3 Reasons To Abandon Bootstrap in 2021 (2024)

It’s been 10 years, let’s move on

3 Reasons To Abandon Bootstrap in 2021 (3)

Almost exactly 10 years ago Bootstrap was released. Not long after that, it was regularly listed on developers’ CVs amongst the list of technical skills. I was working as a full-stack developer at the time and most of my projects followed similar requirements: Low budget and high ambitions.

Bootstrap seemed to cater exactly to those needs. It allowed developers with little frontend knowledge to put together great-looking websites in no time. With a little bit of effort, they even worked on mobile. It worked, it sold — at least in the eyes of the clients and probably most website users.

And, ten years on, it still does.

According to Wappalyser, there are nearly 3.5 million websites out there that still rely on Bootstrap. The site reports that even the big boys like paypal.com, etsy.com, and gitlab.com use it.

There’s nothing wrong with it, in many cases. But just like the emerging trend of quick website builders like Wix or Squarespace, Bootstrap was intended to help create websites quickly and with little to no frontend knowledge required. The focus was never on creating accessible content or maintainable code. As a result, it was easy to fall into the trap of creating bloated, inaccessible websites that make developers run for the hills should they ever have to change something in the layout.

The most popular and still most easily recognisable feature of bootstrap is probably the grid system. It’s relatively straightforward to use: look at a design, divide it into columns, and assign column classes to your divs. For mobile-friendly layouts, you can add additional breakpoint classes. You can even make the columns swap on mobile.

To make this all work bootstrap uses a variety of breakpoints for various screen-sizes. Although these breakpoints can be adjusted, the default ones are pixel-based values.

The problem with pixel-based breakpoints is that they aren’t working well for accessibility. Breakpoints units should really be based on your font size and that font size should be a relative unit e.g. either EM or REM.

It is common for users with visual impairments to change the default browser font size. Relative breakpoints will make sure the design still works if the browser font settings are changed. It means the layout will break at different points for different users, depending on their settings.

Plus, the Bootstrap grid adds a lot of overhead and unnecessary markup to the page. With IE slowly losing support, CSS grid is a much more lightweight option. And if you need to support legacy browsers, there are plenty of lightweight flexbox mixins kicking about.

Anything under bootstrap 5.0 used the float classes to align content. They are simple enough, stick float-right or float-left on any item to make it align to either side of the screen.

Any developer who had to create a portfolio/cv website in college without being able to use any tools will remember the struggles of trying to make an image sit nicely on the page. Floating elements correctly is a skill in itself.

So, Bootstrap decided to make things a little easier. If you slap a “float class” onto an element, you’re almost always guaranteed it will appear where you want it to. That’s because this is what it looks like under the hood:

@mixin float-left {float: left !important;}@mixin float-right {float: right !important;}@mixin float-none {float: none !important;}

In total, there are 146 occurrences of !important in Bootstrap 4.

The use of !important statements in CSS is considered bad practice and makes it difficult to maintain or adjust the codebase later.

Thankfully, with Bootstrap 5, usages are reduced to 19 and the above float classes are replaced with the flex system.

However, I doubt that many of the million websites are running on Bootstrap 5. Etsy.com, for example, is still on Bootstrap 2.0.

For websites built on the float/pull system, it’s probably too risky and seemingly unnecessary to upgrade.

The beauty of using Bootstrap to create layouts is that everything looks as it’s supposed to look with just a single class. It almost doesn’t matter what element you are trying to style, if you want it to look like a button, you can make it look like a button.

3 Reasons To Abandon Bootstrap in 2021 (4)

All of these elements above look the same and behave the same until you try to access them with the keyboard. Keyboard users will use the TAB key to switch between focusable elements — in this example, the div would never receive focus. Both button and ahref elements are focusable but are slightly different when interacted with via a keyboard.

Of course, Bootstrap these days is a lot more than the above-mentioned examples. It also hosts a range of JavaScript components for commonly used elements like toasts or accordions. Most of them even are accessible if they are implemented with the correct HTML and Aria labels.

And herein lies the answer: Any framework can only be as good as the developer implementing it. Of course, it’s possible to create fast, responsive, and accessible websites using Bootstrap.

But this is what I have seen happening: Once you start tearing it apart, trying to figure out how to use it only where needed, make it accessible and easily maintainable, you are probably halfway there building your own “framework.”

Frontend doesn’t have to be a magical mystery box. Accessibility doesn’t have to be painful. Tight budgets shouldn’t define the usability of a website.

Sometimes it helps to take a step back to analyse the requirements before slapping any framework onto a project. In many cases, it might be quicker and more efficient to create your own set of styles or components.

3 Reasons To Abandon Bootstrap in 2021 (2024)

FAQs

Is Bootstrap still relevant 2021? ›

👍 Bootstrap is used in the real world.

In fact, it's used a LOT in the real world… By companies you've probably heard of. And according to Stackshare, over 40,000 companies use Bootstrap.

Why people don t use Bootstrap? ›

While Bootstrap is easy to use, it's not so easy to customize as you might think. Some components will require you to use ! important several times, which is not ideal when creating CSS. And having to override the default styles of Bootstrap is just like having to create your own CSS from start.

