Bootstrap 3: A Guide for Beginners
If you are looking for a way to create responsive, mobile-friendly websites quickly and easily, you might want to consider using Bootstrap 3. Bootstrap 3 is the most popular HTML, CSS, and JavaScript framework for developing responsive, mobile-first projects on the web. In this article, we will explain what Bootstrap 3 is, how to download and install it, how to use it in your web projects, and how to customize it to suit your needs. We will also answer some frequently asked questions about Bootstrap 3 at the end of the article.
What is Bootstrap 3?
Bootstrap 3 is a free and open-source framework that provides a collection of ready-made HTML, CSS, and JavaScript components that you can use to create beautiful and functional websites. Bootstrap 3 was released in 2013 and it is designed for everyone, everywhere. It is compatible with all major browsers and devices, and it scales your websites and applications with a single code base.
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Bootstrap 3 is based on a 12-column grid system that allows you to easily arrange your content in rows and columns. It also offers dozens of custom HTML and CSS components, such as buttons, forms, tables, images, icons, navigation bars, carousels, modals, tabs, tooltips, and more. Additionally, it includes awesome jQuery plugins that add interactivity and functionality to your websites, such as transitions, alerts, buttons, carousels, collapse, dropdowns, modals, popovers, scrollspy, tabs, tooltips, and more.
The benefits of using Bootstrap 3
There are many reasons why you might want to use Bootstrap 3 for your web projects. Here are some of the main benefits of using Bootstrap 3:
It saves you time and effort. You don't have to write a lot of code from scratch or reinvent the wheel. You can simply use the existing components and plugins that Bootstrap 3 provides and focus on your content and functionality.
It makes your websites responsive and mobile-friendly. You don't have to worry about how your websites will look and work on different devices and screen sizes. Bootstrap 3 automatically adapts your layout and content to fit any device using CSS media queries.
It is easy to learn and use. You don't need to have advanced skills in HTML, CSS, or JavaScript to use Bootstrap 3. You just need to know the basics of these languages and follow the documentation and examples that Bootstrap 3 provides.
It is customizable and extensible. You don't have to stick with the default styles and settings that Bootstrap 3 offers. You can easily modify and enhance them using preprocessors (Less or Sass), the customizer tool on the Bootstrap website, or your own CSS code.
It is supported by a large and active community. You don't have to feel alone or stuck when using Bootstrap 3. You can find a lot of resources, tutorials, themes, templates, plugins, extensions, and support from other developers who use Bootstrap 3.
How to download and install Bootstrap 3
There are several ways to download and install Bootstrap 3 on your computer or server. Here are some of the most common methods:
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You can download the compiled and minified version of Bootstrap 3 from the official website. This includes the CSS and JavaScript files, the fonts, and an optional theme. You can unzip the downloaded file and place it in your project folder. Then you can link to the Bootstrap files in your HTML pages using the and tags.
You can use a CDN (Content Delivery Network) to link to the Bootstrap files online. This means that you don't have to download or host the Bootstrap files yourself. You can simply copy and paste the CDN links from the official website or other sources into your HTML pages. This way, you can benefit from faster loading times, better performance, and automatic updates.
You can use a package manager to install Bootstrap 3 as a dependency in your project. A package manager is a tool that helps you manage the libraries and frameworks that you use in your web development. Some of the most popular package managers are npm, Bower, and Composer. You can use the command line to install Bootstrap 3 using any of these package managers. For example, to install Bootstrap 3 using npm, you can run the following command: npm install bootstrap@3
You can use a web development tool or platform that already includes Bootstrap 3 or allows you to easily add it to your project. For example, some of the tools and platforms that support Bootstrap 3 are CodePen, JSFiddle, Bootply, WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla. You can use these tools and platforms to create and edit your web pages using Bootstrap 3 without having to download or install anything.
How to use Bootstrap 3 in your web projects
Once you have downloaded or installed Bootstrap 3, you can start using it in your web projects. Here are some of the basic steps that you need to follow:
The basic structure of a Bootstrap 3 page
A Bootstrap 3 page consists of two main sections: the head section and the body section. The head section contains the meta information, the title, and the links to the Bootstrap files and other resources. The body section contains the actual content and layout of your page.
The head section
The head section of a Bootstrap 3 page should look something like this:
<head> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <title>Your page title</title> <!-- Link to the Bootstrap CSS file --> <link rel="stylesheet" href=" <!-- Link to your own custom CSS file (optional) --> <link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css"> </head>
The meta tags are important for ensuring that your page is responsive and compatible with different devices and browsers. The viewport meta tag tells the browser how to scale and render your page according to the device width and zoom level. The charset meta tag specifies the character encoding of your page, which is usually utf-8.
