Head-to-Head: Linaria vs Material Components for the web Analysis
@linaria/core
v5.0.2(2 months ago)
@linaria/core is a zero-runtime CSS-in-JS library for styling JavaScript applications. It allows you to write CSS code directly in your JavaScript files using tagged template literals. This approach provides better performance and eliminates the need for a separate build step or runtime dependencies.
The Material Components for the web (MDC Web) is an open-source project that provides a development and integration platform for building high-quality user experiences. It allows developers to implement Google's Material Design guidelines using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. MDC Web includes many UI components like buttons, cards, text fields, menus and many more that are designed to make web development faster and more consistent. These components are customizable and are built with accessibility in mind.
@linaria/core and material-components-web are both popular npm packages, but they serve different purposes and have different levels of popularity within their respective domains. @linaria/core is a CSS-in-JS solution that aims to provide zero-runtime CSS in development, while material-components-web is a library that implements Material Design components for the web. Material-components-web has gained significant popularity due to its adherence to Material Design principles and the widespread adoption of Material Design in web development.
Functionality
@linaria/core offers a powerful solution for styling components with CSS in a JavaScript environment. It provides a zero-runtime approach, allowing the generated CSS to be extracted and optimized during the build process. material-components-web, on the other hand, offers a wide range of ready-to-use Material Design components, including buttons, cards, dialogs, and more. It provides a comprehensive UI toolkit to create visually appealing and consistent interfaces.
Developer Experience
Both packages offer good developer experiences but in different ways. @linaria/core provides a simple and intuitive API for writing CSS-in-JS, allowing you to write and compose styles directly in your JavaScript code. It supports CSS variables, nesting, and other CSS features. Material-components-web provides a set of pre-built components that are easy to integrate into your React or JavaScript project. It follows Material Design guidelines, which lead to a cohesive and consistent user experience.
Integration
@linaria/core integrates well with React, but it can also be used in any JavaScript project. It has first-class support for TypeScript and provides excellent tooling integration. material-components-web is primarily designed for usage in React projects, although it can also be used in other frameworks or with vanilla JavaScript. It has dedicated React components and leverages React's virtual DOM for efficient rendering.
Customization
@linaria/core allows for styling customization using standard CSS syntax and features. It provides a flexible solution where styles can be easily adjusted and reused. material-components-web also supports customization but within the boundaries of Material Design guidelines. While you can customize certain aspects of the components, there may be limitations when it comes to deviating from the prescribed Material Design aesthetics.
Community and Support
Both packages have active communities and offer support for their users. @linaria/core has a growing community and provides support through GitHub issues and discussions. material-components-web, being a part of the Material Design ecosystem, has a larger and more established community. It benefits from the broader Material Design community and has official documentation, examples, and community-driven resources.
