Bootstrap vs Tailwind CSS: Popular CSS Frameworks Comparison
Bootstrap and Tailwind CSS are both popular tools that help developers build beautiful websites more quickly. Bootstrap provides ready-made components like buttons and navigation bars that you can copy and paste, while Tailwind gives you small building blocks to create your own unique designs. They represent two different approaches to styling websites: Bootstrap with its pre-built look versus Tailwind's customizable utility-first approach.
CSS Frameworksstylingresponsive-designUI componentsfrontenddesign-systems
Detailed Comparison
Technical Analysis
featureComparison
Bootstrap is a UI framework with pre-designed components, while Tailwind CSS is a utility-first CSS framework. Bootstrap provides a set of pre-built components, whereas Tailwind CSS provides a set of utility classes to style HTML elements.
typescriptSupport
Both Bootstrap and Tailwind CSS support TypeScript. Bootstrap has official TypeScript definitions, while Tailwind CSS has community-maintained TypeScript definitions.
browserCompatibility
Both Bootstrap and Tailwind CSS support modern browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. Bootstrap also supports Internet Explorer 10 and 11.
dependencies
Bootstrap has no dependencies, while Tailwind CSS depends on PostCSS.
performance
Bootstrap is generally heavier than Tailwind CSS due to its pre-built components. Tailwind CSS is more lightweight and customizable.
Ecosystem Analysis
frameworkCompatibility
Bootstrap is compatible with most front-end frameworks, including React, Angular, and Vue.js. Tailwind CSS is also compatible with most front-end frameworks, but is more popular in the Vue.js ecosystem.
communityActivity
Both Bootstrap and Tailwind CSS have active communities, with Bootstrap being more established and widely used. Tailwind CSS has a growing community and is popular among developers who prefer a utility-first approach.
documentationQuality
Both Bootstrap and Tailwind CSS have high-quality documentation, with Bootstrap's documentation being more comprehensive and detailed.
maintenanceStatus
Both Bootstrap and Tailwind CSS are actively maintained, with regular updates and bug fixes.
Performance Comparison
bundleSizeAnalysis
Tailwind CSS has a significantly smaller bundle size than Bootstrap, making it a better choice for performance-critical applications.
runtimePerformance
Bootstrap's pre-built components can lead to slower runtime performance, while Tailwind CSS's utility-first approach can lead to faster runtime performance.
loadingTime
Tailwind CSS generally has a faster loading time than Bootstrap due to its smaller bundle size.
memoryUsage
Tailwind CSS tends to use less memory than Bootstrap due to its more lightweight approach.
Code Examples
Bootstrap Example
1<button class="btn btn-primary">Click me!</button>This code uses Bootstrap's pre-built button component to create a primary button.
Tailwind CSS Example
1<button class="bg-orange-500 hover:bg-orange-700 text-white font-bold py-2 px-4 rounded">Click me!</button>This code uses Tailwind CSS's utility classes to style a button with a orange background, white text, and rounded corners.
Recommendation
Summary
Choose Bootstrap if you need a UI framework with pre-built components, and choose Tailwind CSS if you prefer a utility-first approach with more customization options.
Details
- Bootstrap is better suited for rapid prototyping and development, while Tailwind CSS is better suited for custom and performance-critical applications.
- Tailwind CSS requires more CSS knowledge and customization, while Bootstrap provides more out-of-the-box functionality.
Similar Packages
WindiCSS
95%
A Tailwind CSS alternative with faster build times and extra features. Uses the same utility-first approach but adds some nice improvements.
Great Tailwind alternative that's faster and includes additional features like attribute-based utilities. Perfect for those who like Tailwind but want better performance.
Utility CSS FrameworkBulma
90%
A modern CSS framework based on Flexbox, with no JavaScript dependencies. It's known for being lightweight and easy to learn, using readable class names that make sense.
Perfect for developers who want Bootstrap-like features but with a simpler learning curve. It's pure CSS, which means you don't need to worry about JavaScript conflicts.
CSS FrameworkFoundation
90%
A professional-grade CSS framework with built-in accessibility. It's highly customizable and works great for both websites and apps.
Great Bootstrap alternative that's especially good for building business websites. Includes similar components but with more flexibility in styling.
CSS FrameworkUnoCSS
85%
An instant, on-demand atomic CSS engine. It's like Tailwind but much faster and more flexible, letting you create your own utility patterns.
Excellent for developers who want Tailwind's utility approach but need more speed and customization. Great for larger projects where build performance matters.
Utility CSS FrameworkChakra UI
80%
A simple and modern React component library with a focus on accessibility. Comes with beautiful pre-built components that can be easily customized.
Perfect alternative if you're using React and want something more modern than Bootstrap. Easier to customize than Tailwind while maintaining good design defaults.
Component Library<p align="center">
<a href="https://getbootstrap.com/">
<img src="https://getbootstrap.com/docs/5.3/assets/brand/bootstrap-logo-shadow.png" alt="Bootstrap logo" width="200" height="165">
</a>
</p>
<h3 align="center">Bootstrap</h3>
<p align="center">
Sleek, intuitive, and powerful front-end framework for faster and easier web development.
<br>
<a href="https://getbootstrap.com/docs/5.3/"><strong>Explore Bootstrap docs »</strong></a>
<br>
<br>
<a href="https://github.com/twbs/bootstrap/issues/new?assignees=-&labels=bug&template=bug_report.yml">Report bug</a>
·
<a href="https://github.com/twbs/bootstrap/issues/new?assignees=&labels=feature&template=feature_request.yml">Request feature</a>
·
<a href="https://themes.getbootstrap.com/">Themes</a>
·
<a href="https://blog.getbootstrap.com/">Blog</a>
</p>
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
- Status
- What’s included
- Bugs and feature requests
- Documentation
- Contributing
- Community
- Versioning
- Creators
- Thanks
- Copyright and license
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 bootstrapSass:Install-Package bootstrap.sass
Read the Getting started page for information on the framework contents, templates, examples, and more.
Status
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.
<details> <summary>Download contents</summary></details>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
- Run
npm installto install the Node.js dependencies, including Astro (the site builder). - Run
npm run test(or a specific npm script) to rebuild distributed CSS and JavaScript files, as well as our docs assets. - From the root
/bootstrapdirectory, runnpm run docs-servein the command line. - 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.
- Follow @getbootstrap on X.
- Read and subscribe to The Official Bootstrap Blog.
- Ask questions and explore our GitHub Discussions.
- Discuss, ask questions, and more on the community Discord or Bootstrap subreddit.
- Chat with fellow Bootstrappers in IRC. On the
irc.libera.chatserver, in the#bootstrapchannel. - Implementation help may be found at Stack Overflow (tagged
bootstrap-5). - Developers should use the keyword
bootstrapon packages which modify or add to the functionality of Bootstrap when distributing through npm or similar delivery mechanisms for maximum discoverability.
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
<a href="https://www.browserstack.com/"> <img src="https://live.browserstack.com/images/opensource/browserstack-logo.svg" alt="BrowserStack" width="192" height="42"> </a>Thanks to BrowserStack for providing the infrastructure that allows us to test in real browsers!
<a href="https://www.netlify.com/"> <img src="https://www.netlify.com/v3/img/components/full-logo-light.svg" alt="Netlify" width="147" height="40"> </a>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]
Backers
Thank you to all our backers! 🙏 [Become a backer]
Copyright and license
Code and documentation copyright 2011-2025 the Bootstrap Authors. Code released under the MIT License. Docs released under Creative Commons.