Astroturf is a zero-runtime CSS-in-JS library for React. It allows you to write CSS styles in JavaScript using a familiar CSS syntax, and then generates optimized CSS at build time. This eliminates the need for runtime CSS processing and improves performance.
Alternatives: styled-components, emotion, linaria
Tags: javascriptcss-in-jsreactstylingperformance
uikit
v3.17.0(6 days ago)
UIKit is a lightweight and modular front-end framework that provides a comprehensive set of customizable UI components to build responsive and mobile-first web interfaces. It offers pre-built CSS and JavaScript to handle typography, colors, icons, forms, navigation, and animations. UIKit is designed to be flexible and highly customizable, making it easy to create unique designs that match your brand and style. One of the primary benefits of using UIKit is the speed of development. By utilizing pre-built components, developers can quickly prototype and build out interfaces faster than building from scratch.
UIkit has been around for longer and has a larger user base and community compared to Astroturf. However, both packages have a decent level of popularity and are actively used in projects.
Functionality
Astroturf is a CSS-in-JS solution that enables you to write CSS within your JavaScript code using a familiar CSS syntax. It provides powerful features like automatic class name hashing, dynamic styles, and allows for CSS scoping. On the other hand, UIkit is a comprehensive UI framework that provides a wide range of pre-designed UI components, such as grids, forms, modals, and more. It also includes a responsive grid system and various utility classes.
Integration and Ecosystem
Astroturf is designed to work seamlessly with popular JavaScript frameworks like React and Vue. It provides bindings for these frameworks, making it easy to integrate CSS-in-JS capabilities into your React or Vue projects. UIkit, on the other hand, is a standalone UI framework that can be used with any JavaScript framework or without any framework at all. It has its own extensive set of components and does not rely on any specific framework for integration.
Developer Experience
Astroturf provides a smooth developer experience by enabling you to write CSS directly in your JavaScript code, eliminating the need for separate CSS files. It offers strong type safety and supports modern JavaScript features like TypeScript and Babel. UIkit also offers a good developer experience with its well-organized and documented API. It includes a CLI tool for easy project setup and customization.
Customization
Astroturf allows you to define and use your own CSS variables and mixins, giving you flexibility and control over your styles. UIkit, on the other hand, provides predefined styling options and customization capabilities through SASS variables and themes. It offers a wide range of customization options, but it may require more effort to achieve a completely custom look and feel.
Maintenance
Both Astroturf and UIkit are actively maintained by their respective communities. Astroturf has frequent updates and bug fixes, ensuring its stability and compatibility with the latest versions of React and Vue. UIkit also has a dedicated team behind it, providing regular updates, bug fixes, and new features to keep the framework up to date.
