What is Bootstrap?

If you’re not a developer (like me, obviously) then you probably haven’t heard of Bootstrap. Luckily for you, I’ve done the research. So, you won't have to stand there nodding awkwardly if techy people drop the term in conversation (not saying that happened or anything). Hopefully by the end of this blog we’ll all be pros together!

Bootstrap is a front-end web development framework. And what is a front-end web development framework? Well, you probably already know that websites and apps are written in code. For every interaction you have with an app or website, there’s a bunch of code written behind the scenes to make the page appear and work the way it does. In web design, front-end development is the process of using code to create a visual, working website or app.

Different coding languages are used in front-end development, like JavaScript and HTML. By writing in the mysterious language of code, developers create all the stuff on websites like buttons, forms, headings, menus - everything you can think of. However, to write just one of these elements into existence can be a very time consuming process, requiring lines and lines of code. Understandably, if you have several web pages to create, this makes web development a very slow process.

Bootstrap is designed to speed all this up. How? Well, it does a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of raw coding, by offering ‘templates’. These templates are essentially blocks of code that have already been written by the Bootstrap techies. For example, say you want to add a calendar to an ‘events’ page of a website. The Bootstrap framework offers you a pre-written calendar element, made up of CSS or HTML code. Voila, you have a nifty shortcut.

There are Bootstrap templates covering all kinds of webpage features - layout options through to checkout features or blog elements, etc. By using Bootstrap’s templates, developers can skip the painstaking process of writing code line by line to create these things. The elements already exist, albeit in basic form, and developers just need to enhance or adapt them.

From a creativity standpoint, using templates might seem limiting, but the opposite is true. Whilst Bootstrap takes care of the basic code in the background, the developers have more time to add the unique tweeks to the interface that give the client originality. By freeing up hours that would otherwise be spent on fundamental code writing, developers can spend more time putting originality and creative flair into the user experience.

Another advantage to using Bootstrap templates is the speediness at which alterations can be made to websites. If the client needs a section of the website redesigned, it’s no problem! By using Bootstrap, it need not take months to complete. Templates can be used to add new elements, or change the way a user interacts with the site, without losing hours of development time to coding.

Bootstrap elements work on all major browsers and contribute to fast page loading times, as well as automatically adjusting layout depending on the device used. This ensures there is a unified vision for the client across different platforms (mobile, tablet, desktop) and allows for a simultaneous launch on each of those platforms. Again, it further cuts down the development time, by negating the need for a line by line coding for each new platform.

Finally, another key reason to use Bootstrap is the ease of collaboration. It’s easy for a team of developers to work on one site in unison. Since a lot of the templates are standardised, one person can safely add elements using Bootstrap templates, knowing that elements on another page will match. This again allows for faster product delivery, as several team members are able to complete a project together.

So now you know all about Bootstrap and how this handy framework can save a development team a lot of time, freeing designers up to do what they do best: creating stunningly original work! If you haven’t already, why not have a chat with us about how we can help you create a new website or app? Maybe Bootstrap will be used in your project and your new digital creation will be coming to life in no time.

To break down some of the more techy terms in this blog why not checkout our non-techy Talks...terminology blog.