The UI framework provides developers with an efficient and reusable code base that can accelerate the interface design and development process. While their learning curve can be as steep as learning a new programming language, their advantages and benefits are enough to justify the investment of time and effort. In the project “browser history” I learned how to use HTML and CSS to make a simple website. I think it is also important to learn these two programming languages, because learning these two languages gave me a better foundation to learn and Using Bootstrap 5.
The primary reason for using a UI framework is to greatly improve development efficiency. Frameworks such as Bootstrap 5 pre-define many commonly used styles and components, such as buttons, navigation bars, forms, etc. These components are optimized and debugged and can be used directly in projects, saving developers time from designing and coding from scratch. This means developers can build and ship products faster without having to waste time reinventing the wheel. Compared with using HTML and CSS directly, UI frameworks allow developers to avoid a lot of repetitive work. Take responsive design as an example. Manually writing responsive layouts requires developers to consider various screen sizes and device types. Frameworks such as Bootstrap have built-in responsive grid systems that can automatically adjust page layouts and reduce the complexity of manually writing media queries. I personally have this experience. Bootstrap 5 is much more efficient than HTML programming. If you want complete control over every detail of your page, or need to build a very customized web design, native HTML/CSS is the best choice. If you want to speed up the development process, especially quickly build responsive web pages, or develop standardized interfaces, then Bootstrap 5 will greatly help you improve efficiency. The combination of the two is also very common. Many developers will use Bootstrap as the basis, and then fine-tune it with custom CSS according to specific project needs.
Dealing with compatibility issues across different browsers is an important challenge in front-end development. Different browsers render slightly differently, and manually adjusting your code to work across all major browsers can be tedious. UI frameworks usually have these compatibility issues already taken care of, and the developers of the framework have tested extensively against different browsers and are constantly fixing issues through updates. Using frameworks, developers can write code with confidence without having to worry about repeated testing and fixes on every browser.
With the popularity of mobile devices, responsive design has become crucial. Frameworks such as Bootstrap 5 come with a responsive grid system that can easily handle layout issues of different screen sizes. They provide a preset column system and can automatically adjust the layout according to the size of the device, so developers do not need to manually write complex CSS to adapt to mobile devices. Although learning a UI framework can be as challenging as learning a new language, the rewards are substantial. Frameworks like Bootstrap 5 can greatly enhance development efficiency, improve code maintainability, and offer excellent cross-browser compatibility and responsive design capabilities. Most importantly, from a software engineering perspective, they provide advantages such as code reuse, structure, and modularity. Therefore, using a UI framework is not just about saving time, but also about building higher-quality projects that are easier to maintain and expand.
The picture below is the first website I made using Bootstrap 5, and I will always remember it.