Why I Built Pillar-UI: A Faster, Lighter, and Accessible React UI Library

Big News! We're Launching Pillar-UI!

Hey friends! I've been working on something exciting for the past two years, and today I'm finally sharing it with you. Pillar-UI is live!

It's a new design system that makes building React apps faster, more accessible, and easier than ever. If you've ever struggled with slow load times, tricky styling, or accessibility issues, Pillar-UI is here to help.

Let me tell you why it's special.

Super Fast & Lightweight

Pillar-UI is tiny, up to 9x lighter than some popular React UI libraries. How?

• No heavy CSS-in-JS We use pure CSS to keep things simple and fast.
• Theming and initial styles We use CSS variables to make it easy to customize your app.
• Less JavaScript We prioritize semantic HTML and CSS whenever possible.
• Tree shaking Removes unused code so your app loads faster.
• No external dependencies Pillar-UI avoids relying on large third-party libraries, reducing the overall bundle size. This means fewer dependencies to download and manage.
• Composable primitives (Atomic Design) Many components, such as cards, app bars, bottom navigation, etc., can be easily created using our primitives (atoms). Instead of including these pre-built components, we provide the building blocks you need to ensure maximum flexibility and customization for your unique requirements

The result? A lightweight UI library that won't slow your project down.

Built for Everyone

Pillar-UI is designed with accessibility in mind from the start.

• Follows WCAG guidelines (good contrast, readable text, etc.).
• Supports RTL languages like Arabic, Farsi, and Hebrew.
• Works with Windows High Contrast Mode.
• Respect Reduce Motion to avoid overwhelming animations.
• Uses semantic HTML for better screen reader support.
• Supports font size adjustment in zoom mode.
• Use semantic markup when possible to make the library accessible and lightweight.
• Color-blind Friendly Design.

If you care about making your app usable for everyone, Pillar-UI makes it easy.

Easy Styling for Developers

I know how frustrating it is when UI libraries force you into a certain design. With Pillar-UI, you have full control:

• Customizable with CSS variables Change styles across your app with just a few lines.
• Scoped styles You can tweak styles in specific sections without affecting everything else.

Example

Want sharp buttons everywhere except in the footer? Just do this:

:root { --button-rad: 0;  }
.footer { --button-rad: 1rem; }        

Want to see all the initial styles available?

Each component comes with predefined CSS variables for easy customization. To check the full list, go to the component’s documentation, scroll to the bottom, and look for the Customizing Appearance section. No need to override dozens of styles manually!

Ready to try it?

Getting started is simple! We've created step-by-step guides for React, Next.js, and Remix. Check them out here: Pillar-ui Docs

More Than Just a Design System

Pillar-UI is not just a set of components. It also includes:

• Hooks Reusable utilities to simplify state management and side effects.
• Icons A collection of clean, modern icons.
• Utilities Handy functions for formatting, validation, and more.

It's a full toolbox to help you build better React apps faster.

Growing Together

We're still pretty new, and your feedback is invaluable. While we've already included many essential components, we're actively expanding Pillar-UI to meet your needs. For example, I'm currently building toasts, and menu buttons and dialogs are up next. If there's a component or feature you'd like to see, let us know We're committed to making Pillar-UI as comprehensive and useful as possible. Your feedback is invaluable in shaping the future of this project. Let us know what you'd like to see next!

What's Next?

Pillar-UI is open-source, which means it belongs to all of us! We're always improving it, and your feedback is super important.

Join us and shape the future of Pillar-UI!

Whether you want to suggest a feature, report a bug, or simply chat with the community, we’d love to hear from you.

• GitHub Discussions Share ideas, ask questions.
• GitHub Issues Report bugs and request features.
• Join our Discord Chat with other developers, get help, and have fun.
• Star the repo Show support and help others discover Pillar-UI.

I'm really excited to see what you all build with it! Let's make frontend development faster, simpler, and more fun together.