Vanilla CSS vs Styled Libraries

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When styling your webpages, you have two main approaches: vanilla CSS and styled libraries. Both have their strengths and weaknesses; the best choice depends on your project's specific needs.

**Vanilla CSS** refers to using plain CSS code to style your elements.

**Styled Libraries** are frameworks or libraries that are built on top of vanilla CSS, offering features like:

**Faster Development:** Pre-built components and utility classes can save time and effort.

**Easier Maintenance:** Styled libraries often promote code organization and reusability.

**Potential for Bloat:** Libraries can add extra code to your project, impacting performance.

**Learning a New Syntax:** Some libraries introduce their syntax on top of CSS.

**So, which is better?**

Here's a breakdown to help you decide:

**Use Vanilla CSS if:**

You need maximum control over your styles.

Your project is small and performance is critical.

You want to deepen your understanding of CSS fundamentals.

**Use Styled Libraries if:**

You prioritize rapid development and code maintainability.

Your project uses a popular framework like React or Vue that integrates well with styled libraries.

You need pre-built components for common UI elements.

The team you work with is also a factor to consider whether you are to use vanilla CSS or styled libraries.

As a frontend developer, I have used styled libraries like scss, styled-components and chakra-ui. My favourite of them all is Chakra-ui.

Let me know which you have used and your favorite

luhan

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