Introduction

CSS Vars Framework - Simplicity, Power, and Performance

The underlying principle is to offer a CSS framework that is easy to start with and simple to customize. We believe in eliminating unnecessary complexity, so there are no tools or dependencies required—just a single CSS file to link, and you're ready to go.

By leveraging the power of CSS variables, we give full control over styles and themes, making customization straightforward and flexible without complicated setups.

Unlike many micro CSS frameworks that offer only a grid system, CSS vars framework delivers all the essential UI elements in one lightweight file, ensuring fast loading times and better performance without sacrificing comprehensive design needs.

This approach lets developers focus on creativity and functionality, rather than wrestling with heavy frameworks or build tools.

Core Principles

Simplicity

No complex setups or heavy configs. Just link one CSS file and start designing with easy-to-use CSS variables.

Power

Access hundreds of free and customizable UI elements – from complete layouts and typography to advanced icons and interactive components. Create rich experiences with just HTML and CSS.

Performance

With no dependencies, a minuscule file size ensures rapid loading times, enhancing user experience, mobile performance, SEO, and conversions.

Core Features

CSS Variables Based
Simple to implement and modify. Set your styles simply by adjusting variables and using ready-made classes.
Instant Integration
Just link one CSS file. No npm install, webpack configuration, build scripts, nor package.json setup.
Pure HTML CSS
All web site elements without JS. It's built for better performance purposes, all common UI elements
Fast Loading
A small CSS file makes wonders. Just 10kb (minified + gzipped), including the UI kit code
Scoped CSS
Can be used with other frameworks. It can be used, as a framework and a library. Works with other frameworks
Responsive & Mobile first
Much more than just a grid. Responsive images, videos, galleries, tables, menus, maps, frames, embeds
All Popular Styles
Apply by adding one class, any of the most 20 web design styles: minimalist, modern, material, flat, brutal, glass, retro, neon, cyberpunk, luxury, playful, modular, system-ui, and more.
Themes
14 themes, to change theme change the variables in the CSS file, you can choose one of the pre-built themes, or change the variables to match your needs
Dark & Light Themes
Pre-built dark & light themes and you can enable auto detect theme switcher based on the user's browser settings
100's of Free UI Elements
All needed elements are ready. Typography, buttons, cards, icons, tabs, carousel, masonry, Flex gallery ...
Icons Included
Advanced styles for SVG icons. Add and style SVG icons without icon libraries, still can use libraries.
Free & Open Source
Built with love to be used. Free framework, UI elements, & themes. Download, use, enjoy & share

CSS Vars Framework Comparison against Popular CSS Frameworks

Feature	CSS Vars Framework	Bootstrap	Tailwind CSS	Bulma	Foundation
File Size (min+gz)	~10KB ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	~140KB (CSS + JS) ⭐⭐	Highly variable ⭐⭐⭐	~30KB ⭐⭐⭐⭐	~60KB (CSS only) ⭐⭐⭐
Dependencies/Tools	None (link one CSS file) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	jQuery, npm, Webpack often ⭐⭐	npm, PostCSS, config files ⭐⭐⭐	npm, Sass compiler ⭐⭐⭐	jQuery, npm, Grunt/Gulp ⭐⭐
Customization	Easy via CSS variables ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Sass variables, overrides ⭐⭐⭐	Config files, utility classes ⭐⭐⭐⭐	Sass variables, overrides ⭐⭐⭐	Sass variables, overrides ⭐⭐⭐
Approach	Component-based, ready-made UI ⭐⭐⭐⭐	Component-based, opinionated ⭐⭐⭐⭐	Utility-first, flexible ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Component-based, modern ⭐⭐⭐⭐	Component-based, enterprise ⭐⭐⭐⭐
JavaScript Req.	None (Pure HTML/CSS) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Required for components ⭐⭐	None (but often used with JS) ⭐⭐⭐⭐	None ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Required for components ⭐⭐
Performance Focus	High (small size, no JS) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Moderate ⭐⭐⭐	High (if properly purged) ⭐⭐⭐⭐	Good ⭐⭐⭐⭐	Moderate ⭐⭐⭐
UI Elements Incl.	100s of pre-built elements ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Comprehensive set ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Build from utilities ⭐⭐⭐	Good set ⭐⭐⭐⭐	Good set ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Icon Support	Built-in SVG styling ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Requires external libraries ⭐⭐⭐	Requires external libraries ⭐⭐⭐	Requires external libraries ⭐⭐⭐	Requires external libraries ⭐⭐⭐
Learning Curve	Low (intuitive, standard CSS) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Moderate ⭐⭐⭐	Moderate to High ⭐⭐	Low to Moderate ⭐⭐⭐⭐	Moderate to High ⭐⭐⭐
Ecosystem/Community	Growing ⭐⭐⭐	Very Large, mature ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Large, very active ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Moderate ⭐⭐⭐	Moderate to Large ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Integration	Instant, works with others ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Typically standalone ⭐⭐⭐	Usually standalone ⭐⭐⭐	Can be integrated ⭐⭐⭐⭐	Typically standalone ⭐⭐⭐
Setup Time	Instant ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Quick but requires planning ⭐⭐⭐	Requires initial configuration ⭐⭐	Quick ⭐⭐⭐⭐	Requires planning ⭐⭐⭐

When to Use CSS Vars Framework

Performance is critical:
Ideal for fast-loading sites like blogs, portfolios, or web aps targeting perfect Lighthouse scores, especially on mobile or slow networks.
You prefer simple setup:
No build tools, no npm installs, no JavaScript dependencies—just link one CSS file and start styling immediately.
Easy theming is needed:
Easily customise design tokens like colours or spacing and support multiple themes without advanced configuration.
You want a complete UI kit in one place:
Instead of using multiple libraries or heavy frameworks, CSS Vars includes all key UI elements out of the box.
You want pure HTML and CSS components:
When JavaScript-free UI is important for performance, accessibility, or simplicity.
You’re adding to existing projects:
Scoped styles ensure seamless integration with other frameworks or legacy code.
You want low learning curve:
Familiar CSS syntax makes it easy for anyone with basic CSS knowledge to adopt quickly.

Consider Other Frameworks when

Bootstrap:
Ideal for rapid development with a wide array of pre-built UI components and strong third-party support. Great for teams already familiar with it and large-scale or enterprise apps.
Tailwind CSS:
Choose it when you want full styling control using utility classes and have a strong design system. Best for custom UIs and developers comfortable with build tools.
Foundation:
Go with it for enterprise-grade apps needing powerful grids, accessibility, and advanced UI components. Ideal for large, complex, and scalable projects.
Bulma:
Use it for modern, semantic CSS-only development with clean design and Flexbox layout. Suitable when you want to add JS yourself and value simplicity.
Materialize:
Best when building apps in React, Vue, or Angular that follow Material Design or require consistent, framework-specific UI components.