6 Best CSS Frameworks Recommendations 2025

To create a more attractive website display, CSS is needed to arrange its style and layout. However, sometimes writing CSS styles takes a lot of time. Fortunately, there are CSS frameworks, which are very useful for simplifying and speeding up the process of creating CSS styles.

Although many CSS frameworks are scattered out there, is the one you choose the best?

What is a CSS Framework?

A CSS framework is a CSS library that is created and ready to be used by developers. By using a CSS framework, we can directly use the provided styles without having to create them from scratch. In fact, we can customize these styles when the UI creation process is running.

Best CSS Frameworks

1. Tailwind CSS

Tailwind is one of the best CSS frameworks currently. By using Tailwind, you will remain focused on working only on HTML and JavaScript. Usually, Tailwind is widely used for projects that use libraries such as React, Vue, and Svelte.

However, it is important to master CSS fundamentals first before you use this framework. Because for some beginners, there are challenges in using it.

Advantages of Tailwind

• Focus on HTML. With Tailwind, custom elements are created directly in HTML, so it feels like writing CSS code but in HTML classes.

• Easier to remember class names. If you are used to using CSS and switch to Tailwind, you don’t need to remember complicated style names.

• Small CSS file. Most styles in Tailwind can be reused, for example, padding and margin. In addition, in the production stage, all unused styles will be excluded. Thus, the CSS file is smaller than other CSS frameworks.

• Additional extensions. There are extension features for autocomplete, linting, and syntax highlighting in the VS Code Editor.

2. Bootstrap

Bootstrap is a CSS framework that was once the most popular framework before Tailwind emerged. On GitHub, more than 4.8 million people use Bootstrap. This means that Bootstrap users have increased by more than 2x compared to 2022, which only had 2 million users.

Bootstrap is very suitable for beginners or as the first CSS framework in your project. Because it is easier to use and comes with a JavaScript package when used.

Advantages of Bootstrap

• Ready-to-use components. With Bootstrap, you are provided with ready-to-use components complete with JavaScript functions.

• Easy to use. You just need to copy and paste the available code, then modify it a little, and you’re done. So it’s very easy to use, although for more complex needs there are some challenges.

• Supports SASS. Bootstrap is written using Sass, so for those who are used to using it, it will make it easier to work on new styles.

3. Bulma

Bulma is a CSS framework written in Sass, just like Bootstrap, and both are very similar. The difference lies in the easier-to-understand style writing, so it tends to be easier to learn.

Another difference is that Bulma does not include ready-to-use JavaScript. However, even without JavaScript, this CSS framework can be used.

Advantages of Bulma

• Easy-to-remember style names. Style names in the Bulma framework are easy to remember, for example, is-centered, block, is-small, etc.

• Lightweight to use. For a complete CSS framework, Bulma is lighter than Bootstrap. Perhaps because Bulma does not require JavaScript to be used.

It should be noted that there have been no significant changes in the Bulma GitHub repository since 2022.

4. Foundation CSS

The next best CSS framework is Foundation, which claims to make it easy to design responsive and beautiful displays. Interestingly, Foundation also offers a framework that can be used for email.

Just like Bootstrap and Bulma, Foundation also applies the mobile-first method. This means that CSS styles are ordered from the smallest screen to the largest screen.

Advantages of Foundation

• Email Support. This interesting feature is offered for those who need CSS styles for email.

• Easy customization. The Foundation framework allows you to freely change, delete, and add available or new styles without limitations.

It is important to note that the Foundation GitHub repository was last updated on July 13, 2022.

5. UIKit

The next best CSS framework is UIKit, which is also written in Sass. Interestingly, in addition to JavaScript functions, there is a collection of icons that are packaged with CSS when used.

UIKit claims to be a lightweight and modular frontend framework for quickly creating powerful websites.

Advantages of UIKit

• Complete but lightweight components. With complete components, UIKit can still run lightly.

6. Materialize CSS

Unlike the previous ones, the Materialize CSS framework offers styles based on Google Material. This CSS framework is also responsive and follows the mobile-first method.

Materialize CSS has not been updated since 2018. But the community did not abandon it, and took over the development currently.

Advantages of Materialize

• Google Material-based display. The advantage of following Google Material style is a modern design.

Final Words

Currently, Tailwind is the most commonly used CSS framework, followed by Bootstrap. We ourselves recommend using one of these two frameworks.

If there are other best CSS frameworks that we haven’t mentioned, please let us know in the comments section.