CSS Frameworks to Use with React

You got your React project working exactly the way you intended. GREAT! Now style it. If you are in a hurry to deploy and get it out there then use one of the many CSS frameworks out there available to you.

A CSS framework is a library allowing for easier, more standards-compliant web design using the Cascading Style Sheets language. Most of these frameworks contain at least a grid. More functional frameworks also come with more features and additional JavaScript based functions, but are mostly design oriented and focused around interactive UI patterns. This detail differentiates CSS frameworks from other JavaScript frameworks.

Here are a few that have made my list…

Bootstrap- We are just going to get this one out of the way first. Probably the most used CSS framework out there. Probably the first framework developers learn how to use. Its customizable and easy to use. Sidenote: Go to Bootswatch for some premade themes built on bootstrap.

Materialize- Another well known framework that most have tinkered with at one time or another. I like this one a tad bit better than bootstrap only because it is so much easier to customize and make it your own.

Tailwind CSS- This has gained quite a following in the last few years and has become quite popular. It claims to be: “A utility-first CSS framework packed with classes like flex, pt-4, text-center and rotate-90 that can be composed to build any design, directly in your markup.”

SemanticUI- If you really enjoy lots of theming and customization choices then SemanticUI is for you. This open source library claims to have over 50 UI components and 3000+ theming variables…have fun.

ChakraUI- I like this one a lot and it is still underrated. It is simple and easy. The fun part is the built in dark mode toggle you can easily incorporate into your project.

Evergreen- I found this one recent and I have to say I like the feel of it. I can get behind the design theory with its simple and very clean components but still gives you plenty of ways to customize it.

PaperCSS- If you like the look of plain notebook paper and the look like it has been just sketched out then this one is for you.

NES.CSS- THIS!!!! I love this one so much. It is fun and simple. It gives you this awesome 8-bit retro look. Go check it out.