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CSS frameworks are numerous, which can be intimidating to anyone starting to develop a website.
As you sit looking at a blank stylesheet and thinking about how much work needs to go into creating all the parts of a site (grid, buttons, forms), it can seem like a better option to write everything from scratch. However, there’s a simpler route: CSS frameworks.
A CSS framework is simply a collection of pre coded CSS styles and components that provide you with the basics. So instead of having to recreate the wheel for each project, you can use a framework to create a solid base to work off of. All the standard stuff – grid systems, typography standards, buttons, forms, nav systems & all the basics, are usually provided with a CSS framework.
However, not all CSS frameworks are made the same. Some frameworks provide you with a lot of pre coded components that you can drop in wherever needed. Other frameworks take a more flexible approach and allow you to use their components as building blocks for whatever you want to create.
Before we dive in, let’s discuss why this is important. When choosing a CSS framework, the biggest decision you will be making is whether to use a pre coded component based framework or a utility based framework.
To begin with, let’s break down the four main types of CSS frameworks.
1. Bootstrap: A Proven Workhorse
Bootstrap was started in 2011 by Twitter, and that’s likely the reason it remains the most popular CSS framework used today. Based on usage data, Bootstrap commands nearly 75% of the market share of all websites that use a CSS framework. That’s a number that is staggering.
Why is Bootstrap so successful? Because it does so much. You get a full fledged responsive 12 column grid system, dozens of pre designed components such as buttons, cards, modals and navigation bars, and a library of JavaScript plugins to create interactive effects such as carousels, tooltips, and dropdowns. The documentation is fantastic, the community is large and active, and you can create a fully functional site in a matter of minutes.
Of course, the price for all that functionality is that sites that are built with Bootstrap can easily appear to be built with Bootstrap. It’s hard to avoid the “Bootstrap Look.” While you can customize Bootstrap with Sass variables, you may find that you are fighting the framework to achieve the exact look you want. Therefore, Bootstrap is perfect for rapid prototyping, internal tools, or projects where consistency is more important than creativity.
2. Tailwind CSS: The Utility First Framework
Tailwind CSS has become extremely popular in the last couple of years, and its popularity is growing rapidly. Usage data shows that approximately 1.5% of all websites that use a CSS framework are currently built with Tailwind CSS, and that number is rising quickly. In fact, developer surveys indicate that approximately 25% of front-end developers are now recommending Tailwind CSS for new projects, particularly those that value flexibility in design.
Tailwind CSS is vastly different than Bootstrap. Rather than providing pre-coded components such as class based buttons, it provides hundreds of utility classes – utilities that include items such as padding utilities, text alignment utilities, and background color utilities. You create your designs by combining these utility classes in your HTML.
While this method seems counter-intuitive at first, it offers tremendous flexibility. Each design can be unique, as long as it uses the utility classes provided. Additionally, because Tailwind CSS aggressively removes unused CSS in production, your final CSS bundle size can be as small as 10-20 KB, a fraction of the size of Bootstrap’s 150 KB. Many projects that are built with Tailwind CSS report that their CSS bundle sizes have decreased by up to 75%.
The downside of Tailwind CSS is that it has a steep learning curve. As a result, your HTML can get quite lengthy, and you will need to become familiar with a new vocabulary of utility classes. However, when it clicks, the speed of development increases greatly with teams reporting a 30% reduction in the amount of time spent developing due to reduced context switching. If you are developing custom designs using React, Vue, or a similar framework, then Tailwind CSS is definitely worth considering.
3. Foundation: The Enterprise Framework
Foundation is a framework developed by ZURB that is often referred to as the framework for professionals. Like Bootstrap, Foundation is not a household name; however, it is behind several major enterprise level applications.
What distinguishes Foundation is its modular structure and flexibility. You can select only the components that you require and keep your codebase lean and mean. Foundation is also committed to accessibility and incorporates accessibility considerations from the outset, a big plus. The grid system is strong, the options for customization are extensive, and it scales well to larger projects.
The drawback to Foundation is that it has a higher learning curve than Bootstrap. Foundation assumes that you are aware of what you are doing, and therefore, the documentation is good but not as beginner friendly as Bootstrap’s documentation. If you are building a large scale internal dashboard for a bank or government entity, then Foundation is probably exactly what you need. However, if you are developing a simple marketing site, then Foundation would be too much.
4. Bulma: A Simple, Modern Alternative
Bulma is a relatively recent entrant in the world of CSS frameworks and has attracted a loyal following of developers who appreciate its clean and modern approach to design. Built entirely on Flexbox, Bulma creates layouts that are both intuitive and flexible.
