1. What is Shadcn UI and why is it special?
Shadcn UI is an open source UI components suite that is gaining popularity in the frontend community. But unlike traditional UI libraries like Material UI, Bootstrap, or Chakra UI, Shadcn UI is not a “library” in the traditional sense.
What makes Shadcn UI different? Instead of installing a package and importing components from there, Shadcn UI lets you copy the components’ code directly into your project. It’s a “copy-paste” approach but automated via the CLI.
Imagine it simply like this:
- Regular UI Library : Like renting a pre-designed house. You can use it but can’t change the structure.
- Shadcn UI : Like buying a beautiful house design, but you own the design and can modify it as you please.
After running the above command, you will see a file button.tsx appear in the components folder of your project. This file contains the entire code of the Button component, and you are free to edit it.
2. The role of Shadcn UI in frontend development
Shadcn UI solves a core problem that many developers face: how to develop quickly while having full control over the interface?
3. Core Features of Shadcn UI
Shadcn UI works on a “high-level copy-paste” principle. This means it’s not a package installed via npm, but a high-quality codebase that’s injected directly into your project via the CLI.
# Khi bạn chạy lệnh này
npx shadcn-ui@latest add dialog
# CLI sẽ tạo các file trong thư mục components/ui của dự án # - dialog.tsx # - dialog-content.tsx # - dialog-description.tsx # Và bạn hoàn toàn sở hữu những file này! Shadcn UI combines the best technologies in the frontend ecosystem:
- Tailwind CSS : Provides flexible and efficient styling
- Radix UI : Ensuring accessibility and correct behavior
- class-variance-authority : Manage variants easily
- TypeScript : Type-safety for better developer experience
4. Install and use Shadcn UI
During initialization, the CLI will ask a few configuration questions:
- Installation in Next.js project
- Add components to the project
5. Build demo application with Shadcn UI
- Add necessary component
- Create login form
- Customize components as needed
6. When to and when not to use Shadcn
When to choose Shadcn UI:
- You need complete control over the code of the components
- Project requires special customization
- You want to optimize bundle size
- You are familiar with Tailwind CSS
- You need to build your own design system on a solid foundation.
When to consider another library:
- You need a complete “plug and play” solution
- Projects need to be deployed quickly with little customization
- Team is not familiar with managing component code
- You need complex components that you don’t want to rebuild
7. Conclusion
Shadcn UI represents a new approach to UI development. It offers the perfect balance between development speed and customizability – something that traditional UI libraries often struggle to achieve.
