Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Bulma VS UIKit

Compare Bulma VS UIKit and see what are their differences

Bulma logo Bulma

Bulma is an open source CSS framework based on Flexbox and built with Sass. It's 100% responsive, fully modular, and available for free.

UIKit logo UIKit

A lightweight and modular front-end framework for developing fast and powerful web interfaces
  • Bulma Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-07-14
  • UIKit Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-24

Bulma features and specs

  • Simple and Elegant Design
    Bulma offers a clean, modern aesthetic that looks great out of the box. This eliminates much of the need for extensive customization to achieve a professional look.
  • Responsive Layouts
    Bulma is built with a flexible grid system that ensures your designs are responsive. This makes it straightforward to create web pages that look great on both desktop and mobile devices.
  • Ease of Use
    Bulma has a straightforward class-based syntax that is easy to understand and implement. This simplifies the development process, especially for newcomers.
  • BEM Methodology
    Bulma employs Block Element Modifier (BEM) methodology for CSS, which helps in writing clean, understandable, and scalable code.
  • No JavaScript Dependencies
    Bulma is purely a CSS framework, meaning it doesn't come bundled with JavaScript. This allows you to integrate it with any JavaScript framework of your choice, like React or Vue.js, without any conflicts.
  • Well-Documented
    The official Bulma website has extensive documentation, including examples and code snippets, which makes it easier to learn and implement.
  • Active Community
    Bulma has an active community of developers who contribute to its development and are available for support, which can be helpful when facing issues or needing guidance.

Possible disadvantages of Bulma

  • Limited Customizability
    While Bulma is designed to be easy to use, its simplicity can sometimes limit your ability to customize components as deeply as you might be able to with other frameworks.
  • Lack of Components
    Bulma does not come with as many built-in components as some other CSS frameworks like Bootstrap. You might find yourself needing to create custom components for some features.
  • No JavaScript
    The lack of built-in JavaScript functionality means you will need to write or integrate JavaScript separately for more interactive elements, such as modals or carousels.
  • Performance Overhead
    Like most CSS frameworks, using Bulma can introduce some performance overhead due to unused CSS. You'll need to use a tool like PurgeCSS to remove unused styles for optimal performance.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its simplicity, there can still be a learning curve for developers who are accustomed to other frameworks like Bootstrap or Tailwind CSS.
  • Small Community compared to Others
    While the community is active, it is smaller compared to more established frameworks like Bootstrap, potentially making it harder to find solutions to less common issues.
  • Semantic Class Names
    Bulma emphasizes semantic class names following the BEM methodology, which can be verbose and may require a change in practice for some developers.

UIKit features and specs

  • Modularity
    UIKit is highly modular, allowing developers to include only the components they need. This can lead to more efficient and faster loading webpages.
  • Extensive Documentation
    The framework comes with extensive and well-detailed documentation, making it easier for developers to get started and effectively utilize components.
  • Responsive Design
    UIKit is designed with responsiveness in mind, offering a sleek user experience across different screen sizes and devices.
  • Customization
    UIKit allows for deep customization through its LESS and SCSS files, enabling developers to modify the framework according to their needs.
  • Active Community
    There is an active community which leads to consistent updates and a wealth of shared resources and plugins.

Possible disadvantages of UIKit

  • Learning Curve
    For beginners, UIKit can be complex and might require a learning curve to become proficient in its use.
  • Limited Third-Party Integrations
    Compared to more mature frameworks like Bootstrap, UIKit may offer fewer third-party integrations and plugins.
  • Potential Overhead
    Including too many unnecessary components can add to the overhead, resulting in slower load times if not managed properly.
  • Inconsistencies Across Browsers
    Occasional inconsistencies may be noted across different browsers, which may require additional effort to resolve.
  • Less Recognition
    UIKit is not as commonly recognized as some other frameworks, which may lead to challenges in finding developers experienced with it.

Analysis of UIKit

Overall verdict

  • Yes, UIKit is considered a good choice for web developers looking to build modern, responsive, and aesthetically pleasing applications with a focus on customization and modularity.

Why this product is good

  • UIKit is a front-end framework that is well-regarded for its modularity, flexibility, and comprehensive set of components. It offers a consistent and clean design system, making it easy for developers to build responsive and engaging web interfaces. Additionally, UIKit provides customization options that allow developers to create unique designs while maintaining a cohesive look and feel. The framework includes a comprehensive documentation, which helps in ease of use and implementation.

Recommended for

    UIKit is recommended for developers who need a flexible and modular framework for building user interfaces, especially those who prefer a clean design system and extensive component library. It is suitable for beginners due to its comprehensible documentation and also for experienced developers looking to streamline their workflow with a reliable front-end framework.

Bulma videos

S.H. Figuarts BULMA Dragon Ball Action Figure Review

More videos:

  • Review - S.H. Figuarts Dragon Ball Adventure Begins Bulma Review
  • Review - Bandai SH Figuarts BULMA Review BR / DiegoHDM

UIKit videos

Should I Learn SwiftUI instead of UIKit?

