InApps Technology
Top 15 React Component Libraries

Top 15 React Component Libraries

Anh HoangJuly 5, 202216 min read

Discover the best React component libraries for your projects, like Material UI, Ant Design, React Bootstrap, and more.

When it comes to developing a React application, one of the key decisions you’ll face is selecting the right component library. React offers a vast ecosystem of component libraries that can significantly speed up your development process and enhance the user interface (UI) of your application. In this article, we’ll explore a variety of React component libraries that excel in different aspects, from UI components and design frameworks to utilities, animations, and UI layouts.

Key Summary

This article from InApps Technology, authored by Phu Nguyen, explores the role of React component libraries in accelerating the development of React applications by providing pre-built, modular UI components. It details 15 prominent libraries, their features, use cases, and installation methods, helping developers select the right one based on project needs. Key points include:

Introduction to React Component Libraries: Since ReactJS’s 2013 release, its ecosystem has grown, offering libraries that simplify UI development for mobile, desktop, web, and hybrid apps. These libraries provide reusable, modular components, reducing development time and ensuring consistent, high-quality interfaces.
Since ReactJS’s 2013 release, its ecosystem has grown, offering libraries that simplify UI development for mobile, desktop, web, and hybrid apps.
These libraries provide reusable, modular components, reducing development time and ensuring consistent, high-quality interfaces.
What is a React Component Library?: A collection of pre-built UI components that can be integrated into React applications, offering previews and assets for easy adoption. Community-driven, they evolve with React’s updates, catering to diverse development needs.
A collection of pre-built UI components that can be integrated into React applications, offering previews and assets for easy adoption.
Community-driven, they evolve with React’s updates, catering to diverse development needs.
Top React Component Libraries: Material UI (64k+ GitHub stars): Popular for clean, customizable components based on Material Design. Includes tools/APIs for app creation, no global scope pollution. Usage: import { Button } from ‘@material-ui/core’;. Ant Design (65k+ stars): Enterprise-level design system with 60+ high-quality components (navigation, layout, data entry). Offers design tools, icons, and a mobile-friendly version. Usage: import { DatePicker } from ‘antd’; with manual CSS import. React Bootstrap (18k+ stars): Rebuilds Bootstrap for React, eliminating jQuery/bootstrap.js dependencies. Compatible with Bootstrap themes, updates state via virtual DOM. Usage: import Button from ‘react-bootstrap/Button’;. React Virtualized (20k+ stars): Specialized for rendering large datasets (lists, tables, grids). Ideal for data-heavy applications with user-friendly table rendering. Usage: Generate data with faker for components like lists. Semantic UI React (12k+ stars): Integrates with Semantic UI, offering concise, intuitive layouts. Usage: yarn add semantic-ui-react semantic-ui-css and import CSS. Blueprint UI (14k+ stars, 56k weekly npm downloads): UI toolkit for data-dense desktop/web apps, with light/dark themes. Usage: yarn add blueprint-components. Evergreen (10k+ stars): Flexible, composable UI framework for enterprise-grade web apps. Developed by Segment, with theme support. Usage: import { Button } from ‘evergreen-ui’;. Chakra UI (13k+ stars): Modular, accessible (WAI-ARIA compliant), with style props for easy customization. Supports multiple color modes and custom component creation. Usage: npm i @chakra-ui/react @emotion/react @emotion/styled framer-motion. React Toolbox (8k+ stars): Implements Google Material Design with CSS Modules, Webpack, and ES6. Offers buttons, cards, date pickers, and detailed documentation. Usage: import { Button } from ‘react-toolbox/lib/button’;. Onsen UI (8k+ stars): Optimized for hybrid and native mobile apps (Android, iOS, HTML5). Provides platform-specific components and themes. Usage: npm install onsenui –save. React Suite (5k+ stars): Comprehensive components for web apps, with theme support and browser compatibility. Usage: npm i rsuite –save. React Spinner: Offers 20+ animated loading spinners, customizable by color, size, etc. Builds on Halogen React library. Usage: npm install react-spinners –save. Shards React: Minimalistic, optimized for sleek websites, dashboards, and mobile apps. Free base library with optional Pro kit for more features. Usage: npm i shards-react. Argon Design System React: Offers 100+ customizable components and pre-built template pages. Saves development time with flexible settings. Usage: npm run install:clean. React Fastclick: Optimization library for adding fast touch events to UI elements, reducing input lag on touch devices. Usage: import initReactFastclick from ‘react-fastclick’; initReactFastclick();.
Material UI (64k+ GitHub stars): Popular for clean, customizable components based on Material Design. Includes tools/APIs for app creation, no global scope pollution. Usage: import { Button } from ‘@material-ui/core’;.
Popular for clean, customizable components based on Material Design.
Includes tools/APIs for app creation, no global scope pollution.
Usage: import { Button } from ‘@material-ui/core’;.
Ant Design (65k+ stars): Enterprise-level design system with 60+ high-quality components (navigation, layout, data entry). Offers design tools, icons, and a mobile-friendly version. Usage: import { DatePicker } from ‘antd’; with manual CSS import.
Enterprise-level design system with 60+ high-quality components (navigation, layout, data entry).
