Bootstrap is a free and open-source CSS framework directed at responsive, mobile-first front-end web development. It contains HTML, CSS and (optionally) JavaScript-based design templates for typography, forms, buttons, navigation, and other interface components.
Bootstrap is an HTML, CSS and JS library that focuses on simplifying the development of informative web pages (as opposed to web applications). The primary purpose of adding it to a web project is to apply Bootstrap's choices of color, size, font and layout to that project. As such, the primary factor is whether the developers in charge find those choices to their liking. Once added to a project, Bootstrap provides basic style definitions for all HTML elements. The result is a uniform appearance for prose, tables and form elements across web browsers. In addition, developers can take advantage of CSS classes defined in Bootstrap to further customize the appearance of their contents. For example, Bootstrap has provisioned for light- and dark-colored tables, page headings, more prominent pull quotes, and text with a highlight.
They provide additional user interface elements such as dialog boxes, tooltips, progress bars, navigation drop-downs, and carousels. Each Bootstrap component consists of an HTML structure, CSS declarations, and in some cases accompanying JavaScript code. They also extend the functionality of some existing interface elements, including for example an auto-complete function for input fields.
A precompiled version of Bootstrap is available in the form of one CSS file and three JavaScript files that can be readily added to any project. The raw form of Bootstrap, however, enables developers to implement further customization and size optimizations. This raw form is modular, meaning that the developer can remove unneeded components, apply a theme and modify the uncompiled Sass files.
Why Bootstrap?
Bootstrap is the go-to toolkit for many front-end developers. According to W3Techs, it's used by 22.1% of all websites on the internet. There are a few factors driving Bootstrap’s popularity. First and foremost, it’s open-source and therefore free to download and use. It’s also fully customizable, and compatible with all modern browsers. This is true of many CSS frameworks, however. What sets Bootstrap apart from other development toolkits is that it was developed mobile-first. Meaning, the code was optimized for mobile devices (i.e. the smallest screen size) first and then scaled up to display on larger screens. As a result, building with Bootstrap CSS ensures that your site supports proper rendering and touch zooming for all devices. Another reason Bootstrap is so popular is that it’s easy to use. It comes bundled with templates for typography, forms, buttons, drop-down menus, navigation, and other interface components. Using these pre-styled templates, you can add features that enrich the user experience on your site without having to code them from scratch.
When to Use Bootstrap
- You want a responsive website.
- You want to save time.
- You’re familiar with HTML and CSS.
- You have multiple people building out your site.
- You want to be part of a community.
Building a responsive site is much easier using Bootstrap than doing so from scratch. Bootstrap comes with responsive styles, like containers and media queries, to ensure your site adjusts to the viewport. That means you don’t have to worry about whether your visitors are using desktops, tablets, or mobile devices.
You can build your site quickly with Bootstrap. Once you download the framework, you can get started with a basic template and then add the components you need. These components are fundamental HTML elements, like tables, forms, buttons, images, and icons, that are styled with a base class and extended with modifier classes. Using these pre-designed components significantly limits the amount of custom CSS you have to write.
Though Bootstrap does simplify the process of building a site, you’ll have to be familiar with HTML and CSS to use the framework. For example, understanding the CSS box model will be important when using the container class and building your first Bootstrap grid. The good news is you’ll only need a basic knowledge of coding to get started.
If you have multiple collaborators working on a site, then consistency is important. You don’t want buttons on your homepage to look different from buttons on your landing page, or to use a different website typography on your blog than anywhere else on your site — and so on. Using Bootstrap and its default settings, utility classes, and component elements can help ensure the front end of your site looks consistent.
Since Bootstrap is open source, it has a global community of developers and designers dedicated to supporting the framework. These developers and designers modify and enhance Bootstrap's codebase on GitHub. They also answer questions on Twitter, Stack Overflow, and in a dedicated Slack room. When using Bootstrap, you can leverage this active community to become a better Bootstrap user.
Building Your Responsive Site
Bootstrap is a powerful front-end framework for building and customizing a mobile-friendly site. With Bootstrap, you don’t have to start from scratch or give up control over the appearance of your site. Get started exploring this framework now to see just how much it’s capable of.