.

Learn more about requesting a new technology icon (Red Hat associates only)

Badging

Badges are rounded squares set to one third the height of the technology icon, added to the bottom right corner. They are always gray-10 with a thin gray-20 outline, with a 5px gap between the square and technology icon. The badge can contain our hat icon or a plug-in or operator icon in gray-95.

Marketplace offerings

If there’s a concern that customers won’t recognize our marketplace listings without the Red Hat logo, we can use a badged version of the technology icon.

Learn more about marketplace listings in the partner handbook.

Plug-ins and operators

Plug-ins and operators are usually free offerings that work with one of our products or components. To make it clear what the user is getting, we can use the technology icon with a badge rather than using the existing icon alone or creating a new icon.

Use a badge to indicate that an offering is a plug-in or operator for an existing offering.

Don’t create new icons for plug-ins or operators.

Use a Red Hat badge if we need to reassure customers that a marketplace listing is an official Red Hat offering.

Don’t use badged icons outside of marketplaces.

Applying technology icons

Technology icons should always be used in the context of the Red Hat brand. The Red Hat logo, a product logo, or (at the very least) the full name of the product or component should always be visible nearby. Without this context, our customers might not recognize the icon as representing a Red Hat technology.