Bootstrap is one of the most popular CSS frameworks for designing visual aspects of websites and applications. Learn how you can use it in your work and why it's worth it. In this article, we also highlight aspects you might be dissatisfied with using this free tool.
Bootstrap – what is it?
To get started, let's explain exactly what Bootstrap is. It's a ready-made template that allows you to build and edit the look of your pages in a simple and intuitive way . It was created by Twitter employees in 2010 and was originally called Twitter Blueprint.
Due to its many conveniences and wealth of possibilities, it became a top tool among web developers as early as 2012. Recently, the Bootstrap library saw its official release, version 5, reflecting changing trends and user expectations.
Historically, RWD (Responsive Web Design) and mobile-first techniques have been a hit, adapting websites to any screen size – from small devices (smartphones) to medium-sized (tablets) and large (monitors). Currently (August 2022), the most up-to-date version of Bootstrap is v5.2.
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Bootstrap isn't the only CSS framework that has gained popularity in recent years. Other libraries well-known to web developers include:
- YAML,
- Mashed potatoes,
- Zurb Foundation,
- Gumpy,
- Materialize.
The libraries mentioned above work on quite similar principles, although each of them has its own specifications that can facilitate work focused on a given project.
The main advantages of Bootstrap
A significant factor contributing to Bootstrap's popularity is the fact that it was released as a free, open-source framework from the outset, and can also be used in commercial projects. As a result, for several years now, online forums have been full of threads about its operation and documentation for each subsequent version.
In addition to the benefits of using Bootstrap mentioned above, it is also worth mentioning a few other advantages:
- It ensures a very similar appearance and functionality of the created website on all browsers,
- It is easy to use and implement - you don't need to be an experienced programmer to use it - basic knowledge of the field is enough creating pages,
- You can easily create interactivity on your website by implementing user forms, photo galleries, buttons, and tables, among others.
- It has built-in template responsiveness for all devices,
- It is compatible with scripts of the popular JavaScript programming language,
- It has full and detailed documentation which can be found on the official website https://getbootstrap.com/.
How to use Bootstrap?
We have chosen the two simplest implementation methods:
- Download the set of files from the official website and place them in an unzipped folder in your root directory. Next, you'll need to apply the CSS and JavaScript links in the appropriate places in the HTML file.
- Include links in your HTML code from a publicly available external CDN (Content Delivery Network) source, which is used to store files used, for example, by developers.
Make sure the CSS link is placed just before the closing "head" tag, and the JS link is placed before the closing "body" tag. The updated URL, located on the CDN, can be downloaded directly from the page in the "get started" section.
Once you have Bootstrap up and running, you can easily start creating a new template and take advantage of the tips and tricks provided by the authors.
Basic Bootstrap Elements
Grid – a grid of elements arrangement
One of the basic concepts related to the Bootstrap framework is Grid, which is a grid of elements on the page in the form of columns and rows.
It's worth noting that the classes of individual rows are called "row," while the column classes within them are called "col." The code in the body tags is contained within a "container" container, and it's also centered using the "text-center" class. This results in an even distribution of five columns across two rows.
Elements will be styled without a single line of code in the CSS file, which would not be possible without the use of Bootstrap.
When we want to manage uneven column widths, the following solution is a good example:
In this version, the columns are arranged in a single row and take up a percentage of the page width equal to the percentage of their number relative to 12 (which is how the Grid divides the page by default). So, individual columns with the text "Hello World" will have:
- "col-2" – approx. 16.6%,
- "col-4" – approx. 33,3%,
- “col-3” – 2 x 25% of the available page width.
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Most popular helper classes
Bootstrap's helper classes let you style and modify HTML elements without writing CSS. These include:
- margin, padding – spacing within components and between components;
- colors – colors of text, borders, buttons;
.text-success
- border – component framing;
.text-success (example – border on the left)
- opacity – transparency of selected elements;
.text-success
- position - an example would be a “sticky” top navigation that follows the user’s scrolling;
<div class=”position-sticky”> … </div>
- interactions – all interactions a user can perform on the website…
And many more. Classes contained in HTML tags can be freely combined within a single HTML tag.
Responsive web design – responsive classes and breakpoints
As mentioned, Bootstrap is based on a mobile-first and RWD design technique . It has six breakpoints, or names and values, that are referenced when modifying a site's appearance.
It uses them to best fit columns and rows to different screen sizes.
Below is a screenshot from the official documentation available at https://getbootstrap.com/docs/5.2/layout/breakpoints/ :
Creating a responsive design involves adding the above classes with appropriate prefixes to HTML tags. Here's an example :
The layout of columns on the page will vary depending on the screen width of the device on which we are viewing the page :
- for screens larger than 768 px we will see two columns in one row with a division of 75% to 25% of the width,
- For screens less than 768 px, Bootstrap will generate two rows of one column each, occupying 100% of the available width.