The title tag defines the title of your page, which is displayed in the browser tab or window. The link tags link to the Bootstrap CSS file and your own custom CSS file (if you have one). You can use either a local or a CDN link to the Bootstrap CSS file, depending on how you downloaded or installed Bootstrap 3.
The body section
The body section of a Bootstrap 3 page should look something like this:
<body> <!-- Your navigation bar goes here --> <nav > ... </nav> <!-- Your main content goes here --> <div > ... </div> <!-- Link to jQuery --> <script src=" <!-- Link to the Bootstrap JavaScript file --> <script src=" </body>
The body section contains your navigation bar and your main content. The navigation bar is usually placed at the top of your page and it contains the links to the different sections or pages of your website. You can use the Bootstrap classes and components to create a responsive and stylish navigation bar. For example, you can use the tag with the class "navbar navbar-default" to create a basic navigation bar. You can also use other classes and components, such as "navbar-brand", "navbar-header", "navbar-toggle", "collapse", "navbar-nav", "dropdown", and more, to customize your navigation bar.
The main content is usually placed inside a tag with the class "container". This creates a fixed-width container that centers your content and adds some padding around it. You can also use the class "container-fluid" to create a full-width container that spans the entire width of your viewport. Inside the container, you can use the Bootstrap grid system to create rows and columns for your layout.
The grid system
The grid system is one of the most powerful features of Bootstrap 3. It allows you to create responsive and flexible layouts using a series of rows and columns. The grid system is based on a 12-column grid, which means that you can divide your row into up to 12 equal-width columns. You can also nest rows and columns inside each other to create more complex layouts.
To use the grid system, you need to follow these steps:
Create a tag with the class "row". This creates a horizontal group of columns that fills the entire width of your container.
Inside the row, create one or more tags with the class "col-xs-n", where n is a number between 1 and 12. This creates a column that spans n out of 12 columns on extra small devices (less than 768px). You can also use other classes, such as "col-sm-n", "col-md-n", and "col-lg-n", to specify how many columns your column should span on small (768px to 991px), medium (992px to 1199px), and large (1200px and above) devices respectively. This way, you can make your layout responsive and adaptive to different screen sizes.
Inside each column, add your content, such as text, images, forms, buttons, etc. You can also use other Bootstrap components and classes to style your content.
Here is an example of how to use the grid system to create a simple three-column layout:
<div > <div > <div > <!-- Your first column content goes here --> </div> <div > <!-- Your second column content goes here --> </div> <div > <!-- Your third column content goes here --> </div> </div> </div>
This creates a layout that has three equal-width columns on medium and large devices, and one full-width column on extra small and small devices.
The main components of Bootstrap 3
Bootstrap 3 offers a wide range of components that you can use to enhance your web pages. These components are divided into four categories: navigation components, layout components, content components, and JavaScript components. Here are some examples of each category:
Navigation components
Navigation components are used to create menus, bars, tabs, pills, breadcrumbs, pagination, and other elements that help users navigate through your website. Some of the navigation components that Bootstrap 3 provides are:
The navbar component: This is used to create a responsive and collapsible navigation bar that contains your logo, links, buttons, forms, dropdowns, and other elements. You can use the tag with the class "navbar" and other classes and components to create a navbar.
The nav component: This is used to create a list of links that can be styled as tabs or pills. You can use the tag with the class "nav" and other classes and components to create a nav.
The breadcrumb component: This is used to create a list of links that indicate the current page's location within a hierarchy of pages. You can use the tag with the class "breadcrumb" and other classes and components to create a breadcrumb[^1^ ].
The pagination component: This is used to create a series of links that allow users to navigate through a large number of pages or items. You can use the tag with the class "pagination" and other classes and components to create a pagination.
The pager component: This is used to create a simple navigation with previous and next links. You can use the tag with the class "pager" and other classes and components to create a pager.
Layout components
Layout components are used to create containers, grids, panels, wells, thumbnails, media objects, and other elements that help you organize and display your content in a structured and attractive way. Some of the layout components that Bootstrap 3 provides are:
The container component: This is used to create a fixed-width or full-width container that centers your content and adds some padding around it. You can use the tag with the class "container" or "container-fluid" to create a container.
The grid component: This is used to create a responsive and flexible layout using rows and columns. You can use the tag with the class "row" and other classes and components to create a grid.
The panel component: This is used to create a box with a header, a body, and an optional footer. You can use the tag with the class "panel" and other classes and components to create a panel.
The well component: This is used to create a box with some inset effect that highlights your content. You can use the tag with the class "well" and other classes and components to create a well.
The thumbnail component: This is used to create a grid of images or other content with some padding and border around them. You can use the or tag with the class "thumbnail" and other classes and components to create a thumbnail.
The media object component: This is used to create a layout that aligns an image or other media with some content. You can use the tag with the class "media" and other classes and components to create a media object.
