Introduction
Recently, I explored ShadCN UI, and I must say, it’s one of the best UI component libraries I’ve come across.
If you are a developer who loves clean, accessible, and highly customizable UI components, this is something you should definitely try.
In this blog, I’ll share my experience with ShadCN UI, how to use it, and why it stands out from other UI libraries.
What is ShadCN UI?
ShadCN UI is a modern and customizable UI component library built on top of Radix UI and styled with Tailwind CSS.
Unlike traditional UI libraries that provide pre-styled themes, ShadCN UI gives fully customizable components that seamlessly integrate into your design system.
Instead of installing a package, you copy and use the actual component code in your project, which means:
✅ Full control over styles and logic
✅ No dependency on package updates
✅ Lightweight and efficient
How to Install ShadCN UI in Your Project
Step 1: Install Dependencies
Ensure you have a Next.js or React project set up. If not, create one using:
shCopynpx create-next-app@latest my-project
cd my-project
npm install
Then, install ShadCN UI CLI:
shCopynpm install shadcn-ui@latest -g
Step 2: Initialize ShadCN UI
Run the following command inside your project:
shCopynpx shadcn-ui@latest init
This will guide you through the setup process, asking for your preferred configurations.
Step 3: Add Components
Once initialized, you can start adding components. For example, to add a button, run:
shCopynpx shadcn-ui@latest add button
This will generate a components/ui/button.tsx file with the full component code, which you can modify freely.
What's Unique About ShadCN UI?
Unlike traditional component libraries like Material UI or Chakra UI, ShadCN UI offers:
🔹 Fully Customizable Components – You don’t just install a package; you get the actual component code that you can modify.
🔹 No External Styling Issues – Since it uses Tailwind CSS, it blends perfectly with your existing styles.
🔹 Lightweight – No extra dependencies or unnecessary styles, keeping your project clean.
🔹 Better Control – You own the components, meaning no forced updates or breaking changes from external libraries.
How ShadCN UI is Different from Other UI Libraries
| Feature | ShadCN UI | Material UI | Chakra UI |
| Customization | ✅ Full control (modify code) | ❌ Limited | ⚠️ Partial |
| Styling | Tailwind CSS | Pre-styled (hard to override) | Styled-system |
| Dependencies | None (you own the code) | High | Moderate |
| Performance | Fast & optimized | Heavy | Moderate |
| Installation | CLI-based component fetching | Full package install | Full package install |
How to Use ShadCN UI in Daily Life
I’ve started using ShadCN UI in my projects for:
✔️ Dashboards – Custom buttons, cards, and tables
✔️ Forms – Inputs, text areas, and validation-friendly components
✔️ Modals & Popups – Clean, accessible, and easy to manage
✔️ Landing Pages – Hero sections, buttons, typography, and more
Since the components are customizable, I can tweak them according to my project’s design without worrying about conflicts.
Final Thoughts
ShadCN UI is a game-changer for frontend developers who love flexibility and control.
It’s lightweight, developer-friendly, and blends perfectly with Tailwind CSS.
If you’re tired of restrictive UI libraries, you should definitely give ShadCN UI a try!
💡 Have you tried ShadCN UI? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! 🚀