Bootstrap is actually a CSS framework that is developed by Twitter in 2010. It was developed in order to standardize the company tools.
Initially, it was known as Twitter Blueprint and, after a little while, in 2011, it became open source and its name changed to Bootstrap. Since then, it has been updated several times and is already in version 4.4.
The framework combines CSS and JavaScript to stylize the elements of an HTML page. It allows much more than simply changing the color of buttons and links.
This is a tool that provides interactivity on the page, therefore it offers a series of components that facilitate communication with the user, such as navigation menus, page controls, progress bars, and more.
In addition to all the features that the framework offers, its main objective is to allow the construction of responsive websites for mobile devices.
This means that the pages are designed to work on desktop, tablets, and smartphones, in a very simple and organized way.
How Bootstrap Templates Works
Bootstrap Templates are made up of a series of CSS and JavaScript files responsible for assigning specific characteristics to the elements of the page.
There is a main file called bootstrap.css, which contains a definition for all styles used. Basically, the framework structure consists of two directories:
- CSS: contains the files necessary for the stylization of the elements and an alternative to the original theme;
- JS: Contains the back of the bootstrap.js file (original and minified), responsible for running style applications that require interactive manipulation.
To assign a characteristic to an element, we simply have to inform the corresponding class in the “class” property of the element that will be stylized. Therefore, when loading the image, the characteristics that refer to this class will be applied to the element.
What is the functionality of the Bootstrap Templates?
Bootstrap offers a number of features that can be implemented on a website. Next, we will talk about the possibilities of this tool.
Responsive design
One of the main characteristics of the Bootstrap Templates is to allow the adaptation of the page to be carried out according to the type of device used. To guarantee responsiveness, the framework works with:
- Stylization of the <div> element;
- The use of the class container.
In practice, the <div> element works to create a series of notes, similar to a table, capable of adapting the page in an adaptable way.
There has already been an attempt to use tables to create responsive designs, however, there were limitations to define the length of the columns which made it impossible to use on smaller devices such as smartphones. Almost all Bootstrap Templates are SEO friendly. So, you can consult SEO Agency Dubai for better guidance.
The <div> element is more flexible as it allows you to easily define and resize length.
Bootstrap has assigned the <div> element, a class container feature, which works to determine the appropriate dimensions for the elements inserted in that space.
Basically, the framework works with three types of containers:
Container: As a set with a maximum width property, which determines what fabric size is ideal for creating the page layout.
Container-fluid: considers the total fabric length of the device to define the design. For this, the width property is considered —100% at all fabric size limits.
Container- {breakpoint}: considers width —100% until reaching a certain size.
Component Library
Another interesting function of this framework is the number of components that can be used to provide better interaction and improve communication with the user.
Next, we will mention the main ones.
Alerts
O Bootstrap allows simple and fast configuration of different types of alerts, with specific colors, depending on the situation.
To show the user an alert indicating attention, for example, we simply need to use.alert-danger and a text box with a red background will appear:
Carousel
A widely used component in Bootstrap is the Carousel, a slide show, that is, a tool that allows images to be viewed receptively.
It also allows the inclusion of special effects for the transition of images and display controls, such as the “next” and “previous” indicators.
Navigation bar
Another powerful component of the structure is the NavBar (navigation bar), which allows the construction of a responsive navigation system.
It is possible to configure different ways of presenting the menu, choose between lateral or top positioning, and also define a display form that can be extended or contracted.
It is also possible to determine how to display menu links, which can be in the form of a button, link, suspense menu, among other settings, to facilitate the implementation of site navigation.
How to download Bootstrap Templates?
There are different ways to download this framework. One of them is downloading the compiled version of the CSS and JavaScript codes on the Bootstrap page.
There is also an option to download the source code of the framework since it is an open-source tool.
Those who do not want to download the files can access the structure without installing them on the server. In practice, the installation files are in another domain, that is, in another DNS.
For that, we only have to use the links to access or Bootstrap CDN and, in this way, add the references to the files necessary for its use.
Another way to download the framework is through package managers. It is important to say that Bootstrap can be used in different languages.
For this reason, it can be downloaded as npm, from Node.js, with RubyGems, Composer or Nuget, and used to create a WordPress website, on sites developed in Ruby on Rails, Asp.Net, etc.
What are the reasons to use Bootstrap Templates?
According to the statistics, Bootstrap ranks second as the most widely used JavaScript library, with 20.6% of websites using such technology.
There are several reasons why Bootstrap is worth using and learning.
Mobile-first
Bootstrap follows the concept of mobile-first. This means that the concern of the framework is, first, to develop a page that works perfectly on mobile devices and then on the desktop.
The advantage of this strategy is the guarantee of having a website that can be accessed from any device, which is essential due to the number of people who use a smartphone.
Visual standard
The functions available in Bootstrap offer a very rich user experience. This is because the visual stylization standard follows the design trends currently in use. Additionally, there are numerous free or paid Bootstrap themes that can be downloaded from the Internet.
Code reuse
To develop many of the existing features in Bootstrap, it would be necessary to write a large number of lines of code, which causes an increase in the size of the files and the amount of data transferred to the page load.
These factors can hinder a good Google ranking and a complete SEO strategy , since the time for the page to load is one of the reasons why the user stops waiting and leaves the site.
When using Bootstrap, you simply need to bind the class to the element you want to apply the resource to. Therefore, it eliminates the need to write many lines of code and also contributes to reducing the size of the files.
Active community
As an open-source framework, Bootstrap has an active developer community.
In addition to contributing with version updates (which is very important to have a tool always up to date).
The community also keeps documentation up-to-date, runs a blog with tips and news about the tool, and helps their community on the Stack Overflow website.
As you can see in this complete guide, Bootstrap is a powerful framework for developing responsive front-end applications and offers numerous components capable of giving a high visual standard to the pages.
To learn how to use all its resources, invest in a good course, study the variety of accessories, and always consult a reference guide.