Vue is a wonderful JavaScript framework for building complex front ends and SPAs. A lot of developers are switching to Vue from other frameworks because of its simplicity and flexibility.
On the other hand, Bootstrap is a popular CSS component library used for the creation of responsive, mobile-first web apps. Many front end developers still rely on it for their applications, and chances are you’re familiar with it as well.
However, one thing that some developers are wondering is whether they can use Bootstrap with Vue.
The answer is no… and yes. Let’s take a look at how these technologies are compatible.
The answer is yes, but there’s a catch. Bootstrap is not directly compatible with Vue.js. Instead, you need to use the Bootstrap-Vue
Bootstrap doesn’t integrate properly with Vue
A common question web developers have is whether they can use Bootstrap with Vue. The answer is yes, but it’s not as simple as just including the Bootstrap CSS file. If you want to have access to all the functionalities this awesome CSS framework has, you will need to use a third party package: the Bootstrap-Vue library, which integrates Bootstrap with Vue.
Why is this necessary? Bootstrap uses jQuery, a DOM manipulation library, to provide some of its features. Vue.js on the other hand focuses on being a lightweight framework and doesn’t include this library; and both can actually be incompatible in some of their features and make your project unnecesarily bloated.
Does this mean you absolutely can’t use Bootstrap directly with Vue? Well, technically you can; but you will be missing out on some of the features that make both Bootstrap and Vue so great. So, if you’re planning on using this CSS library for your next project, you’ll be better off installing the Bootstrap-Vue library.
What is, exactly, Bootstrap-Vue?
Now that we know that Bootstrap and Vue can work together (with the help of a third-party library), let’s take a look at what, exactly, this package is.
Bootstrap-Vue is an open source toolkit for Vue.js that lets you use Bootstrap’s native components in your application without the need for jQuery. This library is constantly being updated to support the latest vue.js features and provide compatibility with new versions of Bootstrap.
It’s also very easy to install; let’s take a look at the steps:
1- Create a new Vue app
If you’re using the Vue CLI, you can simply use the following command to set up a new boilerplate project:
vue create bootstrap-vue-appNote: as of today, the official Bootstrap-Vue package is only compatible with Vue 2. If you’re using Vue 3 for your projects, you might want to take a look at this repo.
2- Add the Bootstrap-Vue plugin
If you’ve used the Vue CLI, adding the official library is as simple as using the following command:
vue add bootstrap-vue3- You’re good to go!
As you can see, it’s really easy to get started with this package. Now you can start using Bootstrap components inside of a Vue app in a very straightforward way:
<template>
<b-container>
<b-button>Click Here</b-button>
</b-container>
</template>By the way, one of the greatest things about this implementation is that most of the Bootstrap component configuration can now be done via props, which makes the integration with any kind of Vue project extremely easy and intuitive.
For example, let’s say you want to change the color of a button. You’d only need to add the following prop:
<b-button variant="danger">This is a red button</b-button>As you can see, there’s no need to add extra CSS classes or inline styles; everything can now be handled declaratively via props.
Why Use Bootstrap with Vue?
There are a few reasons why you might want to use Bootstrap with Vue. First of all, if you’re new to front-end development, Bootstrap can be a helpful way to get started because it takes care of a lot of the heavy lifting for you. All you need to do is add the appropriate class (or prop!) to your HTML elements, and the CSS will take care of the rest.
Another reason to use Bootstrap is that it can speed up your development process. If you need to create a responsive layout quickly, you can do so by using Bootstrap’s pre-built classes rather than writing your own CSS code from scratch.
Finally, one of the benefits of using a CSS framework like Bootstrap is that it can help you create consistency in your design. If you’re working on a large website with multiple pages, using Bootstrap can help ensure that all of your pages have a similar look and feel.
If you combine all of these benefits with those of Vue, you have a powerful toolkit at your disposal that can help you build fast, responsive, and consistent web applications.
So, if you’re looking to use Bootstrap with Vue in your next project, be sure to check out the Bootstrap-Vue library!
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