Offers design tools, icons, and a mobile-friendly version.
Usage: import { DatePicker } from ‘antd’; with manual CSS import.
React Bootstrap (18k+ stars): Rebuilds Bootstrap for React, eliminating jQuery/bootstrap.js dependencies. Compatible with Bootstrap themes, updates state via virtual DOM. Usage: import Button from ‘react-bootstrap/Button’;.
Rebuilds Bootstrap for React, eliminating jQuery/bootstrap.js dependencies.
Compatible with Bootstrap themes, updates state via virtual DOM.
Usage: import Button from ‘react-bootstrap/Button’;.
React Virtualized (20k+ stars): Specialized for rendering large datasets (lists, tables, grids). Ideal for data-heavy applications with user-friendly table rendering. Usage: Generate data with faker for components like lists.
Specialized for rendering large datasets (lists, tables, grids).
Ideal for data-heavy applications with user-friendly table rendering.
Usage: Generate data with faker for components like lists.
Semantic UI React (12k+ stars): Integrates with Semantic UI, offering concise, intuitive layouts. Usage: yarn add semantic-ui-react semantic-ui-css and import CSS.
Integrates with Semantic UI, offering concise, intuitive layouts.
Usage: yarn add semantic-ui-react semantic-ui-css and import CSS.
Blueprint UI (14k+ stars, 56k weekly npm downloads): UI toolkit for data-dense desktop/web apps, with light/dark themes. Usage: yarn add blueprint-components.
UI toolkit for data-dense desktop/web apps, with light/dark themes.
Usage: yarn add blueprint-components.
Evergreen (10k+ stars): Flexible, composable UI framework for enterprise-grade web apps. Developed by Segment, with theme support. Usage: import { Button } from ‘evergreen-ui’;.
Flexible, composable UI framework for enterprise-grade web apps.
Developed by Segment, with theme support.
Usage: import { Button } from ‘evergreen-ui’;.
Chakra UI (13k+ stars): Modular, accessible (WAI-ARIA compliant), with style props for easy customization. Supports multiple color modes and custom component creation. Usage: npm i @chakra-ui/react @emotion/react @emotion/styled framer-motion.
Modular, accessible (WAI-ARIA compliant), with style props for easy customization.
Supports multiple color modes and custom component creation.
Usage: npm i @chakra-ui/react @emotion/react @emotion/styled framer-motion.
React Toolbox (8k+ stars): Implements Google Material Design with CSS Modules, Webpack, and ES6. Offers buttons, cards, date pickers, and detailed documentation. Usage: import { Button } from ‘react-toolbox/lib/button’;.
Implements Google Material Design with CSS Modules, Webpack, and ES6.
Offers buttons, cards, date pickers, and detailed documentation.
Usage: import { Button } from ‘react-toolbox/lib/button’;.
Onsen UI (8k+ stars):
Optimized for hybrid and native mobile apps (Android, iOS, HTML5).
Provides platform-specific components and themes.
Usage: npm install onsenui –save.
React Suite (5k+ stars):
Comprehensive components for web apps, with theme support and browser compatibility.
Usage: npm i rsuite –save.
React Spinner:
Offers 20+ animated loading spinners, customizable by color, size, etc.
Builds on Halogen React library.
Usage: npm install react-spinners –save.
Shards React:
Minimalistic, optimized for sleek websites, dashboards, and mobile apps.
Free base library with optional Pro kit for more features.
Usage: npm i shards-react.
Argon Design System React:
Offers 100+ customizable components and pre-built template pages.
Saves development time with flexible settings.
Usage: npm run install:clean.
React Fastclick:
Optimization library for adding fast touch events to UI elements, reducing input lag on touch devices.
Usage: import initReactFastclick from ‘react-fastclick’; initReactFastclick();.
Choosing the Right Library: Step 1: Define project requirements (e.g., UI complexity, platform, accessibility, customization needs). Considerations: Material UI is recommended for its versatility and trustworthiness, but libraries like Ant Design (enterprise), Onsen UI (mobile), or React Virtualized (data-heavy) suit specific needs. Benefits: Libraries ensure consistent UI/UX, prevent incompatible designs, and streamline development.
Step 1: Define project requirements (e.g., UI complexity, platform, accessibility, customization needs).
Considerations: Material UI is recommended for its versatility and trustworthiness, but libraries like Ant Design (enterprise), Onsen UI (mobile), or React Virtualized (data-heavy) suit specific needs.
Benefits: Libraries ensure consistent UI/UX, prevent incompatible designs, and streamline development.
Recommendations: For beginners, follow the React Learning Path to understand component integration. For businesses, hire experienced React developers for priority projects to leverage these libraries effectively.
For beginners, follow the React Learning Path to understand component integration.
For businesses, hire experienced React developers for priority projects to leverage these libraries effectively.
InApps Insight: InApps Technology leverages React component libraries for efficient UI development, integrating Microsoft’s Power Platform and Azure, using Power Fx for low-code UI prototyping and Azure Durable Functions for scalable workflows. Combines Node.js, Vue.js, GraphQL APIs (e.g., Apollo), and Azure to deliver modular, user-centric solutions, targeting startups and enterprises with Millennial-driven expectations.
InApps Technology leverages React component libraries for efficient UI development, integrating Microsoft’s Power Platform and Azure, using Power Fx for low-code UI prototyping and Azure Durable Functions for scalable workflows.
Combines Node.js, Vue.js, GraphQL APIs (e.g., Apollo), and Azure to deliver modular, user-centric solutions, targeting startups and enterprises with Millennial-driven expectations.

