Angular 6 Bootstrap vs Angular Material is a common dilemma for developers starting a new Angular application. With the release of Angular 6, both UI frameworks became easier to integrate and more powerful than ever.
Bootstrap is widely known and extremely popular, while Angular Material is officially supported by Google and follows Material Design guidelines. Popularity alone, however, should not be the only factor when choosing a UI framework.
Let’s take a closer look at the key differences and real-world use cases.
Key Differences Between Bootstrap and Angular Material
Bootstrap was originally created by Twitter to simplify responsive web design. Angular Material, on the other hand, was developed by Google to provide a consistent and modern user experience for Angular applications.
Bootstrap benefits from many years of development. It has excellent documentation and a huge community. Angular Material is younger, but it evolves quickly and always follows the latest Material Design standards.
Bootstrap uses utility-based class naming, which can sometimes feel inconsistent. Angular Material follows a more structured approach inspired by the BEM methodology, which helps teams understand the relationship between layout and styling.
When it comes to layout, Bootstrap offers a very powerful and flexible grid system. Angular Material also provides layout tools, but they are slightly less advanced in complex scenarios.
From a design perspective, Bootstrap feels familiar to many users. Angular Material looks more modern and includes smooth animations, which improve perceived user experience.
General Use in Angular Applications
Although both frameworks help build good-looking interfaces, they serve slightly different purposes.
Bootstrap works great for traditional websites. For Angular applications, it is better to use Angular-friendly Bootstrap libraries such as ngx-bootstrap or ng-bootstrap. These solutions do not rely on jQuery and integrate cleanly with Angular.
Angular Material was designed specifically for Angular. Its components follow Angular patterns and feel more natural in Angular projects.
Ease of Setup in Angular 6
Angular 6 significantly simplified adding UI frameworks. Angular Material can be added using Angular CLI with minimal configuration. This makes it very beginner-friendly.
Bootstrap-based Angular libraries also integrate smoothly, but they usually require a bit more manual setup.
In terms of installation and initial configuration, Angular Material has a slight advantage.
Layout and Components Comparison
Choosing between Angular 6 Bootstrap vs Angular Material often depends on available components and layout needs.
Grid System
Both frameworks provide grid-based layouts. Bootstrap’s grid system is more flexible and mature, especially for complex layouts.
Navigation
Both offer responsive navigation bars that adapt well to mobile screens.
Footer
Angular Material includes ready-to-use footer components. Bootstrap does not provide a dedicated footer component.
Tabs
Bootstrap tabs are simple and clean. Angular Material tabs include smooth animations and transitions.
Forms
Forms are where Angular Material truly shines. It offers built-in validation feedback, animations, and consistent styling. Bootstrap provides good styling but less integrated validation behavior.
Tables
Bootstrap handles responsive tables well by allowing horizontal scrolling. Angular Material tables focus more on styling and data alignment, with limited responsiveness.
Dropdowns
Both frameworks offer solid dropdown components. Angular Material adds subtle animations that improve user experience.
Buttons
Bootstrap buttons are simple and highly customizable. Angular Material buttons include additional styles such as floating and icon buttons, along with ripple effects.
Which One Should You Choose?
There is no single correct answer to the Angular 6 Bootstrap vs Angular Material question.
Bootstrap is a safe choice if you want a familiar look, strong community support, and flexible layouts.
Angular Material is a great option if you want a modern design, smooth animations, and tight integration with Angular.
From a long-term perspective, Angular Material feels more future-proof for Angular applications, as it evolves together with the framework.
Final Thoughts
Both UI frameworks significantly reduce development time and improve consistency. The final decision should depend on your project goals, team preferences, and design requirements.
If you prefer proven solutions and flexibility, choose Bootstrap.
If you value modern design and seamless Angular integration, Angular Material is the better choice.