When choosing which framework to use, the most important thing is to pick one that fits your requirements and needs. When it comes to the pillars of top-notch websites, we have to mention responsive layout, interactive style, and fluid design. In order for those things to happen, you need to implement the CSS in a way that removes any chances of problems at further development stages and thus helps minimize the effort as the application increases in size. The good thing is that if you want to create an amazingly responsive UI, there are many ways to do it with well-known kits such as Bulma and Bootstrap, and sometimes media queries are the way to go. But what if you want to create and implement a custom UI design that’s unique for your business? Well, in that case, you may opt for Tailwind CSS, a new framework that’s becoming more and more popular.
In the paragraphs below, let’s look at the differences between Tailwind CSS vs. Bootstrap and which framework will fit your vision better.
Tailwind CSS vs. Bootstrap: What Are the Differences?
If you ask developers, they will tell you that Bootstrap is HTML, CSS, and JS that’s simple and flexible, which is why it’s famous for UI components and interactions. It’s no wonder that Bootstrap is the most popular HTML, CSS, and JS framework for developing fast, responsive and mobile-first projects. On the other hand, most specialists would characterize Tailwind CSS as a utility-first CSS framework, great for rapid UI development. Tailwind is very different from Bulma, Bootstrap, and Foundation frameworks, mainly because it’s not a UI kit. It lacks a default theme; there are no built-in UI components; it only comes with a few predesigned widgets that are there to help you build your site but don’t impose any design decisions that you cannot later undo.
Both Bootstrap and Tailwind CSS are typically put in the category of “Front-end Frameworks.” Some of the most notable features of Bootstrap are
- Preprocessors – Bootstrap ships with vanilla CSS, but it has a source code that utilizes two of the most popular CSS preprocessors: Sass and Less. This means you can either get started with a precompiled CSS or build directly on the source.
- Bootstrap is a framework that can work for any device. It efficiently and easily scales your applications and websites thanks to its single code base.
- A ton of additional features – by using Bootstrap, you get a lot of documentation for popular HTML elements, as well as many custom CSS and HTML components and useful jQuery plug-ins.
Alternatively, Tailwind CSS has other notable features, which are
- No default theme or design that gets pushed onto you and is hard to reconfigure
- No built-in UI components; what you do is totally up to you and your vision
- Ability for you to design the websites by yourself without it giving you any direction
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How to Choose the Right Framework for You
Tailwind CSS vs. Bootstrap is not an easy debate to settle. If responsiveness and ease of use primarily matter to you, you should go for Bootstrap over the other competitors. Some of the companies that use Bootstrap as their framework include Spotify, Twitter, and Lyft. It’s an incredible choice that offers you a ton of stability and great performance, ensures your applications and websites are working correctly and has some flexibility when it comes to the design.
On the other hand, developers tend to go for Tailwind CSS when they want to be able to customize everything about the website literally or when they have to go for a specific design that can only be achieved by using a framework that doesn’t impose restrictions. Popular companies that have opted for using Tailwind CSS include BlaBlaCar, Bazzite, and Exyplis, as it’s the perfect choice for when you genuinely want to make a website that helps you stand out amongst competitors.