Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups
Register | Login

Less VS Pug

Compare Less VS Pug and see what are their differences

Kimp
Kimp is an unlimited design company, specializing in graphic design (including print and digital designs, custom illustrations, landing page designs and email designs) and video design. featured
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.
Contents:
  1. » Base Details
  2. » Videos
  3. » Reviews
  4. » Alternatives

Less logo Less

Less extends CSS with dynamic behavior such as variables, mixins, operations and functions. Less runs on both the server-side (with Node. js and Rhino) or client-side (modern browsers only).

Pug logo Pug

Pug is a robust, elegant, feature rich template engine for Node.js
  • Less Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-19
  • Pug Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-28

Less features and specs

  • Simplifies CSS
    Less extends CSS with dynamic behavior like variables, mixins, operations, and functions, making stylesheets more maintainable and less repetitive.
  • Preprocessing
    Allows developers to write easier and cleaner code which then gets compiled into standard CSS, facilitating better performance and compatibility.
  • Variables and Mixins
    With the ability to use variables and mixins, code becomes modular and reusable, reducing the potential for errors and simplifying updates.
  • Nested Syntax
    Supports nested syntax which allows CSS to be structured in a manner that follows the same visual hierarchy, making it easier to read and understand.
  • Compatibility
    Compatible with all versions of CSS, making it easier to integrate with existing projects and frameworks without breaking them.

Possible disadvantages of Less

  • Learning Curve
    Requires developers to learn new syntax and concepts, which can be a barrier for those who are accustomed to traditional CSS.
  • Compilation Requirement
    Code written in Less needs to be compiled to CSS, adding an extra step in the development process.
  • Performance Overhead
    While not significant, the preprocessing step can add to development time and require additional configuration and tools.
  • Debugging
    Debugging Less can be more challenging compared to plain CSS because source maps need to be set up properly to map the compiled CSS back to the Less files.
  • Dependency
    Relies on Node.js or another JavaScript runtime for compiling the Less code, adding another dependency to the project.

Pug features and specs

  • Simplified Syntax
    Pug offers a simplified and clean syntax compared to standard HTML, omitting the need for closing tags and reducing the repetitive structure, which makes it easier to write and read.
  • Code Reusability
    Pug supports mixins and includes, which allow for the reuse of code snippets and components throughout the templates, promoting DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) principles.
  • Logic in Templates
    It provides the ability to incorporate JavaScript logic directly within the templates, allowing for dynamic content generation and more interactive pages.
  • Compatibility with Existing JavaScript
    Pug integrates smoothly with Node.js and JavaScript applications, making it easy to use within popular frameworks like Express.
  • Efficient Compilation
    Pug compiles templates into highly optimized JavaScript code, resulting in fast rendering performance in web applications.

Possible disadvantages of Pug

  • Learning Curve
    Pug's unique syntax can be initially challenging to learn and understand, especially for developers accustomed to traditional HTML.
  • Limited HTML Direct Use
    Due to its abstraction over HTML, developers might find it inconvenient when they need to use raw HTML elements or script tags that do not translate directly.
  • Debugging Complexity
    Debugging Pug templates can sometimes be more complex as errors may not be as apparent as in raw HTML, requiring familiarity with both Pug and the underlying HTML structure.
  • Dependency Management
    Using Pug adds another dependency to the project, and developers need to manage and maintain it alongside other packages, which can be an added overhead.
  • Not Universally Adopted
    While popular, Pug is not as universally adopted as raw HTML or some other templating languages, potentially resulting in fewer resources or community support.

Analysis of Less

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Less is considered a good tool for developers looking to enhance their CSS with additional features that improve code organization and reusability. It's particularly praised for its simplicity and ease of use, making it a solid choice for both new and experienced developers.

Why this product is good

  • Less is a CSS pre-processor that allows for more efficient and manageable styling of web projects. It extends the capabilities of CSS with variables, nested rules, mixins, and functions, making it easier to maintain and scale large stylesheets. Developers can write more concise code, which is then compiled into standard CSS. This makes Less particularly useful for projects that require complex styling structures.