Content components
Content components are used to create typography, tables, forms, buttons, images, icons, badges, labels, alerts, progress bars, and other elements that help you present your information in a clear and appealing way. Some of the content components that Bootstrap 3 provides are:
The typography component: This is used to style your text using headings, paragraphs, lists, blockquotes, code, etc. You can use the HTML tags for these elements and add some Bootstrap classes and components to style them.
The table component: This is used to create responsive and styled tables that display your data in rows and columns. You can use the tag with the class "table" and other classes and components to create a table.
The form component: This is used to create responsive and styled forms that collect user input using various fields, such as text, email, password, checkbox, radio, select, etc. You can use the tag with the class "form" and other classes and components to create a form.
The button component: This is used to create clickable buttons that perform some action or link to some page. You can use the or tag with the class "btn" and other classes and components to create a button.
The image component: This is used to display responsive and styled images on your page. You can use the tag with the class "img-responsive" and other classes and components to display an image.
The icon component: This is used to display scalable vector icons that represent various concepts or actions. You can use the tag with the class "glyphicon glyphicon-name" or "fa fa-name" (if you are using Font Awesome) to display an icon.
The badge component: This is used to display small numbers or indicators that show some information or status. You can use the tag with the class "badge" to display a badge.
The label component: This is used to display small text labels that highlight some information or category. You can use the tag with the class "label" and other classes and components to display a label.
The alert component: This is used to display messages that inform or warn users about something. You can use the tag with the class "alert" and other classes and components to display an alert.
The progress bar component: This is used to display animated bars that show some progress or completion of a task. You can use the <div tag with the class "progress" and other classes and components to display a progress bar.
JavaScript components
JavaScript components are used to add interactivity and functionality to your web pages using jQuery plugins. These plugins allow you to create dynamic and animated effects, such as transitions, modals, carousels, tabs, tooltips, popovers, and more. Some of the JavaScript components that Bootstrap 3 provides are:
The transition component: This is used to enable transition effects on other components, such as alerts, carousels, collapse, modals, tabs, etc. You don't need to use this component directly, as it is automatically applied to the other components that require it.
The modal component: This is used to create a dialog box that pops up over the current page and displays some content or message. You can use the tag with the class "modal" and other classes and components to create a modal.
The carousel component: This is used to create a slideshow of images or other content that cycles through with some animation. You can use the tag with the class "carousel" and other classes and components to create a carousel.
The tab component: This is used to create a set of tabs that switch between different panels of content. You can use the tag with the class "nav nav-tabs" and other classes and components to create a tab.
The tooltip component: This is used to create a small pop-up box that displays some information or message when you hover over an element. You can use the or tag with the data-toggle="tooltip" attribute and other attributes and components to create a tooltip.
The popover component: This is used to create a larger pop-up box that displays some information or message when you click on an element. You can use the or tag with the data-toggle="popover" attribute and other attributes and components to create a popover.
How to customize Bootstrap 3 to suit your needs
Bootstrap 3 is designed to be customizable and extensible. You can modify and enhance the default styles and settings of Bootstrap 3 using various methods, such as preprocessors (Less or Sass), the customizer tool on the Bootstrap website, or your own CSS code. Here are some of the ways that you can customize Bootstrap 3:
How to use preprocessors (Less or Sass) with Bootstrap 3
Preprocessors are tools that allow you to write CSS code using variables, mixins, functions, nesting, inheritance, and other features that make your code more readable, maintainable, and reusable. Bootstrap 3 is built with Less, which is one of the most popular preprocessors. However, you can also use Sass, which is another popular preprocessor, with Bootstrap 3.
To use preprocessors with Bootstrap 3, you need to follow these steps:
Download or install the source code of Bootstrap 3 from the official website or using a package manager. The source code contains the Less or Sass files that define the variables, mixins, functions, and styles of Bootstrap 3.
Edit the Less or Sass files according to your preferences. You can change the values of the variables, such as colors, fonts, sizes, margins, etc., or add your own variables. You can also modify or extend the mixins, functions, and styles of Bootstrap 3.
Compile the Less or Sass files into CSS files using a compiler tool. A compiler tool is a tool that converts your preprocessor code into plain CSS code that browsers can understand. You can use various compiler tools, such as Less.js, Sass.js, Grunt, Gulp, etc., depending on your preference.
Link to the compiled CSS files in your HTML pages using the tag.
How to use the customizer tool on the Bootstrap website
The customizer tool on the Bootstrap website is an online tool that allows you to customize Bootstrap 3 without having to download or install anything. You can use this tool to select which components and plugins you want to include in your customized version of Bootstrap 3. You can also change some of the variables and options that affect the appearance and behavior of Bootstrap 3.
