Semantic UI vs Tailwind CSS: What are the differences?

Semantic UI and Tailwind CSS are two popular CSS frameworks used for building modern web applications, each with its unique approach to styling and layout. Let's explore the key differences between them.

1. Grid System: Semantic UI provides a fluid and responsive grid system that allows for easy layout customization. It uses classes like ui grid to define grid structures with various column widths. On the other hand, Tailwind CSS utilizes a utility-first approach, offering a comprehensive set of responsive grid classes that can be directly used in HTML markup. This allows for more flexibility in creating custom grid layouts without the need for additional CSS classes or frameworks.

2. Styling Approach: Semantic UI follows a more opinionated and pre-designed approach to styling components. It provides a wide range of ready-to-use components with predefined styles and themes. In contrast, Tailwind CSS takes a highly customizable and utility-based approach, where you can directly apply utility classes to HTML elements to achieve specific design properties. This gives developers more control and freedom to create their own unique styles without being constrained by predefined UI patterns.

3. Theming Options: Semantic UI offers a theme system that allows developers to customize the appearance of components by modifying variables or creating their own themes. It provides an extensive set of built-in themes to choose from, making it easy to change the overall look and feel of the UI. Tailwind CSS, on the other hand, does not provide a built-in theming system. Instead, it focuses on providing a robust set of utility classes that can be combined and customized to achieve any desired design style.

4. File Size: Semantic UI has a larger file size compared to Tailwind CSS. This is mainly due to the fact that Semantic UI includes a wide range of pre-designed components and themes, resulting in more CSS and JavaScript code being included in the final bundle. Tailwind CSS, on the other hand, takes a more minimalistic approach and focuses on providing a comprehensive set of utility classes, resulting in a smaller file size overall.

5. Learning Curve: Semantic UI has a steeper learning curve compared to Tailwind CSS, especially for beginners. It has its own set of class names and conventions, which can take some time to get used to. In contrast, Tailwind CSS follows a more intuitive and self-explanatory naming convention for utility classes, making it easier to understand and use. This makes Tailwind CSS a popular choice for developers who want to quickly prototype or develop websites without spending much time on custom styling.

6. Community and Ecosystem: Semantic UI has a strong community and a wide array of plugins and extensions that can extend its functionality. It has been around for a longer time and has a larger user base, which means there are more resources and support available. Tailwind CSS, although relatively newer, has gained significant traction and a growing community. It also offers a plugin system and has integrations with popular frameworks like React and Vue.js, making it a versatile choice for modern web development.

In summary, Semantic UI provides a pre-designed, themable UI framework with a fluid grid system, while Tailwind CSS focuses on utility classes, flexibility, and an extensive ecosystem.