CSS Modules vs Styled Components

Styling in React applications is an art, and two prominent techniques, CSS Modules and Styled Components, vie for the spotlight. Join us on a comprehensive journey through these styling methodologies, exploring their nuances, strengths, and practical implementations through numerous code examples.

Understanding CSS Modules: Modular Stylesheets for React

CSS Modules offer a modular approach to styling React components, encapsulating styles within each component's scope. Let's explore various scenarios with CSS Modules:

Code Example 1: Basic CSS Modules Setup

/* styles.module.css */
.container {
  /* Define container styles */
}

.title {
  /* Define title styles */
}        

Code Example 2: Using CSS Modules in React Components

// Component.js
import React from 'react';
import styles from './styles.module.css';

const Component = () => {
  return (
    <div className={styles.container}>
      <h1 className={styles.title}>Welcome!</h1>
    </div>
  );
};

export default Component;        

Understanding Styled Components: Styling as Components

Styled Components introduce a paradigm where styles are written directly within components. Let's delve into their usage with multiple code examples:

Code Example 3: Basic Styled Components Setup

// StyledComponent.js
import styled from 'styled-components';

const Container = styled.div`
  /* Define container styles */
`;

const Title = styled.h1`
  /* Define title styles */
`;        

Code Example 4: Implementing Styled Components in React

// Component.js
import React from 'react';
import { Container, Title } from './StyledComponent';

const Component = () => {
  return (
    <Container>
      <Title>Welcome!</Title>
    </Container>
  );
};

export default Component;        

Comparing Approaches: CSS Modules vs Styled Components

Code Example 5: Dynamic Styling with CSS Modules

// Using dynamic class binding in CSS Modules
const isPrimary = true;
const dynamicClassName = isPrimary ? styles.primary : styles.secondary;

return <button className={`${styles.button} ${dynamicClassName}`}>Click Me</button>;        

Code Example 6: Dynamic Styling with Styled Components

// Dynamic styling using props in Styled Components
const Button = styled.button`
  /* Define default button styles */
  background-color: ${(props) => (props.primary ? 'blue' : 'green')};
`;

return (
  <div>
    <Button>Normal</Button>
    <Button primary>Primary</Button>
  </div>
);        

Conclusion: Choosing the Right Approach

CSS Modules excel in modularizing stylesheets, providing clear separation of concerns, while Styled Components offer a component-based approach, simplifying the styling process within components.

Final Thoughts: As our journey through CSS Modules and Styled Components concludes, remember that the choice between them depends on your project's needs, team preferences, and the level of encapsulation or flexibility desired in styling React applications.