Reasons to Use a Frontend UI Library
Reasons to Use a Frontend UI Library
In the recent noveloper project, I used the UI library Mantine.
Additionally, I have used various frontend UI libraries such as bootstrap, shadcn, daisyUI, and NextUI in most of the projects I have worked on.
So, why did I use these libraries?
There's No Need to Reinvent the Wheel
Building all components from scratch and styling them from the ground up is not an easy task.
Even if you create visually appealing components using CSS, you still need to consider aspects such as browser compatibility, accessibility, responsive design, and performance.
UI libraries take these factors into account, testing and developing components, and maintaining them through the community, which allows for a more efficient solution than handling everything alone.
(With 24.7k stars, Mantine has only 24 issues, indicating how well it is maintained.)
Moreover, using pre-built components allows for rapid prototyping of projects.
Frontend Developers and Designers
I am not good at design.
However, as a frontend developer, providing users with a clean UI has always been a concern for me.
Ensuring that different UI components maintain consistency is not an easy task.
UI libraries generally have a consistent design and present a clean and organized appearance, making them excellent as a base design.
Design Systems and Customization
That said, not all projects using a UI library will have the same design.
Most libraries offer customization options for individual components, as well as the ability to modify themes for overall project customization, allowing you to build a design system tailored to each project.
For example, you can find out why Inflab developed its design system based on the open-source Mantine in their article on building a design system.
Drawbacks
So, is using a UI library always the right choice?
It's important to consider the following drawbacks as well:
Open Source: Open-source projects always carry the risk of maintenance being halted. Additionally, the development direction of the open-source library may differ from what the project desires.Bundle Size: Including all components of the library in the code can lead to performance issues.Dependencies: If the UI library depends on other libraries, issues may arise during version updates.Learning Curve: The team will need time to learn the library.
Therefore, it seems wise to choose a UI library based on project requirements through discussions among team members.
Conclusion
While I have used various UI libraries throughout my projects, I initially thought of it simply as a matter of convenience.
By posting this article, I feel that I can clearly articulate the reasons I had in mind while also exploring the thoughts of other developers regarding the use of UI libraries.