Vanilla CSS vs Styled Libraries

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.

[s]**[/s]Vanilla CSS** refers to using plain CSS code to style your elements.

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

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

[*][s]* [/s][s]**[/s]Easier Maintenance:** Styled libraries often promote code organization and reusability.

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

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

[s]**[/s]So, which is better?**

Here's a breakdown to help you decide:

[s]**[/s]Use Vanilla CSS if:**

[*][s]* [/s]You need maximum control over your styles.

[*][s]* [/s]Your project is small and performance is critical.

[*][s]* [/s]You want to deepen your understanding of CSS fundamentals.

[s]**[/s]Use Styled Libraries if:**

[*][s]* [/s]You prioritize rapid development and code maintainability.

[*][s]* [/s]Your project uses a popular framework like React or Vue that integrates well with styled libraries.

[*][s]* [/s]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