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Discussion on: Case against premade CSS frameworks (and Design systems)

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vlasterx profile image
Vladimir Jovanović • Edited

No, title is accurate. This is why:

Frameworks are developed based on design - their structure (html), styles (css) and interactivity (js). When you are changing predefined variables, you are limited by the initial boundaries of that adaptive design system. In that situation people usually don't even try to come up with another idea for UI, something that will solve UI problems differently. Forms still look the same, buttons as well, only colors are changed and maybe border radius for corners, just to name a few examples.

For example, Material design did something good - they changed the button behavior with unique visual effect that happens on click; forms look differently where label pops up on click etc. Those were all great examples of good design! But as I said, those great ideas are made for Google, not for your own brand. Same is with all other frameworks or design systems.

And it shows throughout the web, since almost every site looks the same. There is a reason for this situation, but this is a topic for another article. ;)

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tipoqueno profile image
Eugenio Monforte

Frameworks are just tools, and normally they are just great foundation for web development. Of course, if you're using Material Design without change anything you'll get another Android clone.

But you can to work on CSS to show a different structure of your project besides base styles. If you think that every site looks the same it's not just because developers are using Bootstrap, it's also because they think that users are familiar with that structures, and works well. Every spoon looks the same and still...