Need advice about which tool to choose?Ask the StackShare community!
Buefy vs Bulma: What are the differences?
Introduction
Buefy and Bulma are two popular CSS frameworks used for building responsive websites. Buefy is a UI components library for Vue.js, which integrates with Bulma and provides ready-to-use components. Bulma, on the other hand, is a CSS framework that allows developers to build modern and responsive websites with ease.
Integration with Vue.js: Buefy is specifically designed to work with Vue.js, as it is a Vue-based implementation of the Bulma CSS framework. It provides Vue components that can easily be used in a Vue application. In contrast, Bulma is a standalone CSS framework that can be used with any JavaScript framework or even without any framework at all.
Component Library: Buefy offers a comprehensive collection of pre-designed and ready-to-use UI components that are built using Bulma's CSS classes. These components include buttons, forms, modals, navbar, tabs, and more. Bulma, on the other hand, does not provide any built-in components and is primarily focused on providing a set of CSS classes for building responsive websites. Developers using Bulma need to create their own custom components.
Ease of Use and Customization: Buefy simplifies the development process by providing pre-built components that can be easily used in a Vue application. Developers can easily customize and extend these components according to their specific requirements. On the other hand, Bulma provides a set of CSS classes that can be used to build a responsive layout and UI components. Customization in Bulma requires writing custom CSS or Sass code.
Community Support: Both Buefy and Bulma have active communities and provide support through forums, documentation, and GitHub repositories. However, Buefy being a UI components library for Vue.js benefits from the existing Vue.js community, which is known for its strong support and active development.
JavaScript Interaction: Buefy provides JavaScript interactions for its components out of the box. For example, the Buefy modal component can easily be controlled using JavaScript. On the other hand, Bulma does not provide any JavaScript interactions for its components by default. Developers using Bulma need to write their own JavaScript code to add interactivity to the components.
Size and Performance: Buefy adds an additional layer on top of Bulma, incorporating its own components and functionality. This can result in a larger overall bundle size and a slight performance overhead compared to using Bulma directly. However, the impact on performance is generally minimal.
In Summary, Buefy is a Vue.js UI components library that integrates with Bulma and provides ready-to-use components, while Bulma is a standalone CSS framework that provides a set of CSS classes for building responsive websites. The key differences between the two are Buefy's integration with Vue.js, its component library, ease of use, community support, built-in JavaScript interactions, and possible impact on size and performance.
I'm building, from scratch, a webapp. It's going to be a dashboard to check on our apps in New Relic and update the Apdex from the webapp. I have just chosen Next.js as our framework because we use React already, and after going through the tutorial, I just loved the latest changes they have implemented.
But we have to decide on a CSS framework for the UI. I'm partial to Bulma because I love that it's all about CSS (and you can use SCSS from the start), that it's rather lightweight and that it doesn't come with JavaScript clutter. One of the things I hate about Bootstrap is that you depend on jQuery to use the JavaScript part. My boss loves UIkIt, but when I've used it in the past, I didn't like it.
What do you think we should use? Maybe you have another suggestion?
I have used bulma in several projects. We could not customize with the websites very well. Also when we need "quick solutions" Bulma is not suitable (I mean basic animations, to-top buttons, transparent navbar solutions etc. For these solutions, you need extra js codes).
Everybody knows about Bootstrap (heavy but popular).
Now we start a new project with UI kit, I like it. Pros: It is fast and lightweight and imho it has very good UI. Cons: Small community. Documentation.
Check this link for kick-off. https://github.com/zzseba78/Kick-Off
Maybe it is helpful.
Been checking out Bulma, myself, and really dig it. I like that it's a great base level jumping off point. You can get a layout going with it, pretty quickly, and then customize as you want. It definitely sounds like it's the one you're leaning towards but a big factor would be who will be using it most? Your boss, yourself, others? Whichever you like best, you'll prob be most productive with but if in the end your boss says it has to be UIkit, then best to be open-minded and give it another shot. Sometimes you may not jive with new tools in your stack, at first, but then they can become tools you learn to love. Best to you in your decision! Take care & keep safe.
I've moved away from the concept of UI kits. Not that many support CSS grid. A lot of the icons are easier to use in SVG. I've had success in the concept of design framework and design tokens. I build my brand identity in Figma, and extract in Diez. Then Diez integrates into React and SASS. Much easier because design is decoupled from software in a central authority, and software updates automatically from design changes.
Honestly - pick whatever you are the most comfortable with. You can achieve almost the same effects with different tools, so why not use something I like using?
I used UIKit and Bootstrap many times. I love Bootstrap for fast, easy layouts to web apps. Clean code, easiest and fastest way to write layouts for front end if you learned something before about Bootstrap. Now in React I use React-Boostrap too. About UIKit I can say its nice idea. It's easier than Bootstrap. This is good option for trainee developer to learn how u should create layout of your website, but for me UIKit have not enough functions. If you need to create something complicated, u have an error in your mind. You must create amazing code combinations for UIKit where in Bootstrap in the same ideas you have easy solutions.
Actually it really depends on your needs, there are 3 types of UI frameworks you can use:
-
A complete set of UI components like: https://react-bulma.dev/en/getting-started.
Pros:
Having a lot of pre-built UI components saves a lot of time
Cons:
need to learn the react framework and the bulma styles, and it's harder to customize to your needs
-
A pure css framework, like Bulma, where you write all the components yourself.
Pros:
A lot of flexibility to build the components you need
Cons:
You are bound to Bulma classes and markup.
Takes more time since you need to build the components
A utility class framework like: https://tailwindcss.com/.
Pros:
Most flexible, mix and match classes as you like and build your own markup
Very easy to customize to your needs
Cons:
Might take time to get used to and takes more time since you need to build the components
If you choose options one, then it's just a matter of deciding what style you like (material,ant, bulma) and go with the library that implements it If you go with pure css and build your own components, I can't recommend tailwind enough, I've been finding myself building entire pages without writing a single line of css.
And if later on, the designer wants to make a change to some color, or size, I just need to change one value in the config file, and the entire app is updated.
Pros of Buefy
- Ease of integration into an existing project4
- Small and lightweight4
- Rich components1
Pros of Bulma
- Easy setup12
- Easy-to-customize the sass build6
- Community-created themes6
- Responsive5
- Great docs5
- Easy to learn and use4
Sign up to add or upvote prosMake informed product decisions
Cons of Buefy
- Not supported by a well known company2
Cons of Bulma
- Not yet supporting Vue 32