More videos:

  • Review - SwiftUI vs UIKit – Comparison of building the same app in each framework

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Bulma and UIKit)
Design Tools
66 66%
34% 34
Developer Tools
69 69%
31% 31
CSS Framework
63 63%
37% 37
Development Tools
65 65%
35% 35

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Bulma and UIKit

Bulma Reviews

22 Best Bootstrap Alternatives & What Each Is Best For
I chose Bulma for its efficient use of Flexbox, a layout model that allows a responsive design with minimal effort. This efficiency sets Bulma apart from many other CSS frameworks. In my judgment, Bulma stands out as the best choice for developers seeking a powerful, Flexbox-based CSS framework for creating flexible and intuitive web designs.
Source: thectoclub.com
15 Top Bootstrap Alternatives For Frontend Developers in 2024
Suppose you want to learn the valuable skill of working with the mobile-first Bulma framework. In that case, we highly recommend taking the "Master Bulma CSS Framework" course by Jeppe Schaumburg Jensen on Udemy. In this course, you will master the latest version of Bulma and create real projects and themes while learning HTML, web design, and coding.
Source: coursesity.com
9 Best Bootstrap Alternatives | Best Frontend Frameworks [2024]
Bulma comes with a beautiful range of colors out-of-the-box, and it won’t be wrong if we call it the most beautiful framework out there in the market. It can be used directly to get really nice-looking websites with the very least effort.
Source: hackr.io
11 Best Material UI Alternatives
Bulma’s simplicity, extensive documentation, and community support make it a popular choice for projects of all sizes. Whether you’re building a landing page, a dashboard, or an eCommerce site, Bulma provides a solid foundation for building aesthetically pleasing and functional interfaces.
Source: www.uxpin.com
Top 10 Best CSS Frameworks for Front-End Developers in 2022
Although new, Bulma has quickly climbed up the list of top 10 CSS frameworks. It has no JavaScript components (no .js) and the most readable CSS classes. To create grids, Bulma has a powerful system known as tiles, making the page elegant and neat. It is highly modular and easy to learn. Although small, Bulma has a community of passionate individuals wanting to change the...
Source: hackr.io

UIKit Reviews

22 Best Bootstrap Alternatives & What Each Is Best For
UIkit includes an extensive collection of HTML, CSS, and JS components, all easy to use and customizable. Features include a responsive grid system, navigation components, form elements, and more. Though UIkit does not offer explicit integrations, its modular nature means it can be easily incorporated into many different web development workflows and tools.
Source: thectoclub.com
15 Top Bootstrap Alternatives For Frontend Developers in 2024
One of the advantages of UIKit is that it offers a wide range of UI components, even more than Bootstrap. It also includes unique components like Totop, Thumbnav, and more. Considering its rich set of resources, UIKit can be regarded as an ideal alternative to Bootstrap.
Source: coursesity.com
Top 10 Best CSS Frameworks for Front-End Developers in 2022
UI Kit has a comprehensive collection of CSS, HTML, and JS components. It is modular and lightweight. Used for iOS application development, UIKit is one of the bestfront-end CSS frameworks.
Source: hackr.io
10 of the Best Bootstrap Alternatives
UIKit offers an easy approach to developing sophisticated web interfaces. It’s a modular front-end framework that can be used with HTML or JavaScript. With this structure, you may quickly create your web layouts with ease. This structure is perfect for laying out your website. When compared to Bootstrap, this framework offers more UI components. It also includes oddity parts...
Best CSS Frameworks in 2019
Our fourth framework to consider is UIkit. UIkit is “a lightweight and modular front-end framework for developing fast and powerful web interfaces” (UIkit). The framework comes with built-in animations, is customizable and has out-of-the-box designs.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Bulma should be more popular than UIKit. It has been mentiond 115 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Bulma mentions (115)

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UIKit mentions (22)

  • 100+ Must-Have Web Development Resources
    UIkit: A lightweight and modular front-end framework. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Building UIs with Franken UI, a Shadcn alternative
    Franken UI is compatible with UIkit 3 and can work as a standalone CSS framework but can be integrated with Tailwind CSS for faster styling and customization. The design of Franken UI is influenced by shadcn/ui. It aims to provide a solution to developers who are not comfortable using React, Vue, or Svelte by leveraging UIkit for JavaScript and accessibility. - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
  • SwiftUI vs. UIKit: What is the best choice for building an iOS user interface in 2024?
    As an iOS engineer, you've likely encountered SwiftUI and UIkit, two popular tools for building iOS user interfaces. SwiftUI is the new cool kid on the block, providing a clean way to build iOS screens, while UIkit is the older and more traditional way to build screens for iOS. SwiftUI uses a declarative style where you describe how the UI should look, similar to Jetpack Compose in Android. UIkit, on the other... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • How To Build a Web Application with HTMX and Go
    All that's left is adding a little style. I won't claim to be a frontend engineer or a UI designer, so I just used UIKit to easily add modern-looking style to the HTML table and buttons. As mentioned throughout the article, the CSS classes and other small details are excluded since they are not directly relevant to the tutorial. See the full example on GitHub to try running it for yourself. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • On the search for a truly "good" UI framework.
    Can try UIKIT out if you're looking around, I've used it solely for some quick slider stuff in certain projects and use it fully in others. The docs are pretty good and they have a discord community that's fairly active. Source: almost 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Bulma and UIKit, you can also consider the following products

Tailwind CSS - A utility-first CSS framework for rapidly building custom user interfaces.

Bootstrap - Simple and flexible HTML, CSS, and JS for popular UI components and interactions

Semantic UI - A UI Component library implemented using a set of specifications designed around natural language

Materialize CSS - A modern responsive front-end framework based on Material Design

Foundation - The most advanced responsive front-end framework in the world

Material UI - A CSS Framework and a Set of React Components that Implement Google's Material Design