Why Is It So Hard to Find "Just One" Blazor Component?

 


Why Is It So Hard to Find "Just One" Blazor Component?

Blazor is a fantastic framework. It lets C# developers build interactive web UIs without touching a single line of JavaScript. But as the framework matures, a common frustration is bubbling to the surface: the state of its UI component libraries. While there are many powerful options available, they often present a frustrating, all-or-nothing dilemma. Why can't you just grab a single, well-made component without buying into an entire ecosystem?

Your observation is spot on. Unlike the React world, where developers can easily find and install individual components—from a simple tooltip to a complex data grid—the Blazor landscape feels different. It's an issue of walled gardens.

The "All-or-Nothing" Problem

Most major Blazor UI libraries, both paid and free, are built as comprehensive suites. They provide dozens of components, from buttons and inputs to charts and schedulers. This is great if you're starting a new project and want a consistent look and feel out of the box.

However, these libraries almost always come with a catch: their own component syntax and design system.

For example, a button in one popular library might be defined like this: <RadzenButton Text="Click me" ButtonStyle="ButtonStyle.Success" />

While in another, it could be: <MudButton Variant="Variant.Filled" Color="Color.Primary">Click me</MudButton>

This isn't just a cosmetic difference. These components are deeply integrated with their parent library's styling, theming, and sometimes even their own specific JavaScript interop. This tight coupling creates a "walled garden" effect. Once you commit to one library, mixing and matching components from another source becomes a messy, often impossible, task. You're locked in.

The React Approach: A La Carte Components

The JavaScript ecosystem, particularly for React, evolved differently. While comprehensive libraries like Material-UI (MUI) exist, there's also a thriving culture of independent, single-purpose components. Need a date picker? You can npm install react-datepicker and be done with it. You don't need to adopt an entire library's design philosophy just to get one piece of functionality.

This "à la carte" approach offers several key advantages:

  • Flexibility: You can mix and match the best components from various sources to build a truly custom UI.

  • Lightweight: You only add the code you need, avoiding the bloat of an entire unused component suite.

  • Easier Maintenance: Updating a single, isolated component is far simpler than upgrading a monolithic library.

The Path Forward for Blazor

So, why is the Blazor world this way? Part of it is the ecosystem's relative youth. Many of the foundational libraries were built to provide a complete "solution" to make Blazor immediately viable for enterprise-level applications.

But as the community grows, we're seeing a shift. More open-source projects are focusing on creating standalone components. The introduction of WebAssembly (WASM) and improved JS interop allows for easier integration of JavaScript-based "headless" UI libraries (like Headless UI or Radix) that provide functionality without enforcing styling.

For Blazor's UI ecosystem to truly flourish, it needs to embrace this spirit of modularity. The future isn't just about having more component libraries; it's about having more individual, high-quality components that work seamlessly with each other, regardless of their origin. Until then, developers will be stuck peering over the walls of their chosen garden, wishing they could just grab that one perfect component from next door.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Yes, Blazor Server can scale!

Image
From the very beginning of the release of Blazor Server naysayers have incorrectly stated that Blazor Server can not scale.  They usually state that the limit is 5,000 concurrent users. There are several misconceptions and wrong assumptions about their statement.  Let's break it down and get a better understanding of Blazor server-side scaling. What is the "limit" for users When Microsoft talks about the need to scale an application, what they are saying is that when a normal response for any concurrent user is taking longer than 200 ms, the system is not performant and needs to scale. We will accept that definition: If any normal user response is taking longer than 200 ms, the system needs to scale for concurrent users. By a normal response, we are referring to a page get, a post, etc.  Large database access requests would not be included in this measurement. What is scaling There are 2 common ways to scale, scale, out horizontally, and scale-up, up vertically. In our di...
Read more

Offline-First Strategy with Blazor PWAs: A Complete Guide 🚀

Image
One of the most powerful features of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) is their ability to function seamlessly even when offline. For users, this means uninterrupted access to critical features regardless of network conditions. For developers, adopting an offline-first strategy ensures a robust, user-friendly experience while aligning with modern web development best practices. Blazor, Microsoft’s modern web framework, simplifies building PWAs with offline capabilities by leveraging features like service workers, caching, and IndexedDB. In this guide, we’ll dive into how you can implement an offline-first strategy in your Blazor PWA. Why Offline-First Matters An offline-first strategy doesn’t just improve user experience—it also provides: Reliability : Apps remain functional even with intermittent or no connectivity. Performance : Cached assets load faster, improving responsiveness. Engagement : Users can interact with the app at any time, enhancing retention and trust. Key Components of Of...
Read more

Customizing PWA Manifest and Icons for a Polished User Experience 🚀

Image
  Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) blur the line between web and native applications, offering a seamless and engaging user experience. But to make your PWA truly stand out, it’s essential to customize its manifest file and design professional-grade icons and splash screens . These elements influence how users perceive your app and ensure it looks and feels like a polished, high-quality product. In this guide, we’ll explore how to tailor the manifest.json file and create stunning icons and splash screens to deliver a professional and consistent user experience. What is the PWA Manifest File? The manifest.json file is a JSON file that provides metadata about your PWA. It defines how your app appears to users and controls its behavior when installed on a device. Key properties include: Name and description : How your app is displayed to users. Icons : App icons in various sizes. Theme and background colors : Define the app's look and feel. Display mode : Controls whether the app appear...
Read more