Recommended for

  • Web developers who want more control over their CSS.
  • Projects with large or complex CSS codebases.
  • Teams looking to implement consistent styling patterns.
  • Developers familiar with or transitioning from pure CSS looking for additional functionality.

Analysis of Pug

Overall verdict

  • Pug is a good choice for developers looking for a concise and expressive way to template their HTML, especially those who prioritize readability and maintainability in their codebase.

Why this product is good

  • Pug, formerly known as Jade, is a template engine for Node.js and browsers that allows developers to write cleaner, more readable code by using a simplified, indentation-based syntax. It compiles into HTML, making it easier to maintain and reduces the risk of HTML errors. Pug is particularly appreciated for its minimalist style, logical nesting, and powerful mixins.

Recommended for

  • Developers who are comfortable with indentation-based syntax and want to speed up the HTML templating process.
  • Projects that require dynamic and reusable components due to Pug's support for mixins and template inheritance.
  • Teams using Node.js who want to integrate a powerful and clean templating solution seamlessly.

Less videos

+ Add

'Less' author Andrew Sean Greer answers your questions

More videos:

  • Review - Book Review: Less by Andrew Sean Greer, reviewed by Smriti
  • Review - Book Review - Less by Andrew Sean Greer

Pug videos

+ Add

Everything You Need to Know About Pugs - Characteristics and Care

More videos:

  • Review - Wolf Dog Reviews Food With Pug!
  • Review - Pug Dog Breed - Pros and Cons

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Less and Pug)

Less

Pug

Productivity
100 100%
Productivity
0% 0
Javascript UI Libraries
0 0%
Javascript UI Libraries
100% 100
Design Tools
100 100%
Design Tools
0% 0
Development
0 0%
Development
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Less and Pug. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Pug seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 21 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.

Less mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Less yet. Tracking of Less recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Pug mentions (21)

  • Chapter 7: HTML part two
    For a more robust approach, we'd probably need to install a templating language of some kind, such as Twig, EJS, Handlebars, Pug or Mustache (this is not a complete list!). Reading the documentation for posthtml-modules, you'll notice it doesn't mention package.json or any of the approaches we've used in this guide. Instead, the examples are in JavaScript and we've advised to add this to our Node application. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • Building Vue Components With Pug & Stylus
    If you have a bit of Nodejs SSR background, you would already be accustomed to templating libraries like Pug, Handlebars, EJS, etc. If you’re from a PHP background you would be familiar with the Blade templating engine. These templating libraries basically help you render dynamic data from the backend on the frontend. They also help you generate markup with loops based on conditions. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Just Normal Web Things
    The right way to start is with HTML and motherfucking web site. https://motherfuckingwebsite.com/ Really. At this point this is what web sites should strive to be. Pug is a great way to write HTML by hand. I integrated it with GitHub Pages so pug sources get compiled to HTML and published when commits are pushed. Great experience. https://pugjs.org/ - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Migrate Your Express Application to Fastify
    To illustrate the process of migrating from Express to Fastify, we have prepared a demo application. This application utilizes Express, Mongoose, and Pug to create a URL Shortener app as follows:. - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • Simplify Form Development with Smarkform!
    Disclaimer: The markup of CodePen examples is still in Pug. However, you can view it compiled as HTML by opening the code tab menu and selecting "View compiled HTML" (But, by the way, if you are not already familiar with Pug Templates, I strongly advise you to check them out). Source: over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Less and Pug, you can also consider the following products

Sass - Syntatically Awesome Style Sheets

Handlebars - Handlebars is a JavaScript template library that is, more or less, based on ...

PostCSS - Increase code readability. Add vendor prefixes to CSS rules using values from Can I Use. Autoprefixer will use the data based on current browser popularity and property support to apply prefixes for you.

Jinja2 - Jinja2 is a template engine written in Python.

Stylus - EXPRESSIVE, DYNAMIC, ROBUST CSS

jquery-template - A template plugin for jQuery. Allows templating without cluttering JavaScript code with markup.

Loading...