VueJS has become one of the most popular JavaScript frameworks for building user interfaces and web applications. Its component-based architecture, approachability for beginners, and rich ecosystem make it a go-to choice for many developers.
However, building UIs from scratch can be time-consuming. This is where VueJS component libraries come in handy. These pre-built collections of reusable UI components allow you to quickly build good-looking, functional UIs without recreating common elements like menus, buttons, modals etc.
In this guide, we will take a look at some of the best VueJS component libraries and frameworks to accelerate app development. For each option, we highlight the key capabilities, use cases and examples of components offered.
1. Vuetify
Vuetify is one of the most popular VueJS component libraries. It contains over 80 responsive, reusable, and customizable components like cards, buttons, alerts, forms etc.
Key Highlights
- Components based on Material Design specifications
- Pre-built themes and stylesheets for prototyping
- Good documentation with code examples
- Support for light and dark modes
- Integrates well with Vuex for state management
Some examples of Vuetify components:
- Data tables
- Tabs
- Progress bars
- Date pickers
- File inputs
Vuetify is great for developers who want material styled components without complex setup. The curated components and presets allow rapid interface building.
2. Element Plus
Element Plus is a full-featured Vue 3 component library with over 60 high-quality components for desktop and mobile UI development.
Key Highlights
- Comprehensive component suite based on common UI elements
- Supports tree shaking so only needed components are bundled
- Customizable themes
- Detailed documentation with live examples
- Support for accessibility standards
Some Element Plus components:
- Tables
- Navigation menus
- Dropdown selects
- Dialog popups
- Buttons
Element Plus allows developers to quickly craft professional UIs with its vast collection of customizable components covering typical app needs.
3. VueTailwind
VueTailwind provides 100+ components specifically tailored for the Tailwind CSS framework making it easy to build modern interfaces.
Key Benefits
- Components designed for Tailwind CSS styling
- Modular architecture to reduce bundle size
- Customization via Tailwind classes
- Tooling to generate themes
- Lightweight compared to other Vue component suites
Example components:
- Tables
- Alerts
- Navbars
- Accordions
- Pagination
For developers already using TailwindCSS, VueTailwind nicely complements it for crafting UIs rapidly with its aptly styled and named components.
4. PrimeVue
PrimeVue is a flexible VueUI library with 90+ components for creating both free and commercial apps. You can use it with CSS frameworks like Bootstrap and Tailwind.
Why Choose PrimeVue
- Lightweight architecture without external deps
- Theme customization support
- Components covering typical app needs
- Commercial licensing options available
- Good selection of form elements
PrimeVue components:
- Data tables
- Tree views
- Input masking
- Scroll panels
- Rating stars
If you need enterprise-ready UI components with theme customization options, PrimeVue is a solid choice. The library scales from prototypes to complex commercial applications.
5. Quasar
Quasar is an open source framework offering 100+ responsive Vue components coupled with build tooling for SPA, PWA, SSR, Hybrid Mobile and Desktop apps.
Benefits
- Build for web, mobile and desktop
- Material and iOS styled component themes
- State management with Pinia/Vuex integrations
- Component extensibility
- Good documentation with examples
Quasar components:
- Buttons
- Layout builders
- Data tables
- Dialogs
- Dropdown selects
Quasar helps web and app developers reuse components for building interfaces across platforms and form factors while significantly speeding up development.
6. Vuesax
Vuesax provides unique, customizable VueJS components without rigid design constraints. It offers layout, presentation, and interface components for apps.
Key Features
- Fresh, unique design aesthetics
- Customization friendly
- Atomic components
- No design system restrictions
Example Vuesax components:
- Notifications
- Progress bars
- Inputs
- Buttons
- Tooltips
Vuesax allows developers to build non-traditional UIs rapidly leveraging its library of interface components with unopinionated styling.
7. Buefy
Buefy is a lightweight VueJS component library based on Bulma CSS framework offering responsive UI components.
Why Choose Buefy
- Small component bundle size
- Flexible responsiveness
- Easy customization
- Intuitive documentation
- Active Slack community
Buefy components include:
- Modals
- Notifications
- Dropdowns
- Navbars
- Datepickers
Buefy makes it simple to build modern, mobile-friendly interfaces by bringing Bulma’s responsiveness to Vue apps.
8. Vue Material
Vue Material combines VueJS with Google‘s Material Design principles to enable building beautiful UIs rapidly.
Benefits
- Huge component library
- Theming capabilities
- Rapid prototyping options
- Detailed documentation
- Design consistency
Components offered:
- Steppers
- Data tables
- Tabs
- Buttons
- Form elements like selects, inputs etc.
For those who prefer material styled interfaces, Vue Material offers an extensive suite of components covering most common scenarios to accelerate development.
9. Ant Design Vue
Ant Design Vue is a popular UI library with 60+ high quality components modeled on Ant Design system specifications.
Why Ant Design Vue
- Enterprise ready components
- Customizable themes
- Accessibility support
- Broad component suite
- Vue 3 support
Some components:
- Lists
- Popconfirm modals
- Table pagination
- Tree view controls
- Carousels
For enterprise systems, Ant Design Vue provides battle-tested components that can be themed and customized to suit product needs.
10. Chakra UI Vue
Chakra UI Vue brings the modular Chakra component library to Vue allowing you to import and use standalone elements as needed.
Key Capabilities
- Modular import model
- Accessible components
- Composable UI building blocks
- Theming support
- Lightweight
Some Chakra modules in Vue flavor:
- Alerts
- Buttons
- Forms
- Modals
- Typography
For those who prefer cherry picking components, Chakra UI brings these reusable modular blocks covering typical interfaces to VueJS.
Final Thoughts
Vue component libraries and frameworks radically improve developer productivity. The readymade, customizable UI elements allow focusing on business logic rather than mundane interface tasks repeatedly.
Each option we explored caters to specific requirements like responsiveness, styling, custom themes etc. Evaluate options based on your app objectives, customization needs and timelines.
For rapid prototyping, I recommend Vuetify or Element Plus to leverage rich, pre-built components. Tailored solutions like VueTailwind make sense for existing TailwindCSS based projects.
Try combining a couple libraries starting out as needs emerge for sophisticated capabilities like desktop support or accessibility requirements.
Let me know if you have any other favorite VueJS component libraries worth checking out!
