bootstrap vs bulma vs foundation-sites vs materialize-css
CSS Frameworks for Responsive Web Design Comparison
3 Years
bootstrapbulmafoundation-sitesmaterialize-cssSimilar Packages:
What's CSS Frameworks for Responsive Web Design?

CSS frameworks are pre-prepared libraries that are meant to be used as a base for starting a project. They contain a collection of CSS styles, components, and sometimes JavaScript functionality that helps developers create responsive and visually appealing web applications more efficiently. These frameworks provide a structured approach to styling web pages, ensuring consistency and saving time on design and layout tasks. Popular CSS frameworks include Bootstrap, Bulma, Foundation, and Materialize, each with its own design philosophy and set of features.

Package Weekly Downloads Trend
Github Stars Ranking
Stat Detail
Package
Downloads
Stars
Size
Issues
Publish
License
bootstrap4,447,664
172,8559.62 MB5642 months agoMIT
bulma179,109
49,8966.97 MB5054 months agoMIT
foundation-sites78,911
29,76224.7 MB69a year agoMIT
materialize-css24,221
38,958-7927 years agoMIT
Feature Comparison: bootstrap vs bulma vs foundation-sites vs materialize-css

Design Philosophy

  • bootstrap:

    Bootstrap follows a mobile-first approach and provides a comprehensive set of components, utilities, and a grid system. It is designed to be flexible and customizable while maintaining a consistent look across devices.

  • bulma:

    Bulma is a modern CSS framework based on Flexbox, emphasizing simplicity and readability. It is lightweight and modular, allowing developers to use only the parts they need, which makes it easy to customize and extend.

  • foundation-sites:

    Foundation is designed for professional developers and offers a more flexible and customizable approach compared to other frameworks. It provides advanced features like responsive utilities, customizable grid systems, and a wide range of components that can be easily tailored to fit specific design requirements.

  • materialize-css:

    Materialize is based on Google’s Material Design guidelines, providing a set of components and styles that promote a clean, modern aesthetic. It focuses on usability and accessibility, making it a good choice for projects that prioritize user experience.

Customization

  • bootstrap:

    Bootstrap allows for extensive customization through its Sass variables and mixins. Developers can easily override default styles and create a unique design while still leveraging the framework’s components.

  • bulma:

    Bulma is highly customizable, with a straightforward Sass structure that makes it easy to modify variables and styles. Its modular nature allows developers to import only the components they need, reducing bloat and improving performance.

  • foundation-sites:

    Foundation offers deep customization capabilities, including a flexible grid system and the ability to create custom components. It provides a robust set of tools for developers who want to build highly tailored designs without being constrained by predefined styles.

  • materialize-css:

    Materialize allows for some customization, but it is more limited compared to other frameworks. Developers can modify Sass variables and styles, but the framework is designed to maintain a consistent Material Design aesthetic.

Grid System

  • bootstrap:

    Bootstrap features a responsive, 12-column grid system that is easy to use and highly flexible. It includes predefined classes for creating layouts that adapt to different screen sizes, making it a reliable choice for responsive design.

  • bulma:

    Bulma also provides a responsive 12-column grid system based on Flexbox. It is simple to use and allows for more control over alignment and spacing, making it a great choice for modern web layouts.

  • foundation-sites:

    Foundation’s grid system is one of its standout features, offering a responsive, flexible layout with a 12-column structure. It allows for more complex layouts and provides greater control over responsiveness compared to other frameworks.

  • materialize-css:

    Materialize includes a responsive grid system that follows the 12-column layout model. It is easy to use and integrates well with the framework’s other components, but it is not as flexible or feature-rich as some of the other frameworks.

JavaScript Components

  • bootstrap:

    Bootstrap comes with a wide range of JavaScript components that are built using jQuery. These include modals, tooltips, carousels, and more, providing interactive functionality out of the box.

  • bulma:

    Bulma does not include any JavaScript components, which keeps the framework lightweight. Developers can easily integrate their own JavaScript or use third-party libraries as needed.

  • foundation-sites:

    Foundation provides a robust set of JavaScript components that are highly customizable and built to work seamlessly with the framework. It includes features like modals, dropdowns, and accordions, all of which can be easily tailored to fit specific design needs.

  • materialize-css:

    Materialize includes a variety of JavaScript components that are designed to work with the framework’s Material Design styles. These components are easy to use and integrate, providing a good balance of functionality and aesthetics.

