While I’m not thrilled with using any CSS libraries, the reason I do use them is because as a back-end developer, CSS is not intuitive, and makes little sense.
Here’s my experience with CSS:
I am a back-end dev, and can work with extremely complex arrays and objects and I have a pretty good mindset when it comes to aggregating data from a database. But CSS confounds me. I have a very rudimentary grasp of CSS, and Bootstrap makes things better. Which is especially good considering that many companies are now switching to looking for people who are expert in front-end, back-end, and UX/UI design all together.
I preffer bootstrap, but anyway you must use your own code if you want to make something unique. Your site`s code always must be updated to keep up newest trends and technologies.
I am certainly no expert but my experience of bootstrap… Whilst i was off on Parental-leave for 6 months the website was redesign. the new developer chose to use bootstrap because as far as i can tell he was not a front end developer and it was the quickest way to get something built.
I assume it is partly because he was not experienced in css that even with bootstrap there are some oddities that occur at certain screen sizes and browsers.
I tend to like to design so older browsers still work. For example a small microsite i built using custom written css works perfectly on an old first gen ipad. In comparison our main site does not even show??! it is literally just a blank white screen.
there seem to be a few things thrown in as well just because they were options in bootstrap as opposed to actually be thought about and designed in.
there seems to be reams of css code to overwrite the bootstrap settings so to my mind why bother having to carry all of that weight and still get problems when you can write the code specifically for the purpose.
So in short i guess my experience is use bootstrap if you want something quite quickly and might have to scarifice download speed or backward compatability.
write your own if you have the developer resources and want something faster/lighter.
Both have pitfalls. I prefer to write what i need at the risk of not being quite as good at some specific parts of bootstrap.
For example a small microsite i built using custom written css works perfectly on an old first gen ipad. In comparison our main site does not even show??! it is literally just a blank white screen.
@Noppy Bootstrap 3 was released in 2013 and shouldn’t have any issues with iOS from 2010. Especially something that would cause the entire site to not show completely. That was likely something completely unrelated.
we are using bootstrap 4 if that makes a difference? You are prossibly correct though that it’s some JS that they added as well. Again to my mind a case of just adding some opensource frameworks and assuming/hoping it will all work.
It’ll be argued either way for eternity but my personal preference is not using bootstrap
I tend to think of it in terms of cars. If i had to build a racecar for £20k I could go and buy a Ford Focus RS which would be pretty good, it’ll be quite reliable and a lot of mechanics can work on it as its quite common. You can even drive it to the shops on the weekend and fill the back seats with kids and shopping and it has cup holders for your takeaway coffee. But do you want that in a racecar?
I’d spend the £20k on a kit car specifically built for the track, which would be 3rd of the weight of the focus and corner like it was on rails. It doesn’t have back seats because it has been designed to do a single job. On the downside you might find it takes some mechanics longer to work out how something works and it will take longer to iron out some of the bugs. If you are clever perhaps leaving a bit of space for extra seats when someone changes the spec but still staying lightweight. For me this is how i like to do it.
we are using bootstrap 4 if that makes a difference?
Absolutely, BS4 defaulted to modern standards like flexbox for the grid system and have dropped support for legacy browsers. It can be configured to use base, but that wouldn’t explain why it’s totally blank it should just look jacked up, not blank.
You are prossibly correct though that it’s some JS that they added as well.
This was my thought when I read it. Sounds like some 4th party script someone doesn’t understand doing something weird, rather than BS. Probably some kind of overlay.
