Top 5 React UI Libraries in 2021

What is a UI Library or UI Kit?

Well, the UI Library or UI Kit is a set of components that follows certain UI patterns or methodologies and are useful for the developers for rapid UI development. With the UI libraries, the development has become more flexible, quick and creative whereby the developers can mix certain components and can create beautiful web pages with significantly less effort.

Before you begin your next project with React, take a number of minutes to scan this list of best React UI element libraries that may assist you to produce an awful looking UI, quickly.

Top 5 React UI Libraries in 2021

Here we have compiled a list of the best React UI libraries and in the subsequent sections, we will also explain how you can use them to create cool web apps in React.

• Material UI
• React Bootstrap
• Ant Design
• Chakra UI
• Shards React

1. Material-UI

It is based on Google’s Material Design. It provides React components created with Material Design concepts. Its npm page can be found here.

To install, run the following commands:

// with npm
npm install @material-ui/core
// with yarn
yarn add @material-ui/core

Next, import the component you need to use from the @material-ui/core:

import Button from “@material-ui/core/Button”
function MatButtonEx() {
    return (
        <div>
<Button color=“primary”>
                Button
            </Button>
        </div>
    )
}

Material-UI also provides excellent premium themes and templates you can purchase to jumpstart your project. Get the source code for Material-UI on GitHub.

2. React Bootstrap

It gives React components built with the world’s most popular CSS framework, Bootstrap. React Bootstrap acted well to exclude most dependencies from the Bootstrap JavaScript, such as jQuery, and it was developed with compatibility in mind. It also comes with an extended variety of components.

Run the below command, to install  React Bootstrap in your project:

// with npm
npm i react–bootstrap
// with yarn
yarn add react–bootstrap

You can import individual components:

import Button from “react-bootstrap/Button”
function BootstrapButtonEx() {
    return (
        <div>
            <Button>
                Click Me
            </Button>
        </div>
    )
}

Get the source code for React Bootstrap on GitHub.

3. Ant Design

It is considered one of the best React UI kits in the world. Also, it’s the most used and downloaded React UI kit.  

Ant Design also has many important features like:

• Powerful theme customization
• High-quality React components
• Internationalization support

Ant Design is very simple to install and apply in our React project:

// with npm
npm i antd
// with yarn
yarn add antd

We can import the style sheets manually:

import ‘antd/dist/antd.css’;

We can import any component we need to use from antd. For example, to use a Button, we need to do this:

import { Button } from “antd”;
function AntdEx() {
  return <Button type=“primary”>Primary Button</Button>;
}

Find here all the components in Ant Design.

4. Chakra UI

It provides a neat and clean UI. This is a full React UI kit, its APIs are easy but composable, and the accessibility is great.

Chakra UI is easy to get started with. Inside your React project, go with the below command to install it:

npm i @chakra–ui/react @emotion/[email protected]^11 @emotion/[email protected]^11 framer–[email protected]^4
# OR
yarn add @chakra–ui/react @emotion/[email protected]^11 @emotion/[email protected]^11 framer–[email protected]^4

Chakra UI has a ‘ChakraProvider’ that we must implement at the root of our application if we need to do Chakra components:

import * as React from “react”;
// 1. import `ChakraProvider` component
import { ChakraProvider } from “@chakra-ui/react“;
function App({ Component }) {
  // 2. Use at the root of your project
  return (
    <ChakraProvider>
      <Component />
    </ChakraProvider>
  );
}

To use any of the chakra UI components — for example, a Button – we need to import it from @chakra-ui/react:

import { Button, ButtonGroup } from “@chakra-ui/react”;

Then we can execute the Button like this:

function ChakraUIButtonEx() {
return (
    <div>
      <Button>Click Me</Button>
    </div>
  );
}

For more knowledge, visit the Chakra docs here.

5. Shards React

It is relatively easy. Shards React features a minimum footprint and is very much optimized for blazing-fast performance. In addition, every component in Shards React is appropriately documented for a smooth developer experience.

To install, run the following command and add cascading style sheets:

// with npm
npm i shards-react
// with yarn
yarn add shards-react

Now, import the components and :

import { Button } from “shards-react”
import “shards-ui/dist/css/shards.min.css”
function ButtonsEx() {
    return (
        <div>
            <Button>Primary</Button>
            <Button theme=“info”>Info</Button>
        </div>
    )
}

These commands will exhibit a couple of buttons, each styled including Shards UI.

Shards are very simple to use as you can see. For more knowledge See the documentation about Shards and their components.