What is Bootstrap?

What is Bootstrap?

Bootstrap is developed by the team at twitter, which is an open-source JavaScript framework. With the help of bootstrap you can impart additional superior functionality to your web site. You can create user interface components by using Bootstrap for the reason that it is a grouping of  HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

It is based upon LESS that is a dynamic style sheet language, which is painstaking to be an extension of CSS. LESS is written in JavaScript that is painstaking to be way faster than SASS that is an another extension similar to LESS. It is not complicated to comprehend by a popular of web developers as most of them are well familiar with JavaScript.

Only PSD 2 HTML follow certain standards for PSD to Bootstrap services such as:

• integrate Pixel-perfect HTML and CSS code to get mobile first front-end framework.
• Robust functionality of the applications and websites
• Compatibility with all the major browsers
• Code strictly abide by the guidelines of W3C Validation
• SEO semantic codes

It is such a great framework because of the following reasons:-

Consistency

Twitter saw some inconsistencies regarding developer level and user level, so in order to remove those inconsistencies one central set of development code was developed.

Build with the latest libraries

Latest CSS3, HTML5 and jQuery libraries are used to built and develop Bootstrap. In addition to this, the CSS was developed on the LESS platform, which in turn saves time.

Responsive

Responsive design is used to code the bootstrap in order to cater to users with all different screen sizes. As it is responsive, it is set up for the future of internet use containing tablets, desktops and phones.

It is a powerful front-end framework, which is sleek and intuitive that results in faster and easier web development. The documentation of Bootstrap is robust along with a strong set of features. Indeed, the community support is the key reason to make it one of the best front-end development frameworks.

Remarkable features of Bootstrap

• An open-source framework
• Also supports responsive design
• Cross-browser compatibility
• Almost incomplete support for HTML5 and CSS3
• Loaded with features
• Look and behave great
• Wide list of components
• Grid system is great
• Bundled JavaScript plugins

Why to choose Only PSD 2 HTML for PSD To Bootstrap Conversion Services?

Only PSD To HTML is filled with a remarkable team of Bootstrap developers that acquire a large number of years of experience of developing Bootstrap conversion solutions.

If you’re a web designer who’s looking for a sleek, simple and responsive front-end framework, you’ve probably heard of both Bootstrap and Foundation. That’s because these are the two most popular frameworks around right now.

In your mind, you’re probably also thinking…Bootstrap vs. Foundation…Bootstrap vs. Foundation! Which should I use? Which can get me to where I have a fully functioning, new website more efficiently? Relax—we’ve got you covered.

Before we dive into the details of each framework, know that each one has its pros and cons. At the end of this blog post, you’ll make a decision on which is better based on your unique situation, your needs and your familiarity with code in the first place.

That said, Bootstrap was created by former Twitter employees while Foundation is the brainchild of ZURB, an interaction design company that can boast a client list that includes eBay, Facebook and even the NYSE.

We want you to be armed with all of the latest information about each framework, so that you can make the best decision for your web-design projects. Let’s dive right in.

The Grid System

The most noticeable part of a front-end framework is its grid system. With a grid system, designers are able to prototype various layouts and then make any necessary adjustments as they see fit. Foundation initially made its name with the grid system, being the first of the two frameworks not just to go responsive, but also to really flesh out the mobile-first approach for a period of time.

However, after some time, Bootstrap caught up and has closed the gap. In other words, any slight advantage that Foundation had at the beginning with its grid system is pretty much gone now.

Still, there are a couple of specific grid features in Foundation worth mentioning. It’s called the block grid, and it empowers designers to efficiently divide the contents of unordered lists into a grid that’s evenly spaced. In addition, Foundation also makes it a cinch to quickly collapse columns as well as remove gutters because of the collapse class. Alternately, you can remove center columns by using the center columns syntax.

Designers have the ability to produce equivalent code snippets in both frameworks that function almost in the same way. Even so, the syntax for building grids can be a tad different, which means that personal preference will be the decider in the end.

Now let’s talk flexible and pre-defined grids. Both Bootstrap and Foundation come with a default grid system that’s totally in your hands to customize with Less and Sass, respectively. Bootstrap’s default grid mode is attached to breakpoints. This means that it’s going to give you static-sized widths that’ll recede when the viewport is at its limit. However, if designers use the class .row-fluid instead, the width relies on percentages (just like Foundation).

