Bootstrap vs. Tailwind CSS: A Friendly Comparison

The right CSS framework brings a world of difference to what you want to achieve with your website. Bootstrap and Tailwind CSS are one of the popular choices for getting your website work done and each comes with its own unique strengths and challenges. The name of the game is finding what fits you to perfection. 

So, Let's talk about it! 

What is Bootstrap? 

Bootstrap is one of the well-known front-end frameworks developed by Twitter. If you have used Twitter, Lyft, and Spotify, then chances are you have experienced Bootstrap. How this works is pretty much as if you are using premade design elements like buttons, forms, and navigation bars to build your website quickly but also intuitively. 

Key Features: 

  • Pre-designed Components: Lots of ready-to-use elements that can speed up your design process. 

Glyphicons, Dropdowns, Button groups, Button dropdowns, Input groups, Navs,Navbar, Breadcrumbs, Pagination, Labels, Badges, Jumbotron, Page header, Thumbnails, Alerts, Progress bars, Media object, List group, Panels, Responsive etc.. 

  • Grid System: A flexible and responsive 12-column grid system for easy layout creation. 



  • JavaScript Plugins: Enhances functionality with built-in plugins for things like modals and carousels. 

Plugins can be incorporated either individually (by using Bootstrap’s individual js/dist/*.js files) or collectively by utilizing bootstrap.js or its minified version, bootstrap.min.js (avoid including both). 

If you're using a bundler like Webpack or Rollup, you can make use of the /js/dist/*.js files, which are UMD (Universal Module Definition) ready. 

  • Customization: You can tweak the default styles using SASS variables to fit your brand’s look. 

Customize Bootstrap with Sass 

1. Install Bootstrap and Sass: 

bash 


2. Create custom-bootstrap.scss: 

scss  

// Override default variables 


3. Compile SCSS to CSS: 

bash 


4. Link the compiled CSS in your HTML: 

html 


Explanation 

    • Install: Bootstrap and Sass using npm. 
    • Create SCSS file: Override variables, import Bootstrap, add custom styles. 
    • Compile: SCSS to CSS using Sass. 
    • Link: The compiled CSS in your HTML. 

This setup allows you to easily customize Bootstrap's default styles. 

What is Tailwind CSS? 

Tailwind CSS takes a different approach. Instead of offering pre-designed components, it gives you utility classes that you can mix and match to style your site directly in your HTML. 

Key Features: 


  • Utility-First Approach: Style elements using small, reusable classes right in your HTML. 

Utility-First Approach with Tailwind CSS 

HTML 

html 


Explanation 

  • Container and Spacing: The container mx-auto p-4 classes center the container and add padding. 
  • Text and Background Colors: Classes like bg-gray-100, text-gray-900, and bg-white set background and text colors. 
  • Typography: text-4xl font-bold text-blue-600 styles the main heading with a large, bold, blue font. 
  • Buttons: The bg-blue-500 text-white font-bold py-2 px-4 rounded hover:bg-blue-700 classes style the button with a blue background, white text, padding, rounded corners, and a hover effect. 

Using Tailwind's utility classes, you can style elements quickly and consistently, avoiding the need for custom CSS while keeping your HTML clean and readable. 


  • Customization: Highly customizable, allowing you to modify and extend styles easily. 

Customizing Tailwind CSS 

​i. Install Tailwind CSS: 

bash 


ii. Configure tailwind.config.js: 

js 


iii. Create styles.css: 

css 


iv. Build the CSS: 

bash 



​v. Use in HTML: 

html 



Explanation 

  • Install: Tailwind CSS and initialize. 
  • Configure: Extend colors and spacing in tailwind.config.js. 
  • Create: styles.css with Tailwind imports. 
  • Build: Compile CSS with Tailwind CLI. 
  • Use: Custom styles in your HTML. 

Tailwind CSS is highly customizable, making it easy to modify and extend styles to suit your project.  


  • Responsive Design: Built-in classes make it simple to create responsive designs. 

Responsive Design with Tailwind CSS 

HTML 

html 


 Explanation 

  • Text Sizes: text-2xl md:text-4xl changes the heading size from 2xl to 4xl on medium screens and up. 
  • Padding: p-4 md:p-6 increases padding from 4 to 6 on medium screens and up. 
  • Grid Layout: grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-2 sets a single-column layout on small screens and switches to a two-column layout on medium screens and up. 

Summary 

Tailwind's responsive utility classes (like md:) make it easy to build responsive designs directly in your HTML, adapting styles for different screen sizes without additional CSS. 

  • JIT Compilation: Generates only the styles you use, keeping your CSS file small and efficient. 

Detailed Comparison 

​1. Ease of Use and Learning Curve 

  • Bootstrap: Perfect for beginners. Its pre-designed components make it easy to get started and build professional-looking websites quickly. Customizing beyond the default theme might take some extra learning. 
  • Tailwind CSS: A bit trickier to get the hang of at first due to its utility-first approach. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll love the control and flexibility it offers. 

​2. Design Philosophy 

  • Bootstrap: Offers a consistent set of pre-designed components. Great for quick builds, but sites can look similar if not customized. 
  • Tailwind CSS: Encourages a custom design process. You use utility classes to create unique styles directly in your HTML, avoiding the “Bootstrap look.” 

​3. Performance 

  • Bootstrap: Comes with a lot of default styles, which can make the CSS file quite large. You might need to manually remove unused styles to optimize performance. 
  • Tailwind CSS: The JIT mode only generates the styles you actually use, making your CSS file smaller and faster. 

​4. Customization and Flexibility 

  • Bootstrap: Customizable with SASS, but this can be a bit complex for beginners. 
  • Tailwind CSS: Designed for customization from the ground up. Easily change styles through the configuration file. 

​5. Community and Ecosystem 

  • Bootstrap: This has been around longer, with a large community and plenty of third-party resources and themes. 
  • Tailwind CSS: Rapidly growing in popularity. Its community is expanding, and there are more and more resources and plugins available. 

Which One Should You Use? 

Use Bootstrap If: 

  • You need to quickly build a consistent, professional-looking website. 
  • Your project requires many pre-designed components. 
  • Your team has varying levels of CSS knowledge. 

Use Tailwind CSS If: 

  • You want complete control over your design and prefer a unique, custom look. 
  • You need to keep your CSS file as small and efficient as possible. 
  • You enjoy the utility-first approach and don't mind the initial learning curve. 

 

Conclusion 

Both of these frameworks are arguably fantastic frameworks to work with. Each having its own quirks makes them specialized for your projects rather than a general fit. Bootstrap is amazing for getting up and running quick with a consistent reliable design whereas Tailwind is all about unmatched flexibility and performance. 

At the end of the day, your decision depends on what your application aims to do. Whether you go with tried and true Bootstrap or incredibly personalizable Tailwind, you will be in good hands as long as you know your work and your expectations well. 


Naveen Ranaweera

Associate Tech Lead UI/UX

Revolutionizing Finance: Manage your money through tech!