UI Frameworks: Is it too hard to make Development Easier?
05 Oct 2022
When it comes to web development, user interface (UI) frameworks are some of the most common tools used to help with the development process. UI frameworks are packages of functions and classes designed to help with creating aesthetically pleasing and consistent UI layouts. While UI frameworks can provide many convenient features for web development, the complexity of UI frameworks can sometimes discourage people from using them. Some may question why anyone would bother to learn how to use a UI framework instead of just using HTML and CSS on their own. As someone who has only just started learning to use UI frameworks, it is hard for me to say whether or not they are worth the time investment, but perhaps my experiences can help others make that decision for their own project.
My Experience with UI Frameworks so far
My current experience with UI frameworks is essentially just one week of Bootstrap 5, a UI framework designed for building responsive sites with design tools specifically for mobile devices. I have never worked with another UI framework before. Additionally, I am also fairly new to web development and UI design as a whole, having only worked with HTML and CSS for about two weeks. In other words, I would consider myself to be a complete beginner. Now as for my thoughts on Bootstrap 5, I find learning and using it to be rather difficult at the moment. Many of the Bootstrap 5 classes that I have used so far do not behave as I thought they would, making it very difficult to style my web design projects in the way I intended to. Many of the features in my current projects that I used Bootstrap 5 for would have likely been easier for me to implement with just raw HTML and CSS (at least with my current level of knowledge). While I imagine that many of my struggles are a result of my inexperience, this does suggest that there is a significant learning curve for Bootstrap 5.
Are UI Frameworks Worth it?
After learning many different programming languages and libraries over the years, I know that I have not invested nearly enough time into Bootstrap 5 to really use it effectively. Saying that it is “useless” or “too difficult” at this point in time would be disingenuous in my opinion. To me, learning how to use a UI framework is similar to learning how to use a new library in a programming language. It will take time to learn how to use the functions and classes of the UI framework effectively, but they will eventually make the development process easier. As for whether learning a UI framework is worth it, it really depends on how much you intend to use it and what you intend to use it for. For example, learning to use a UI framework for a single small project is probably not worth the time investment. You likely would not get enough benefit from the UI framework to outweigh the cost of learning it. On the other hand, if you are working continuously on projects that require many of the features that a UI framework provides, then learning to use it could be an effective use of time in the long run. Learning how to use the UI framework classes specifically designed for use in applications like yours could simplify the development process, or lead to a more well-designed final product. Ultimately, deciding whether or not to use UI frameworks in your web design projects is different for each developer, and cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.”