Sizing Units

When it comes to calculating typography, widths and basically everything else, Bootstrap relies on pixels, but Foundation uses rems. There are clear differences between the two, yet both can create the same outcomes. Again, it’s a personal preference thing for web designers.

While pixels may feel more familiar to web designers and graphic artists without that much experience, rems help designers think more about proportions. Think of pixels as absolute units while rems are relative units. That’s something to consider, especially in this day and age of responsive design.

At the end of the day, though, don’t beat yourself up too much about the distinction between the two. It all comes down to personal preferences and comfort levels: If you’re a fan of working with pixels, then Bootstrap is the framework for you! When you use pixels, you’ll have to specifically set the width, height, padding and margin of components and their nested elements on each target device and screen size you’re working with.

Features

To someone just getting familiar with both front-end frameworks, it would seem that both have an almost identical collection of pre-built features. As always, looks can be deceiving, which is why there are actually small, but important differences between the two that you should familiarize yourself with.

Foundation comes with built-in form validation from Abide. Bootstrap doesn’t have this feature, but that’s not an issue by any means since, again, it all comes down to the designer’s personal preference and what he’s most comfortable working with. Interchange is another feature unique to Foundation: It relies on media queries to load responsive content that’s suitable for different browsers. Right-to-left support, off-canvas navigation, tours and pricing tables round out the features list of Foundation.

Bootstrap, on the other hand, comes with features that feel more complete and thought-out, from the standpoint of designers. Look at it this way: The features that come pre-built with Bootstrap are much more conducive to efficiently getting designers up and running with their objective of building a functional website with a theme. So if you value productivity, then Bootstrap has to be your framework of choice.

Bootstrap’s also added responsive embeds, which makes it a cinch to now incorporate responsiveness to different elements.

The Ability to Customize

Just by looking at the names of these two, front-end frameworks, you can glean something about the visual customization of each. Bootstrap removes friction from your path, so that you can create a website as efficiently as possible and have it up and running; Foundation tends to offer a few more customization options when it comes to visual appearance, which can slow you down a bit.

With Bootstrap, your websites tend to appear as though they were made with Bootstrap—that is to say that the default Bootstrap look, if you will, only goes away when you either add a theme or spend some time with custom styling. It’s all good, though: If you don’t want people to know off the bat that you built your site with Bootstrap, just explore the custom styling features to add more unique touches to your website’s appearance.

By the way, you can thank Bootstrap’s early popularity (it’s more popular than Foundation) for this so-called “Bootstrap look.” Foundation, by comparison, has a default appearance that looks a lot closer to how your browser would look, in many cases. As a result, it’s a bit simpler to tweak and shape into a more individualized and unique design look.

A quick word on themes: When it comes to sheer choice in the theme department, Bootstrap can’t be beat. It has a larger assortment of themes that are readily available. Sure, Foundation themes are available as well, but just know that they’re not available in as much abundance as Bootstrap themes are. And, unless you’re a designer who just wants to have all of your websites more or less look the same, you’ll naturally appreciate the greater variety and more choices that Bootstrap’s themes offer.

Mobile

Because of responsive design and the increasing popularity of mobile use, you’d be crazy not to design ANY site with mobile in mind. It’s interesting to point out how each front-end framework handles the mobile question.

Foundation’s approach is to encourage designers to tackle the mobile question head-on by its easy-to-follow rule:

Anything not under a media query is going to be considered as mobile

Now, should designers want something to look differently on a computer or tablet, then they’ll have to specify the media query. This is known as mobile-first CSS development.

Bootstrap approaches the mobile question from a totally different angle. Should designers want to design for mobile, they’ll have to specify the media query for it. If designers don’t design for mobile first, their mobile users are simply going to have to contend with seeing the desktop view.

Designing elements with a desktop-first mentality means you’ll have to think a little bit harder to successfully arrange all your elements on a mobile screen, but it’s totally doable. On the other hand, Foundation’s mobile-first approach obviously lets designers focus more on what sort of content is relevant and interesting to the user while space considerations are secondary.

Browser Support and Performance

Browser support and performance are both very good on Bootstrap and Foundation, with one exception: Foundation does not support Internet Explorer 8. If that doesn’t bother you, then that’s your call, but some designers may feel restricted by that lack of support.

