Yes. Use it with care, file size is indeed more bloatish. If you need plugins for bootstrap, then you are probably not using it properly. Bootstrap is just a scaffolding framework you should replace after a time.

Semantic UI is a production ready app UI framework.

Bot have legit uses, but I think they cover a bit different use-cases.

If I'm building a small in-house intranet with no design resource and a plugin provides a good solution, then why am I using it "wrong"? Isn't that the kind of thing Bootstrap is perfect for? I'm certainly not going to spend much time optimising it.

It was just a general feeling because Bootstrap is intended for scaffolding and getting started fast. Not sure what plugins do you use, but for example Semantic UI has lots of UI already built in that you might find in third party plugins for BS.

> I'm certainly not going to spend much time optimising it. if it's a quick hackish tool for your team then it's certainly fine

Every use case is a bit unique. I've built apps with bootstrap, but I gradually removed it later because I simply rewrote everything I used from it.

There are pros and cons of Bootstrap just like there are with all tools.

As an example, DataTables works out of the box with Bootstrap and Foundation, but not with SemanticUI. Same with Select2, Symfony, JetBrains IDEs.

The more bespoke your application, the more Bootstrap will either be useless or counter-productive. But if you're building a standard UI, Bootstrap is great. It's easy to find junior devs who can use it, and there's good documentation and support.

>Bootstrap is just a scaffolding framework you should replace after a time.

I've never heard this recommendation. Why would you waste time on a framework you are never going to deploy to production?

I've also never heard this. And IMHO this is very wrong way to think about it. Bootstrap is a comprehensive set of well designed and coordinated UI widgets and paradigms. And it's all customizable, so you don't have to get stuck with that "bootstrap look".

Because it's way faster to test ideas and also look reasonably well. However, over time it will get in the way and you'll be better off extracting the stuff you actually use. At least it was my latest experience with it.