Ease of Use: Code Examples

  • bootstrap:

    Bootstrap Example

    <!DOCTYPE html>
    <html lang="en">
    <head>
        <meta charset="UTF-8">
        <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
        <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://stackpath.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/4.5.2/css/bootstrap.min.css">
        <title>Bootstrap Example</title>
    </head>
    <body>
        <div class="container">
            <h1 class="text-center">Hello, Bootstrap!</h1>
            <button class="btn btn-primary">Click Me</button>
        </div>
        <script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.5.1.slim.min.js"></script>
        <script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@popperjs/core@2.9.2/dist/umd/popper.min.js"></script>
        <script src="https://stackpath.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/4.5.2/js/bootstrap.min.js"></script>
    </body>
    </html>
    
  • bulma:

    Bulma Example

    <!DOCTYPE html>
    <html lang="en">
    <head>
        <meta charset="UTF-8">
        <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
        <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/bulma/0.9.3/css/bulma.min.css">
        <title>Bulma Example</title>
    </head>
    <body>
        <div class="container">
            <h1 class="title has-text-centered">Hello, Bulma!</h1>
            <button class="button is-primary">Click Me</button>
        </div>
    </body>
    </html>
    
  • foundation-sites:

    Foundation Example

    <!DOCTYPE html>
    <html lang="en">
    <head>
        <meta charset="UTF-8">
        <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
        <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/foundation/6.6.3/css/foundation.min.css">
        <title>Foundation Example</title>
    </head>
    <body>
        <div class="grid-container">
            <h1 class="text-center">Hello, Foundation!</h1>
            <button class="button primary">Click Me</button>
        </div>
        <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.5.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
        <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/foundation/6.6.3/js/foundation.min.js"></script>
    </body>
    </html>
    
  • materialize-css:

    Materialize Example

    <!DOCTYPE html>
    <html lang="en">
    <head>
        <meta charset="UTF-8">
        <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
        <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/materialize/1.0.0/css/materialize.min.css">
        <title>Materialize Example</title>
    </head>
    <body>
        <div class="container">
            <h1 class="center-align">Hello, Materialize!</h1>
            <button class="btn waves-effect waves-light">Click Me</button>
        </div>
        <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/materialize/1.0.0/js/materialize.min.js"></script>
    </body>
    </html>
    
How to Choose: bootstrap vs bulma vs foundation-sites vs materialize-css
  • bootstrap:

    Choose Bootstrap if you need a comprehensive, feature-rich framework with a large community, extensive documentation, and a wide range of pre-built components. It is ideal for projects that require quick development and a consistent design across different devices.

  • bulma:

    Choose Bulma if you prefer a modern, lightweight, and flexbox-based framework that is easy to customize and has a clean design. It is suitable for projects where simplicity and minimalism are prioritized, and you want to avoid JavaScript dependencies.

  • foundation-sites:

    Choose Foundation if you need a highly customizable and flexible framework that offers advanced features for building responsive layouts. It is ideal for professional developers who require more control over the design and functionality of their projects.

  • materialize-css:

    Choose Materialize if you want a framework that follows Material Design principles and provides a set of components that are visually appealing and easy to use. It is suitable for projects that aim for a modern, Google-inspired design aesthetic.

README for bootstrap

Bootstrap logo

Bootstrap

Sleek, intuitive, and powerful front-end framework for faster and easier web development.
Explore Bootstrap docs »

Report bug · Request feature · Themes · Blog

Bootstrap 5

Our default branch is for development of our Bootstrap 5 release. Head to the v4-dev branch to view the readme, documentation, and source code for Bootstrap 4.

Table of contents

Quick start

Several quick start options are available:

  • Download the latest release
  • Clone the repo: git clone https://github.com/twbs/bootstrap.git
  • Install with npm: npm install bootstrap@v5.3.7
  • Install with yarn: yarn add bootstrap@v5.3.7
  • Install with Bun: bun add bootstrap@v5.3.7
  • Install with Composer: composer require twbs/bootstrap:5.3.7
  • Install with NuGet: CSS: Install-Package bootstrap Sass: Install-Package bootstrap.sass

Read the Getting started page for information on the framework contents, templates, examples, and more.

Status

Build Status npm version Gem version Meteor Atmosphere Packagist Prerelease NuGet Coverage Status CSS gzip size CSS Brotli size JS gzip size JS Brotli size Backers on Open Collective Sponsors on Open Collective

What’s included

Within the download you’ll find the following directories and files, logically grouping common assets and providing both compiled and minified variations.