That said, when it comes down to sheer performance between Bootstrap vs. Foundation, the differences aren’t all that great…or even that noticeable. Sure, there will be some minimal performance gaps, but these are largely based on the specific features (framework components, browser environments, etc.) that support designers, as opposed to issues surrounding the front-end frameworks themselves.

Community and Support

If there’s one category that favors one framework over the other, it would have to be community, where Bootstrap clearly has the upper hand. Bootstrap has a huge following of designers and developers which means you’re more likely to get support if you run into issues.

In addition, there are a wealth of plugins and widgets that can be strapped onto the framework, which further extends Bootstrap’s functionality for more efficient web development.

Bootstrap vs. Foundation: Which Framework Wins?

When it’s all said and done, the question isn’t really that simple. As we’ve talked about, there are pros and cons to each front-end framework, and whether designers want to choose one over the other largely depends on their personal preference and comfort level.

If you enjoy having a large selection of themes, then Bootstrap is the way to go. No doubt about it. If you have a preference for rems over pixels, then maybe Foundation isn’t so bad after all. If you want to enjoy support for Internet Explorer 8, then better stick to Bootstrap. However, if designing for mobile first is important…well, Foundation puts an emphasis on that. Then again…if community support and more choice in the form of plugins and widgets are important, you can’t beat Bootstrap’s bigger following and larger selection.

At any rate, if you enjoy building stellar websites that live on the Internet, you can’t really go wrong with either front-end framework. So ask yourself what features of each are more useful to you. We hope we’ve helped make the decision for you a whole lot clearer!

If you already use one framework over the other, be sure to let us know why in the comments below.

When Twitter was expanding, Mark Otto and Jacob Thornton realized the need for a standardized framework and tools that would facilitate consistency and ease of development in the expansion of the Twitter website. The project took a life of its own and we got an HTML and CSS toolkit, named Bootstrap or formerly Twitter Bootstrap, which made the process of web development a little easier. Bootstrap is currently used by many different types of web sites, including NASA and MSNBC, and is currently one of the most popular open source projects on GitHub.

To convert a PSD image design to a responsive HTML website, the most important step is to write the style CSS that ultimately dictates whether the site is responsive or not. Bootstrap helps in writing this CSS code. To be more precise- it’s the CSS code that could be used in creating a responsive website.?

Now, the question comes what exactly is bootstrap and how can we use it. To explain it in a single line- ‘Bootstrap is a collection of tools and HTML/CSS templates that could be used to build a website’. And since Bootstrap version 2.0 (the latest version of bootstrap), has support for responsive web development it can be used to build a responsive website. As for what it can be used for, well it can develop any type of website and could be used with any type of content management system (CMS) that has support of integrating custom CSS, such as WordPress, Joomla, Drupal etc. The best thing about this framework is that it is supported by every major web browser such as Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc.

What is a responsive website?

A responsive website provides optimal viewing experience to a website even when viewed through different screen sizes. Here, optimal viewing means accessing website content with minimum to no left to right scrolling and good legibility of text, images, and other media. Therefore, for optimal viewing the website must automatically adjust its rendering width, images sizes, and text size according to viewing screen size.

How responsive websites are generally made?

To make a mobile compatible site, web developers generally use two major techniques. One is by using an altogether separate domain such as m.example.com or example.com/mobile, and redirecting the mobile traffic to this domain. Of course this domain contains the mobile optimized version of the site. This approach, though gets the job done, has a number of disadvantages related to search engine optimization of a site such as duplicate content, promotion of two separate domains, and diluting of link juice.

The other way is by creating a responsive website cleverly using CSS style sheets to render a different styled version of a website according to the screen size. The size of the screen is detected through Media Queries. The CSS used in this screen size loads a rendering style that most fits the screen. The only disadvantage is that the latest versions of CSS are not supported by old browsers such as Internet Explorer 6 thus they cannot display such CSS sites optimally. But this is also changing as more and more people are shifting to the newer versions of browsers.

Bootstrap: Making life easier for web developers

Bootstrap is a pre built CSS framework that could be used by web developers to create websites of any type. The framework provides tools that the developers can call from website’s HTML. Bootstrap has the basic style definition of all the major HTML components that you can use in your website such as alerts, modals, tool-tips, button dropdowns, dropdowns, button groups, navbar, navigational tabs, pills, lists, labels, page headers and hero unit, thumbnails, progress bars, accordion, carousel, and typeahead.

