User Interface frameworks help developers to speed up the development of front-end applications. UI frameworks can be straightforward to use, and they can reduce the time to design a webpage significantly as opposed to using HTML and CSS stylesheets. Depending upon the type of framework, there is a learning curve in the beginning, just like any other applications framework, but it is well worth the time and effort in the long run. Excelling in one of the front-end frameworks will enable the developers to build a beautiful, responsive multi-platform application without excellent technical and design skills. The use of frameworks minimizes code complexity and prevents developers from re-inventing the wheel, saving them a significant amount of time.
The first UI framework that I’ve learned and worked on is Semantic UI. It is easier and less time-consuming to use semantic UI over manually typing every fundamental design in your code based on my experience. It reduces code complexity and makes it visually appealing and more comfortable to follow through. Furthermore, the syntaxes are meaningful, which makes them easier to memorize and implement. For example, suppose the developer wants to have three columns in a specific section of their webpage, using Semantic UI. In that case, they need to specify the following short command, class = “three column grid”, in the HTML, and the resulting outcome will be a three-column grid. However, this is not to discount the fact that learning Semantic UI could be overwhelming initially. Despite being a framework based on natural language, it doesn’t support the same syntax for every element, so it could be challenging for newbies to get familiar with its implementation.
It’s a good practice to use available frameworks because it speeds up the development process, gives us clean and symmetrical code, and enforces good web design. However, relying on one specific framework can potentially make the developer docile because their skill set is restricted to that particular framework, restricting their freedom. Therefore, in the developers’ best interest to learn CSS on top of Semantic UI or any other CSS frameworks, you might sometimes bump into some unforeseen issues related to browser compatibility or unavailable features. In that case, the CSS knowledge could come in handy.