Read More:

Program the Infrastructure with an Actual Programming Language – InApps 2022

Introduction to React Component Libraries

Since its initial release in 2013, Facebook’s ReactJS has seen tremendous growth, largely thanks to its extensive library of React components. These libraries have empowered developers to create stunning UIs for a wide range of applications, including mobile, desktop, web, and hybrid apps. React component libraries not only simplify UI development but also offer high modularity, making them versatile tools for developers.

What Is a React Component Library?

A React component library is a collection of pre-built UI components that can be easily integrated into your React application. These libraries often provide a way to browse and preview the components and their associated assets. As React continues to evolve, the community-driven development of React component libraries also grows.

Now, let’s explore some of the best React component libraries available:

What are the best React Component Libraries?

1. Material UI

It is one of the most popular react components that are being used for faster and simpler web development. You can quickly and easily create your own design system, or start with Material Design. The major point of this component library is that a number of clean and simple, tidy, and highly customizable components are available to developers. It has more than 64k stars on Github as of now.

The library also includes a collection of interesting ready-to-use components that can be plugged into their application without even app developers without any hassles. Material UI also offers a handy set of tools and APIs in order to enhance the creation of your app, apart from providing the required components for your app.

Usage

Material-UI components work without any additional setup and don’t pollute the global scope.

import React from 'react'; import { Button } from '@material-ui/core'; function App() { return ; }

2. Ant Design

It is the second most popular react component and is a design system for enterprise-level products. You can build an effective and fun work experience.Programmers can select from more than 60 high-quality React components covering categories such as navigation, layout, data entry, and more. The components developed by Ant Design represent their design ethos and are very well planned out. It has more than 65k stars on Github.

You can find plenty of useful tools, such as helpful design tips, guides, clean icons, and Sketch plugins on the Ant Design website. The components they provide have been built to offer internal applications with a uniform design aesthetic, but developers are still free to explore their imagination. They also offer a web-friendly version of Ant Design that produces a mobile app for React developers.

Usage

import { DatePicker } from 'antd'; ReactDOM.render(, mountNode);

And import stylesheets manually:

import 'antd/dist/antd.css'; // or 'antd/dist/antd.less'

3. React Bootstrap

Bootstrap is quite a popular HTML, CSS, and JavaScript library that includes UI creation elements for both mobile and web applications. Although Bootstrap is predominantly referred to as a JS library, React Bootstrap is a full revamp for React together with the components, however without bootstrap.js or jQuery dependencies, essentially substituting their React components for the JavaScript styles. It has more than 18k stars on Github.