Developers love Bulma for its ease of use. The class names for Bulma are clear and easy to read, e.g., primary buttons, large sizes, centered text. Unlike Bootstrap, Bulma includes no JavaScript, thus it is lightweight and fast. The documentation is great, and the learning curve is shallow.
For smaller to medium sized projects, Bulma is an ideal solution. It is not as feature rich as Bootstrap, but it is far easier to use. If you need a clean and modern design system, but you do not want the bulk of a framework like Bootstrap, or the complexity of a framework like Tailwind CSS, then Bulma is worth checking out. Bulma is particularly useful for creating dashboards, admin panels, and content focused sites.
5. Materialize CSS: Bringing Material Design to the Web
Materialize CSS is a CSS framework designed to bring Google’s Material Design language to the web. If you need that signature Google look with bold colors, shadows, motion, and depth, Materialize CSS will deliver that look right out of the box.
The Materialize CSS framework includes all of the Material Design components that you would expect to see cards, buttons, floating action buttons, grids, etc. Materialize CSS also includes pre coded animations and JavaScript behaviors that meet the Material Design specification. If you need to follow Google’s Material Design guidelines, particularly if you are building a site that will target Android users or are part of Google’s ecosystem, then Materialize CSS is a natural fit.
The negative side of Materialize CSS is that Material Design has a very distinctive look. If your brand identity does not align with Material Design, you will likely spend a lot of time trying to fight the framework to achieve the desired look. Also, like Bootstrap, sites that are built with Materialize CSS can also look similar. But, when you need to use Material Design, Materialize CSS will get the job done quickly.
Choosing the Best CSS Framework
How do you decide? Here is a practical way to evaluate the options.
If you need to get a site built quickly and you don’t care if the design looks unique, use Bootstrap. Bootstrap is the most reliable, well documented option out there.
If design flexibility is the top priority for you, and you are happy with modern frontend tooling, then Tailwind CSS will give you total control over the design without you needing to write a single line of custom CSS. Tailwind CSS is particularly well suited to component based frameworks like React.
If you are building an enterprise scale application that requires strict accessibility compliance and complex layout requirements, then Foundation is worth the learning curve.
If you are building a small project, and you want something that is lightweight, modern, and easy to learn, then Bulma is a pleasure to use.
If you need to create a site that uses Material Design as your target aesthetic, then Materialize CSS will save you a ton of time and effort.
Ultimately, you can also consider the philosophical approach that the CSS framework uses. Component-based frameworks like Bootstrap and Foundation provide you with a set of pre coded UI components to use as building blocks for your site. Utility-first frameworks like Tailwind provide you with a set of building blocks to create your own UI components. Both philosophies are valid, and neither is inherently better, they simply suit different workflows.
It is also worth noting that you generally cannot use two CSS frameworks together in the same project. They will interfere with each other, override each other, and bloat your codebase. Choose one and stick with it.
Future Trends
There are a few trends that are emerging in the future of CSS frameworks. The evolution of CSS itself, with the addition of Grid, Flexbox, custom properties, and container queries, is reducing the necessity for frameworks to resolve layout issues. Some developers are also advocating for CSS only solutions that utilize native HTML features (such as details elements for dropdowns, and focus within for interactivity).
Another trend that is becoming a factor is performance. Since Core Web Vitals will be used to impact search rankings, the small bundle sizes of utility first frameworks are becoming more appealing. During the same period that Tailwind CSS’ market share has risen, Bootstrap’s market share has fallen.
Frameworks that succeed will be the ones that enable developers to build fast, accessible, maintainable sites without excessive complexity. Whether that is the reliability of Bootstrap or the precision of Tailwind CSS, the right answer depends on the type of project you are building.
Using CSS Frameworks Effectively
In the end, a CSS framework is a tool, not a religion. The best developers understand multiple frameworks and can select the best one for the specific job. Begin with one, perhaps Bootstrap, and gain experience. Once you are comfortable, experiment with other options. See how each one solves problems differently. Take ideas from each.
The objective is not to be an expert in Tailwind or a BootStrap mastermind but to create websites quicker, easier and with fewer frustrations. A good CSS framework takes care of the dull parts and frees up your time to work on the fun parts. When you use them properly, you’ll have a friend in your future self who thanks you for creating those same button designs for the hundredth time and not having to recreate them again.
To get further information about a specific framework, look at the official Bootstrap documentation and Tailwind CSS documentation first. There are also resources such as MDN Web Docs that provide the foundation knowledge of CSS that all frameworks are built upon.
New to HTML? Start Here: HTML Tutorial for Beginners: Your Complete Introduction to HTML Basics
New to CSS? Start Here: CSS Introduction: Master 5 Core Concepts Easily
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