Download contents
bootstrap/
├── css/
│   ├── bootstrap-grid.css
│   ├── bootstrap-grid.css.map
│   ├── bootstrap-grid.min.css
│   ├── bootstrap-grid.min.css.map
│   ├── bootstrap-grid.rtl.css
│   ├── bootstrap-grid.rtl.css.map
│   ├── bootstrap-grid.rtl.min.css
│   ├── bootstrap-grid.rtl.min.css.map
│   ├── bootstrap-reboot.css
│   ├── bootstrap-reboot.css.map
│   ├── bootstrap-reboot.min.css
│   ├── bootstrap-reboot.min.css.map
│   ├── bootstrap-reboot.rtl.css
│   ├── bootstrap-reboot.rtl.css.map
│   ├── bootstrap-reboot.rtl.min.css
│   ├── bootstrap-reboot.rtl.min.css.map
│   ├── bootstrap-utilities.css
│   ├── bootstrap-utilities.css.map
│   ├── bootstrap-utilities.min.css
│   ├── bootstrap-utilities.min.css.map
│   ├── bootstrap-utilities.rtl.css
│   ├── bootstrap-utilities.rtl.css.map
│   ├── bootstrap-utilities.rtl.min.css
│   ├── bootstrap-utilities.rtl.min.css.map
│   ├── bootstrap.css
│   ├── bootstrap.css.map
│   ├── bootstrap.min.css
│   ├── bootstrap.min.css.map
│   ├── bootstrap.rtl.css
│   ├── bootstrap.rtl.css.map
│   ├── bootstrap.rtl.min.css
│   └── bootstrap.rtl.min.css.map
└── js/
    ├── bootstrap.bundle.js
    ├── bootstrap.bundle.js.map
    ├── bootstrap.bundle.min.js
    ├── bootstrap.bundle.min.js.map
    ├── bootstrap.esm.js
    ├── bootstrap.esm.js.map
    ├── bootstrap.esm.min.js
    ├── bootstrap.esm.min.js.map
    ├── bootstrap.js
    ├── bootstrap.js.map
    ├── bootstrap.min.js
    └── bootstrap.min.js.map

We provide compiled CSS and JS (bootstrap.*), as well as compiled and minified CSS and JS (bootstrap.min.*). Source maps (bootstrap.*.map) are available for use with certain browsers’ developer tools. Bundled JS files (bootstrap.bundle.js and minified bootstrap.bundle.min.js) include Popper.

Bugs and feature requests

Have a bug or a feature request? Please first read the issue guidelines and search for existing and closed issues. If your problem or idea is not addressed yet, please open a new issue.

Documentation

Bootstrap’s documentation, included in this repo in the root directory, is built with Astro and publicly hosted on GitHub Pages at https://getbootstrap.com/. The docs may also be run locally.

Documentation search is powered by Algolia's DocSearch.

Running documentation locally

  1. Run npm install to install the Node.js dependencies, including Astro (the site builder).
  2. Run npm run test (or a specific npm script) to rebuild distributed CSS and JavaScript files, as well as our docs assets.
  3. From the root /bootstrap directory, run npm run docs-serve in the command line.
  4. Open http://localhost:9001/ in your browser, and voilà.

Learn more about using Astro by reading its documentation.

Documentation for previous releases

You can find all our previous releases docs on https://getbootstrap.com/docs/versions/.

Previous releases and their documentation are also available for download.

Contributing

Please read through our contributing guidelines. Included are directions for opening issues, coding standards, and notes on development.

Moreover, if your pull request contains JavaScript patches or features, you must include relevant unit tests. All HTML and CSS should conform to the Code Guide, maintained by Mark Otto.

Editor preferences are available in the editor config for easy use in common text editors. Read more and download plugins at https://editorconfig.org/.

Community

Get updates on Bootstrap’s development and chat with the project maintainers and community members.

Versioning

For transparency into our release cycle and in striving to maintain backward compatibility, Bootstrap is maintained under the Semantic Versioning guidelines. Sometimes we screw up, but we adhere to those rules whenever possible.

See the Releases section of our GitHub project for changelogs for each release version of Bootstrap. Release announcement posts on the official Bootstrap blog contain summaries of the most noteworthy changes made in each release.

Creators

Mark Otto

Jacob Thornton

Thanks

BrowserStack

Thanks to BrowserStack for providing the infrastructure that allows us to test in real browsers!

Netlify

Thanks to Netlify for providing us with Deploy Previews!

Sponsors

Support this project by becoming a sponsor. Your logo will show up here with a link to your website. [Become a sponsor]

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Backers

Thank you to all our backers! 🙏 [Become a backer]

Backers

Copyright and license

Code and documentation copyright 2011-2025 the Bootstrap Authors. Code released under the MIT License. Docs released under Creative Commons.