To use the customizer tool on the Bootstrap website, you need to follow these steps:
Go to
Select which components and plugins you want to include in your customized version of Bootstrap 3. You can check or uncheck the boxes next to the component and plugin names. You can also expand the sections to see more details and options for each component and plugin.
Change the values of the variables and options that you want to customize. You can use the input fields, sliders, color pickers, and checkboxes to change the values. You can also expand the sections to see more variables and options for each category.
Click on the "Compile and Download" button at the bottom of the page. This will generate a zip file that contains your customized version of Bootstrap 3. You can unzip the file and place it in your project folder.
Link to the customized Bootstrap files in your HTML pages using the and tags.
How to override the default styles with your own CSS
The simplest way to customize Bootstrap 3 is to override the default styles with your own CSS code. You can write your own CSS code that targets the elements, classes, or ids that you want to modify or enhance. You can also use CSS selectors, pseudo-classes, pseudo-elements, and media queries to create more specific and responsive styles.
To override the default styles with your own CSS code, you need to follow these steps:
Create a CSS file that contains your custom styles. You can name it anything you want, such as style.css.
Link to your CSS file after the Bootstrap CSS file in your HTML pages using the tag. This will ensure that your custom styles have higher specificity and precedence than the Bootstrap styles.
Write your CSS code using the syntax and rules of CSS. You can use any CSS property or value that you want, as long as it is supported by the browsers that you are targeting.
Conclusion and FAQs
In this article, we have learned what Bootstrap 3 is, how to download and install it, how to use it in our web projects, and how to customize it to suit our needs. We have also seen some examples of the main components and features that Bootstrap 3 provides. Bootstrap 3 is a powerful and versatile framework that can help us create responsive, mobile-friendly, and beautiful websites quickly and easily.
If you have any questions or doubts about Bootstrap 3, you might find the answers in the following FAQs:
What is the difference between Bootstrap 3 and Bootstrap 4?
Bootstrap 4 is the latest version of Bootstrap that was released in 2018. It has some major changes and improvements over Bootstrap 3, such as:
It uses Sass instead of Less as its preprocessor.
It uses flexbox instead of floats as its grid system.
It has more components and utilities, such as cards, badges, spinners, toast, etc.
It has better support for accessibility, RTL languages, and custom forms.
It has dropped support for Internet Explorer 8 and 9.
You can learn more about Bootstrap 4 from its official website or from other online resources.
How can I migrate from Bootstrap 3 to Bootstrap 4?
If you want to migrate from Bootstrap 3 to Bootstrap 4, you need to be aware of the breaking changes and differences between the two versions. You also need to update your code accordingly. Some of the steps that you need to take are:
Download or install Bootstrap 4 from its official website or using a package manager.
Replace the Bootstrap 3 files with the Bootstrap 4 files in your project folder.
Update your HTML code to use the new classes and components that Bootstrap 4 provides.
Update your CSS code to use Sass instead of Less and to override or extend the new styles that Bootstrap 4 provides.
Update your JavaScript code to use the new plugins and options that Bootstrap 4 provides.
Test your website on different browsers and devices to ensure that everything works as expected.
You can find more detailed instructions and guidance on how to migrate from Bootstrap 3 to Bootstrap 4 from its official website or from other online resources.
How can I learn more about Bootstrap 3?
If you want to learn more about Bootstrap 3, you can find a lot of resources, tutorials, themes, templates, plugins, extensions, and support from various sources. Some of the sources that you can check out are:
The official website of Bootstrap: This is the official source of documentation, examples, downloads, and updates for Bootstrap 3. You can find everything you need to know about Bootstrap 3 from this website.
The official blog of Bootstrap: This is where the Bootstrap team posts news, announcements, releases, and tips about Bootstrap 3 and other related topics. You can stay updated with the latest developments and trends of Bootstrap 3 from this blog.
The official forum of Bootstrap: This is where the Bootstrap community posts questions, answers, discussions, feedback, and suggestions about Bootstrap 3 and other related topics. You can join the forum and interact with other developers who use Bootstrap 3 from this website.
The official GitHub repository of Bootstrap: This is where the Bootstrap team hosts the source code, issues, pull requests, and contributions for Bootstrap 3 and other related projects. You can access the code, report bugs, request features, and contribute to the development of Bootstrap 3 from this website.
The official Twitter account of Bootstrap: This is where the Bootstrap team tweets about Bootstrap 3 and other related topics. You can follow the account and get the latest news and updates about Bootstrap 3 from this website.
Other online resources: There are many other online resources that offer tutorials, themes, templates, plugins, extensions, and support for Bootstrap 3. Some of the popular ones are W3Schools, Bootsnipp, Start Bootstrap, Creative Tim, and Stack Overflow. You can search for more resources on Google or Bing.
I hope you have enjoyed this article and learned something new about Bootstrap 3. If you have any comments or feedback, please let me know. 44f88ac181
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