Bootstrap is based upon LESS, a dynamic style sheet language that is considered to be an extension of CSS. As such- LESS is considered to be way faster than other extensions such as SASS. And since it is written in JavaScript, it is easier to understand by a majority of web developers as most are well versed in JavaScript.

Though some professional web developers prefer to create custom code as much as possible, many uses Bootstrap CSS files to create their websites. The only disadvantage of Bootstrap is that it does not fully support HTML5 and is not completely built in CSS3. This is because only the latest browsers fully support these two technologies and most web users have not updated to these browser versions. So, to make a site completely compatible with most of the web browsers, some sacrifices have to be made.

Getting started

Let’s get started with bootstrap now. But before we proceed to bootstrap it is important to note that no matter how easy using bootstrap may sound, you can never harness its full potential unless you have a complete idea of CSS and HTML. Also contrary to the popular belief, programming languages, or more specifically CSS and HTML programming languages, are not that difficult so you can easily master CSS and HTML in 3-4 months. Here’s a list of some great resources through which you can learn CSS and HTML on Internet.

• W3Schools
• TutsPlus
• CSS Basics
• Eric Meyer’s CSS reference

For using Bootstrap first download the compiled version from http://twitter.github.com/bootstrap/index.html. The site has the facility to allow you to customize the Bootstrap framework according to your needs. This is the miniaturized and compiled version and therefore you can get started automatically with it. It does not include any source files. If you wish to download the source, visit here {https://github.com/twitter/bootstrap/zipball/master}. However to use it you have to first compile it.

Once you have downloaded the zip file extract it in a folder. Now you will have to initialize Bootstrap in the head section and the associated JavaScript in the body section

<head>

<meta name=”viewport” content=”width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0″>

<link href=”css/bootstrap.min.css” rel=”stylesheet” media=”screen”>

…

</head>

<body>

<script src=”http://code.jquery.com/jquery.js”></script>

<script src=”js/bootstrap.min.js”></script>

…

</body>

A thing to note here is that you don’t need to call JavaScript here as all the major components will work without it. But some functions such as alert and dropdown menus and buttons use JavaScript to give stylized animations and functions.

Bootstrap Grid

Bootstrap comes with a 12 column grid and is available in both fixed and fluid grids. For those who don’t know, fixed grids use exact column width in pixels whereas fluid grids uses relative lengths that is represented in percentages.

To make the website responsive, Bootstrap uses the fliud grid system that modifies the width of the column in the grid and resizes the heading and the text accordingly. Similarly the fluid grid also resizes the images as image sizes are also entered in percentages. In addition to make a responsive site you have to use stack elements instead of float. Though you can make a responsive site using fixed width, but it is not generally preferred.

Learn Bootstrap

Now as we said earlier, you cannot understand bootstrap completely until you have learned CSS and HTML. For those who have knowledge of these two languages, following are some great resources for learning Bootstrap and making a responsive websites.

• The official GitHub site of Bootstrap :- This site is the best source of learning Bootstrap and all its components. It has detailed examples of every feature of the framework and how it can be used.
• W3resources:-is really a comprehensive tutorial about bootstrap. It includes all there is to know about the framework including its working, its usage, and examples, along with its integration with JavaScript plugins and their usage.
• Webdesign.TutsPlus:- It has a complete video tutorial series about Bootstrap. It contained detailed videos about uses of every major component of the framework.
• One Extra Pixel:- This tutorial is for those who are proficient in CSS and HTML and are just gathering the basic idea of Bootstrap without delving much into the framework.

JavaScript and Bootstrap

Bootstrap comes with JavaScript files that have supported different components of the bootstrap framework and thus extends the abilities of these components. The best part is that all the plugins come in a single file and you can access all the plugins through simple mark API without writing a single line of JavaScript; though you can turn off this feature. The main components that use JavaScript in Bootstrap are affix, alerts, buttons, carousel, collapse, dropdowns, modal, scrollspy, popover, tab, tooltip, transitions, and typeahead.

Conclusion

Bootstrap makes life easier for programmers who want to create responsive websites. But they are not the only framework out there. There are other Responsive CSS frameworks such as Foundation, Intuit.css, LESS Framework 4, etc.In addition it is important to note that Bootstrap is an open source project that is constantly evolving and changing. So, it may not have a complete support for HTML5 and CSS3 at present, it may have in the future.