How to use Bootstrap documentation?
What characterizes a good framework? Clear documentation, of course. We encourage you to check it out at https://getbootstrap.com/ . It's quite extensive, but understandable and readable. There's no need to memorize it—you just need to know where to look for help if you have a problem. For your convenience, we've included a description of each section, along with a brief explanation:
- Getting started – basic information related to the current version and instructions for connecting the framework,
- Customize – possibilities of adapting the template to the needs of our project,
- Layout – principles of website operation related to the adopted template – layout of sections, columns, tips on responsiveness or positioning of selected elements,
- Content – a set of proposed styles responsible for the appearance of elements such as images, tables, headings,
- Forms – information on the implementation of interactive forms for the user in various forms, e.g. logging in, product inquiry, e-mail contact with customer service,
- Components – a library of ready-made components such as breadcrumbs, pagination, buttons, photo carousels, navigation,
- Helpers – here you can find so-called “protips” for colors, “sticky” navigation or hiding or showing components for your own needs,
- Utilities – names of auxiliary classes, thanks to which you can quickly change things like color, background or border by just adding a class in the HTML code.
In addition to the official Bootstrap documentation, you can find a lot of useful information and tips on how the framework works on one of the world's most popular online forums for developers - https://stackoverflow.com/
Disadvantages of using frameworks
Using frameworks is simple and intuitive, especially for those new to front-end development. Basic knowledge of HTML and CSS is all you need to create a professional-looking website.
Less experienced people who only use ready-made solutions in their projects may not fully understand how it all works "from the engine."
Someone who creates website designs solely using frameworks cannot be called a web developer. Knowledge of code is crucial for those who want to take their development to the next level.
Additionally, Bootstrap imposes certain procedures, which may make it difficult to prepare a more complex project according to demanding guidelines.
Good advice…
It's a good idea to create a separate CSS file to override Bootstrap's styles. This way, some elements will be modified to suit your needs, and if you decide to implement an updated version of the library, you can be sure that your site will continue to function.
Bootstrap in a nutshell – what is worth remembering?
Bootstrap is a free, open-source tool that can also be used in commercial projects . It's indispensable for quick and easy website creation . It has many advantages, including ease of use and implementation.
One of the biggest disadvantages is the imposition of certain patterns, which affects the flexibility of use in some projects.
However, in our opinion, the scales definitely tip towards the benefits. It's best to test this solution in your own business and decide whether it helps you grow.
Bootstrap FAQs
Bootstrap is one of the world's most popular free and open-source CSS, HTML, and JavaScript frameworks. It's used for quickly designing and building modern, responsive websites and web applications.
This tool provides developers with a vast library of ready-to-use code snippets and visual styles. It includes predefined templates for commonly used interface elements such as navigation menus, buttons, forms, tables, progress bars, and drop-down lists, saving them dozens of hours of work.
This is one of the most important foundations of this framework. Based on a mobile-first approach, the grid system divides the screen into 12 flexible columns. This allows developers to easily define how page elements should be arranged and scaled depending on whether the user is using a small smartphone screen or a widescreen monitor.
Yes. Unlike visual, drag-and-drop page builders (like WebWave or Wix), Bootstrap is a tool designed for web developers. To use it effectively and implement pre-built components, you need at least a basic understanding of HTML, CSS, and (for interactive elements) JavaScript.
The key benefits include: a significant acceleration of the website creation process, default responsiveness that facilitates Google positioning (RWD), visual consistency across designs, cross-browser compatibility (the site looks the same across browsers), and a huge community that guarantees access to excellent documentation and support.
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- Bootstrap is a popular, free CSS framework that makes it easy to create responsive websites, and it has both significant advantages and some disadvantages.
- Bootstrap is a free, easy-to-use framework offering ready-made components and full responsiveness, allowing even beginners to quickly build cohesive websites.
- Bootstrap can be implemented by downloading and hosting the files locally, or quickly hooking them into your HTML using external CDN links.
- The Bootstrap Grid system is a mechanism based on containers, rows and columns that allows you to precisely and responsively arrange elements on a page without having to write your own CSS code.
- Bootstrap documentation is a clear and comprehensive guide divided into topical sections that include installation instructions, layout rules, ready-made components, and helper classes to help you quickly edit the appearance of your site.
- Using Bootstrap requires a balance between the convenience of ready-made solutions and the understanding of clean code, so it is recommended to override its default styles in your own CSS file to maintain flexibility and control over the design.