Why don't people like Bootstrap? ›

Many people claim it doesn't follow good coding standards and makes the web page non semantic. Bootstrap is constantly under development and provides frequent updates. The problem is that those updates are not always that easy to integrate.

What are the risks of using Bootstrap? ›

1. Financial risk. The most obvious risk with bootstrapping is putting your own money directly into the company. When your business takes a hit, whether due to lack of sales or an unexpected expense, it will impact you directly.

Is there a better framework than Bootstrap? ›

Bulma. Bulma is one of the popular CSS frameworks that can be used as an alternative to Bootstrap. Bulma is free, open-source, and has a ton of front-end components that are enough to code any kind of website.

Do developers actually use Bootstrap? ›

Bootstrap is an open-source and free HTML, CSS, and JS framework web developers use to quickly create responsive website designs and web applications. The Bootstrap framework is used all over the world — both by independent developers and entire companies.

Is it cheating to use Bootstrap? ›

No. What do you mean by cheating? Bootstrap simplifies the front-end development, but it's a good thing.

What is the weakness of Bootstrap? ›

The problem with bootstrapping startups is that the company completely relies on the founder's savings and borrowing capacity in order to function. Needless to say that such saving, as well as borrowing capacity, can be finite and quite limited. Hence it puts the company at a severe disadvantage.

Is it better to use Bootstrap or CSS? ›

If you're not a designer and just want to put together a quick and easy UI for people to use, then Bootstrap might be the way to go. But, if you want complete freedom with your design and the ability to create custom designs and components easily then Tailwind CSS is the better choice.

Is it professional to use Bootstrap? ›

Bootstrap is widely used by professional web developers creating apps and sites for companies in many sectors.

What are the disadvantages of Bootstrap circuit? ›

Drawback of Bootstrap Circuitry

The biggest difficulty with this circuit is that the negative voltage present at the source of the switching device during turn−off causes load current to suddenly flow in the low−side freewheeling diode, as shown in Figure 3.

What are the disadvantages of Bootstrap in react? ›

However, one downside of React-Bootstrap is that it can be challenging to customize the components. If you want to change the look or behavior of an element, you may need to write some CSS or JavaScript yourself.

Is Bootstrap a good choice? ›

Bootstrap is a popular front-end framework that provides a basic structure and design for web applications. It offers a fast, efficient, and consistent approach to UI development, making it a popular choice among developers and designers.

Is Bootstrap still relevant in 2023? ›

As of 2023, Bootstrap is still widely used and is a valuable skill to have as a web developer. Bootstrap provides pre-built CSS and JavaScript components that can be easily customized and integrated into your web projects.

Why is tailwind better than Bootstrap? ›

About which framework is better depends on situation and the need of your project. If your project contains more of backend work and requires common layouts, then Bootstrap will be better. While if your project requires exclusive customization and front-end work, then Tailwind CSS will be better.

What is Bootstrap best for? ›

It's also a frontend development framework that enables developers and designers to quickly build fully responsive websites. Essentially, Bootstrap saves you from writing lots of CSS code, giving you more time to spend on designing webpages. It's also FREE!

Which is better Django or Bootstrap? ›

"Responsiveness", "UI components" and "Consistent" are the key factors why developers consider Bootstrap; whereas "Rapid development", "Open source" and "Great community" are the primary reasons why Django is favored.

Which is better HTML or Bootstrap? ›

Bootstrap and HTML5 are primarily classified as "Front-End Frameworks" and "Languages" tools respectively. "Responsiveness", "UI components" and "Consistent" are the key factors why developers consider Bootstrap; whereas "New doctype", "Local storage" and "Canvas" are the primary reasons why HTML5 is favored.

What is the downside of bootstrapping data? ›

It does not perform bias corrections, etc. There is no cure for small sample sizes. Bootstrap is powerful, but it's not magic — it can only work with the information available in the original sample. If the samples are not representative of the whole population, then bootstrap will not be very accurate.

Is bootstrapping a good or bad thing for your business? ›

Compared to using venture capital, bootstrapping can be beneficial because the entrepreneur is able to maintain control over all decisions. On the downside, this form of financing may place unnecessary financial risk on the entrepreneur.

Does Bootstrap slow down your site? ›

Using Bootstrap on your project can slow down the website's load time and burden your server if you're not careful. To avoid this issue, make sure to only add the classes you need and use the minified version of the files.

Does Spotify use Bootstrap? ›

Who uses Bootstrap? 42925 companies reportedly use Bootstrap in their tech stacks, including Spotify, Twitter, and Udemy.

What is the salary of Bootstrap developer? ›

Average salary of an employee who knows Bootstrap is ₹19.4lakhs. Employees who knows Bootstrap earn an average of ₹19.4lakhs, mostly ranging from ₹16.0lakhs to ₹48.4lakhs based on 755 profiles.

What percentage of websites use Bootstrap? ›

Bootstrap has market share of 12.30% in programming-framework market. Bootstrap competes with 84 competitor tools in programming-framework category.

