A list of CSS frameworks I’ve liked. It’s more a CSS Framework list for myself so I have all the Framework links in one location. This is not even close to a complete CSS Framework list, so don’t link to it.
What is a CSS Framework? Check Wikipedia for a full definition, but CSS Frameworks save you time in coding up your own CSS and are usually based around a grid structure. This grid structure allows for efficient layout changes on different screen resolutions.
Twitter Bootstrap – Once awesome and commended for it’s simplicity and elegance, it is now a bloated mess. Good open-source community building it out. Use with Bootswatch themes.
Foundation – A responsive front-end framework from ZURB.
HTML5 Boilerplate – Scales well. Winner.
Metro UI CSS – The first of a new batch of Metro UI CSS Frameworks. I’m really taking a liking to the general metro UI experience but it’s still lacking in certain features. This CSS Framework is still in early stage development. There is also BootMetro, which got some good heat over on Hacker News. Finally, there is Metro Bootstrap – a cover for the Twitter Bootstrap framework.
Here’s a good list with 25 other Frameworks listed 27 Frameworks. Good for a quick scan to see if you like any. And a random Canadian design blog that contains a good list of 10 frameworks.
Another Framework of interest, although not related to CSS is PhoneGap. Turns website HTML5 into apps.
How to test CSS Frameworks – I test a CSS framework by running the site on a tiny Samsung NC10 Netbook. If it runs and scales well on the NC10 it’s good to go. Twitter Bootstrap lags. The other frameworks mentioned here do well.
My next project requiring a CSS framework will be using HTML5 Boilerplate. HTML5 Boilerplate scales very well, it’s super fast on my NC10 and used by some big names. From the bottom of the HTML Boilerplate page:
Who uses HTML5 Boilerplate?
Google, Microsoft, NASA, Nike, Barack Obama, Mercedes-Benz, ITV News, BAE Systems, Creative Commons, Australia Post, Entertainment Weekly, Racing Green, and many more.
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