Episode 2: Creating Your Own Secret Sauce with Bootstrap

The Builders Podcast. Listen on:

Description:

I'm going into this with the assumption you have some familiarity with what Bootstrap is. Quoting from the website:

Quickly design and customize responsive mobile-first sites with Bootstrap, the world’s most popular front-end open source toolkit, featuring Sass variables and mixins, responsive grid system, extensive prebuilt components, and powerful JavaScript plugins.

Bootstrap has been a major part of my web development toolkit since 2014. Back then I had created a custom WordPress theme framework with Bootstrap baked in; over the years I've continued to use it for Hexater themes, have refined how I use it and have it baked into a custom theme framework I use for clients (I specialize in building custom WordPress themes).  

Beyond that I've built a LOT of landing pages, sales pages and funnels using it.  I get client work all the time where I find Bootstrap under the hood. So, bottom line, I have a lot of experience with it.  

In this episode I dive into how I use it and create my own Bootstrap themes or templates that I can use for client work or future themes; over and over again.  Bootstrap isn't as sexy as let's say React or Angular.  But it's a huge part of my business and I love using it; as do my clients.  Why is that? Listen and find out!

Outline:

  • Bootstrap 5 alpha announcement
  • When I learned Bootstrap – 6 years ago!
    • Hexater Themes!!
    • Landing Pages, Sales Pages and more
  • Why I've stuck with it… when everyone else is using React and Angular..
    • Quick and Easy
    • Utilities
    • Responsive out of the box.. mobile first.
    • No complicated front-end tools to worry about.. drop it in and go.
    • Totally customizable
    • Leveraging SASS —> bonus if you know SASS.
    • Knowing it inside and out I can use it for a variety of projects.. quickly.
    • Performance is great.
  • Easy to create templates to reuse.. That I have available after many projects.
    • WordPress – prebuilt custom framework… it’s my recipe – it just works.
    • Pre-built, developed landing page templates
    • The key is, start with the basics…
      • I would suggest knowing your foundations.. CSS, HTML, some JS
      • Start with a ready-made template out there.. there are freebies
      • But start refining it…
        • I read/hear folks complain that you have to override a lot..
        • You might do that in the beginning.. but if you develop your own framework out of it and keep the core Bootstrap intact so you can upgrade it over time, YOU ARE ONLY DOING IT ONCE.
      • Add other scripts and things to the mix.
        • Add a countdown timer like I have and use a lot..
    • Bottom line.. you use Bootstrap to build out anything you want. Skies the limit. And then reuse those templates… we're not talking just using bootstrap for a one and done project. We're talking from the assumption you'll get lots of landing pages projects for yourself or others if you're an agency or freelancer.
  • The future of Bootstrap
    • Bootstrap Alpha v5 —> good news
      • Removes jQuery
      • Removes support for IE
      • Amazing new Color Palettes as an example..
      • Create CSS Custom properties
      • Keeping up with modern standards.. new look and feels
    • There are a LOT of bootstrap sites out there needing support or future conversions.
      • So you'll keep busy if you focus on it!
    • For me, the future is bright.. I could just focus on Bootstrap and keep plenty busy.

Read more about Bootstrap 5 (alpha) here


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Matt Levenhagen
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