Do front-end devs use Bootstrap? ›

Bootstrap is one of the most popular, widely used front-end design frameworks. It allows developers to quickly set up professional looking websites with minimal effort. It was originally built at Twitter to address inconsistencies in front-end design.

Does Bootstrap increase bias? ›

Bootstrap Bias

Instead it is assumed that, if the sample statistic ( ) provides a biased estimate of its parameter ( Θ ), the bootstrap statistic ( * ) provides a similarly biased estimate of the sample statistic.

Why use CSS over Bootstrap? ›

Bootstrap is a "framework", that is: a pre-built set of files. Included in these files is CSS. Bootstrap uses, among other things, extensive CSS classes to style websites. You can use Bootstrap without understanding CSS but if you are a beginner you should really learn HTML & CSS first.

Can we replace CSS for Bootstrap? ›

css file. At any time, you can edit or remove any of your custom CSS to revert to Bootstrap's default styles or redesign your site. You can also easily switch to another version of Bootstrap (as long as it's a minor release, like 4.4) by replacing the reference to the previous stylesheet in your index. html file.

Why is pure CSS better than Bootstrap? ›

Bootstrap is the most popular HTML, CSS, and JS framework for developing responsive, mobile first projects on the web; Pure: A set of small, responsive CSS modules that you can use in every web project. Pure is meant to be a starting point for every website or web app.

Should I put Bootstrap on my resume? ›

Yes, Because Bootstrap is the most popular front end framework in the recent time. It is sleek, intuitive, and powerful mobile first front-end framework for faster and easier web development. Should I include a 1 month job on my resume? What kind of projects can you put on your resume?

Is Twitter using Bootstrap? ›

As time passed, Twitter made Bootstrap accessible, free, and open for all to use. It comes with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript-based design templates, forms, buttons, navigation, grids, and other interface components. Twitter Bootstrap makes it easy for us all to build outstanding-looking websites.

Does Bootstrap reduce bias? ›

There is systematic shift between average sample estimates and the population value: thus the sample median is a biased estimate of the population median. Fortunately, this bias can be corrected using the bootstrap.

Is Bootstrap more accurate? ›

Although it is impossible to know the true confidence interval for most problems, bootstrapping is asymptotically consistent and more accurate than using the standard intervals obtained using sample variance and the assumption of normality,” according to author Graysen Cline in their book, Nonparametric Statistical ...

What is the disadvantage of Bootstrap and jQuery? ›

The Disadvantages of Bootstrap are:

Styles are verbose and can lead to lots of output in HTML which is not needed. JavaScript is tied to jQuery and is one of the commonest library which thus leaves most of the plugins unused. Non-compliant HTML.

Why we should not use Bootstrap in angular? ›

Developers need to be careful not to use the same components, which can clash. Angular Material and Bootstrap offer a variety of unique components for great website design. The unique components of Angular Material are not found in Bootstrap and vice-versa.

Is Bootstrap actually useful? ›

It's also a frontend development framework that enables developers and designers to quickly build fully responsive websites. Essentially, Bootstrap saves you from writing lots of CSS code, giving you more time to spend on designing webpages.

Is it recommended to use Bootstrap? ›

If you have a personal project you'll like to have in your portfolio with so many unique front-end UI and UX designs, it is advisable not to use Bootstrap as you will likely spend lots of time trying to overwrite the Bootstrap features to make it look like you want it to and also make it hard to make changes especially ...

Do front-end developers use Bootstrap? ›

Bootstrap is one of the most popular, widely used front-end design frameworks. It allows developers to quickly set up professional looking websites with minimal effort. It was originally built at Twitter to address inconsistencies in front-end design.

Is CSS grid better than Bootstrap? ›

If we want to have control over the layout in either the row or column direction, then we should use the Flexbox-based grid that Bootstrap provides. On the other hand, if you want control over the layout on both rows and columns, you should use CSS Grid as your solution.

Does Twitter still own Bootstrap? ›

It was renamed from Twitter Blueprint to Bootstrap and released as an open-source project on August 19, 2011. It has continued to be maintained by Otto, Thornton, a small group of core developers, and a large community of contributors.

What problem does Bootstrap solve? ›

Bootstrapping is a statistical procedure that resamples a single dataset to create many simulated samples. This process allows you to calculate standard errors, construct confidence intervals, and perform hypothesis testing for numerous types of sample statistics.

When not to use Bootstrap statistics? ›

Bootstrap is powerful, but it's not magic — it can only work with the information available in the original sample. If the samples are not representative of the whole population, then bootstrap will not be very accurate.

When would you typically use the Bootstrap? ›

In particular, the bootstrap is useful when there is no analytical form or an asymptotic theory (e.g., an applicable central limit theorem) to help estimate the distribution of the statistics of interest. This is because bootstrap methods can apply to most random quantities, e.g., the ratio of variance and mean.

Should I use Bootstrap instead of CSS? ›

CSS is a pure CSS framework. That means it only uses HTML and CSS — not JavaScript. Bootstrap, on the other hand, uses HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It's important to note, however, that Bootstrap is primarily built with HTML and CSS.

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