It provides complete compatibility with tons of Bootstrap themes that are already present and a long list of components that have total power over each of them. React Bootstrap updates the state to the virtual DOM, a more stable solution for development with the help of the incorporation of Bootstrap’s features into React’s virtual DOM.

Usage

Instead of the entire library, you can import individual components like: react-bootstrap/Button. Doing so just draws in the particular components you use, which will greatly minimize the amount of code you eventually wind up sending to the client.

import Button from 'react-bootstrap/Button'; // or less ideally import { Button } from 'react-bootstrap';

4. React Virtualized

React Virtualized amongst the unique React component libraries that focus on specific facets of any UI, which in our situation is the display of tabular data. It has more than 20k stars on Github and it is fairly easy to render tables in most cases. So, what is the requirement of a library for that?

With React Virtualized, web developers can easily render large quantities of data by making use of components such as lists, tables, grids, collections, and much more. The optimal users of this library are companies who interact with a broad range of clients, but you are always allowed to use it to create your tables a bit more user-friendly.

Read More:

Silos Are the Chief Impediment to IT and Business Value – InApps 2022

React Virtualized already has a thorough sequence of instructions to do the setup. We’re going to want data to work with, so we’re going to set up a feature to build a broad data set using faker.

Usage

function createRecord(count) { let records = []; for (let i = 0; i < count; i++) { records.push({ username: faker.internet.userName(), email: faker.internet.email() }); } return records; }

5. Semantic UI React

Semantic UI React library is known to be the best component library for the solid web development framework called Semantic UI. With semantically-friendly and succinct code, the Semantic UI JavaScript framework helps programmers to build beautiful and intuitive layouts effortlessly. It has approximately 12k stars on Github.

Usage

React components can be installed via yarn or npm:

$ yarn add semantic-ui-react semantic-ui-css ## Or NPM $ npm install semantic-ui-react semantic-ui-css

Import the minified CSS file in your app’s entry file after installation is complete:

import 'semantic-ui-css/semantic.min.css'

6. Blueprint UI

The Blueprint UI React component framework is on the same path of UI development as all the new data-heavy desktop and web apps do.

It is a UI toolkit based on React that is designed for desktop applications to create a complex data-dense interface. It is a fantastic UI package to have, with over 14k stars on Github and 56k weekly downloads on npm, and it aims to offer usability standards with all the components out of the box and also gives you access to light and dark theme mode.

Usage

$ yarn add blueprint-components

7. Evergreen

Evergreen is a React UI Framework for building ambitious products on the web. Evergreen components are built on top of a React UI Primitive for endless composability and are flexible and composable. It has more than 10k stars on GitHub.

It is developed by the programmers at Segment and was predominantly intended to build enterprise-grade web application UIs. With its Theme Provider component, the current version of Evergreen does give developers several theme options, but a much more optimized and effective API is predicted in v6.

Usage

import React from 'react' import ReactDOM from 'react-dom' import { Button } from 'evergreen-ui' ReactDOM.render( , document.getElementById('root') )

8. Chakra UI

The library is very easy to use and is completely modular, giving developers the foundations for the UI that are required. With the aid of style props, what makes Chakra UI the ideal React component library is its convenience of component styling, enabling much better control over the customization. To top it all, it has much more than 13k stars on GitHub.

It strictly adheres to WAI-ARIA, a W3C technical standard that makes web pages available to individuals with disabilities. It also comes with support for different color modes that can be selected by developers. The production of custom components is done effectively by the Chakra Factory.

Usage

Inside the React project directory, install Chakra UI by running either of the following:

npm i @chakra-ui/react @emotion/react @emotion/styled framer-motion

yarn add @chakra-ui/react @emotion/react @emotion/styled framer-motion

9. React Toolbox

React Toolbox is a series of React components that executes the requirements of Google Material Design. It is based on some of the most common proposals, such as CSS Modules (written in SASS), Web pack and ES6. The library fits with the workflow of your Web pack cohesively and is completely configurable and very versatile.

It offers a lot of components such as buttons, cards, date pickers, dialogues, and other commonly used elements.  that enable web developers to build stunning web applications. The library is also packed with comprehensive documentation and has more than 8k stars on GitHub.

Usage

In this minimal example, we import a Button with styles already bundled:

import React from 'react'; import ReactDOM from 'react-dom'; import { Button } from 'react-toolbox/lib/button'; ReactDOM.render(

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