Top React Components Libraries

Next.js is a React-based framework for building server-side rendered and statically generated web applications.

Code Example

import { useRouter } from 'next/router'

function MyComponent() {
  const router = useRouter()
  return <p>Current route: {router.pathname}</p>
}

Pros

• Offers built-in server-side rendering and static site generation, unlike many other React-based projects.
• Provides an intuitive file-based routing system, simplifying navigation compared to manual route configuration.
• Includes automatic code splitting and optimized performance out of the box, surpassing basic React setups.

Cons

• Has a steeper learning curve compared to simpler React UI libraries like Material-UI or Chakra UI.
• Lacks the extensive component library found in projects like Ant Design or React Bootstrap.
• May be overkill for small, client-side-only applications where libraries like Preact might be more suitable.

Material-UI is a popular React UI framework that implements Google's Material Design principles.

Code Example

import { Button } from '@mui/material';

function App() {
  return <Button variant="contained">Hello World</Button>;
}

Pros

• Offers a comprehensive set of pre-built components, reducing development time
• Provides excellent customization options through theming and component props
• Has a large and active community, ensuring regular updates and support

Cons

• Can have a steeper learning curve compared to simpler UI libraries
• Bundle size can be larger than some alternatives, potentially impacting initial load times
• Strict adherence to Material Design may limit creativity in some projects

Storybook is an open-source tool for developing UI components in isolation, allowing developers to create, test, and document components separately from the main application.

Code Example

import { Button } from './Button';

export default {
  title: 'Components/Button',
  component: Button,
};

export const Primary = () => <Button primary>Click me</Button>;

Pros

• Storybook provides a dedicated environment for component development, making it easier to focus on individual UI elements.
• It offers extensive documentation and addon ecosystem, enhancing the development and testing process.
• Storybook supports multiple frontend frameworks, making it versatile for different project types.

Cons

• Setting up Storybook can be more complex compared to simpler UI libraries or frameworks.
• It adds an additional layer to the development process, which may increase the learning curve for new team members.
• Storybook is primarily focused on component development and doesn't provide ready-made UI components like Material-UI or Chakra UI.

shadcn-ui/ui is a collection of re-usable components built using Radix UI and Tailwind CSS, designed for easy customization and integration into React projects.

Code Example

import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"

<Button variant="outline">Click me</Button>

Pros

• Offers a balance between customization and pre-built components, unlike fully pre-styled libraries like Material-UI or Chakra UI
• Integrates seamlessly with Tailwind CSS, making it easy to adapt to existing Tailwind projects
• Provides accessible and well-designed components out of the box, similar to Radix UI primitives

Cons

• Less comprehensive than larger UI libraries like Material-UI or Ant Design, offering fewer components overall
• Requires more setup and configuration compared to drop-in solutions like React Bootstrap or NextUI
• May have a steeper learning curve for developers not familiar with Tailwind CSS or Radix UI concepts

brillout/awesome-react-components is a curated list of React components and libraries.

Pros

• Provides a comprehensive collection of React components and libraries in one place
• Regularly updated with new and popular components
• Offers a wide variety of components for different use cases

Cons

• Not a code library itself, so it doesn't provide direct implementation
• May include outdated or less maintained components
• Requires additional research to determine the best component for specific needs