Semantic UI, The Tool for "Non-Artists"

08 Feb 2017

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Let’s face it, you can’t be great at everything

Sorry to be so blunt, but it’s true. There’s simply not enough time to master every single craft you’re interested in. Yes, everyone can be decently skilled at a lot of tasks, but there’s a clear difference between being “good” at something and being “great” at something.
I consider myself to have a creative mind and if I wanted to, I can create my own UI Framework to suit my needs. However, it’s likely that a graphic artist would always be able to do a much better job at creating a visually pleasing UI Framework. I don’t have the time to learn graphic design, but still want to have a visually stunning website. So, what should I do?

Semantic UI makes it easier to have a pretty site

Here’s where semantic UI comes in; even though it takes a bit of time to learn the nuances of semantic UI, it won’t take long for someone (especially an experienced programmer) to gather enough knowledge to use it for their own website(s). One of the key features of semantic UI is its use of natural language for syntax. Natural language simplifies the complexities into a phrase that almost seems trivial and thus, makes it easier for any programmer to quickly adapt to using it to create a visually pleasing web or mobile application. Instead of going through the long frustration in learning how to design interfaces at the same level of a graphics designer, a programmer can quickly have the interface they desire without knowing the technical nuances and instead, focus on their field of expertise: the programming aspect of building the application. Semantic UI offers the “handicap” tool to help people build visually stunning UI’s without the need to know graphic design.

Nevertheless, keep learning

I know I said earlier that you can’t be good at everything, but that doesn’t mean that you should stop learning. A few years after I write this essay, I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a new tool which renders semantic UI obsolete. Our tools, especially in the tech industry, are constantly evolving. Regardless if you’re a techie or an artist, tools like semantic UI can only help those focus on their area of expertise while still being able to accomplish outside tasks to a certain extent. Without it, I would never be able to quickly create a beautiful website from raw HTML and CSS that’ll be on the same graphical level as a graphics designer.