The Semantic UI framework is like a downloadable add-on for HTML/CSS. Although you could code using raw HTML and CSS, Semantic UI allows users to design usable, responsive, and attractive web pages. Also, to build modifying browsers, responsive layouts and user interfaces. Even though it is complicated at first, the ability to design websites quickly astonishes me as it gives developers the complete design freedom.
I had the opportunity to learn about and how to use Semantic UI in an online course at Pluralsight. At first, it was really overwhelming and confusing. As I watched the videos, it felt like all of the information was being thrown at me. To be honest, I was worried that I wasn’t able to retain the information and understand since it is a paid subscription and my free trial was about to end in a few days; I won’t be able to re-watch the videos to refresh what I’ve learned by the time my free trial ends. By the end of the course, I was able to make sense of it. It took a while to get used to, but applying what I have learned in my software engineering class, I’m getting the hang of it.
After my first experience of using a UI design framework, it does take a lot of time and frustration in getting used to it. As I am learning HTML and CSS, it’s like I am all over the place as I learn the mechanics of the development framework, such as Semantic UI. Although that may be the case, the end result my HTML after using a UI design framework is satisfying in a way.
Assignments in my software engineering class includes recreating websites using Semantic UI. After recreating my first website, that was when I realized how much you can do with a UI design framework. It actually makes HTML code much more simpler, but it is complicated. One of the assignments in the class was to recreate a website of our choosing. I chose messenger.com. It took a lot of time and frustration to complete the assigment, but I am proud of myself that I was able to do it. It may look a bit wonky and out of place, but I was able to make my recreation look similar to the actual page.
At the end of it all, learning about UI design frameworks continues to broaden my perspective in Computer Science. There’s so much you can do in that field. Even though you can code all raw, there are many developer tools out there that can help make coding fun.