Why Do You Need To Use UI Toolkits? 2021 Edition

If you are reading this blog on your smartphone, it means you are using your mobile to the optimum level. But imagine, if that would not have been the case- if using mobile would have been difficult, you would not have been able to read this blog on your mobile easily. 

So, how does this happen? Who makes our mobile using experience better? Who helps us to navigate through the apps? It’s all possible due to user interface toolkits or UI toolkits. Sounds like a new technical term, right? 

Relax! We have got the easiest words to explain what a UI toolkit is and how can you use it? If you are someone who loves designing and creating websites and similar apps, this article would be a delight for you. 

What is a UI Toolkit?

A User Interface toolkit or UI toolkit is a set of some cool graphics and similar files, usually in PSD for Photoshop Data format. It is a heaven for web developers and software developers as this toolkit helps them to make UI easy. 

Imagine that you are navigating through a website or a mobile application. If you feel any difficulty in comprehending its structure and basic functions, you would not feel like using it anymore. On the contrary, if you are using a website or mobile application that gives easy access to its other pages and features, you would enjoy using it. 

That’s what makes your experience better. Easier the user interface is, the simpler the mobile or website using process will be. This is where you will need a UI toolkit. 

A UI toolkit helps web or app designers to enhance or improve user interface. This toolkit contains essential sets of commands, functions, and graphics. Also, you will find toolbars, navigation buttons, progress bars and similar basic-yet-necessary elements in this toolkit. 

The library of UI toolkits is quite wide and extensive, however, it depends upon the package price of which type of toolkit you choose. If you are ready to pay on a higher side, you will definitely find an extensive range of components in the UI toolkit.

So, if you are a web designer or app designer, you would agree that designing these basic  components is time-consuming. Yet these components – like navigational buttons – are mandatory to provide a smooth user experience. This is where UI toolkits play a heroic role. 

UI toolkits offer such said components and features so that you can save your time and energy. Thus, you won’t have to design these features separately. 

Why Do You Need To Try a UI Toolkit?

Though many professional and even beginner software and app designers know the pros of UI toolkit, there are many new-in-fields that still ponder about its benefits. 

Benefits of UI Toolkit

• According to Performance: Much better than IMGUI and UGUI.
• Auto layout : Similar to IMGUI but better than UGUI’s expensive layout components.
• Styling : Let you create style classes that are applicable to any element.
• Decoupling from the MonoBehaviour/GameObject system reduces overhead and gives greater programming flexibility.
• Flexible design options: write your own UXML/USS Stylesheets; use UIBuilder or direct code.
• Zero UI cluttering.
• Unified/Incorporated UI between editor and runtime.
• Lower cost of Testing & Maintenance.
• Consistency in Corporate Branding.
• Reduced Training Costs.
• Removes Security Vulnerabilities.

Here is the detailed answer of why do you need to try UI toolkit:

Offers Time Saving Tools

Navigational features make your web surfing experience smooth and easy. So, if you are a web designer, you would hate the idea of investing lots of time in designing these basic things. So, a UI toolkit contains all the necessary features and components that can make your work better and can also save your time. That means you can now focus on the main theme of the project and can be more creative. 

Makes You Productive

Being a web designer is not easy. It looks and sounds cool, but trust me, the process is not as simple as it looks. A web designer has to be creative, need to keep design interesting and relevant and much more than that. So his client demands him to be very responsive and quick towards problem-solving. Also, time constraint is there too. 

Keeping in these things in view, a web designer opts for a UI toolkit. A UI toolkit helps web designers a lot in being productive. They become more efficient as they do not have to spend time in designing basic features like navigation bars. 

Increases Your Focus

So, you are a web designer and you have a deadline to meet. Plus your client has asked you to stick to a particular theme. What would you rather do in such a case? Would you spend time enhancing the UI by designing basic features? Or would you be more creative towards the core idea? 

If you are a smart and professional website designer, you would definitely select the later option. For doing so, you will need a UI toolkit that can help you in increasing your focus. 

If your client has asked you to amend or change anything in the web design, you would then love using UI toolkits. UI toolkit is not only easy to use, but also, it is easy to change and is quite manageable. 

How to use UI Kit for Prototyping

UI kits are pre-equipped with basic elements or blocks you need for a design so you can use them “straight out of the box. The most commonly included elements are:

• Navigation elements
• Icons
• Grids
• Buttons
• Charts
• Tooltips
• Modals
• Widgets
• Styles
• Panels
• Tabs
• Alerts

2020 Insights of UI/UX Design Tools Usability Across the World:

Total Respondents – 4100

• USA: 959
• France: 190
• Germany: 179
• UK: 175
• Russia: 155
• Canada: 139
• Israel: 131
• Other: 1,945

Brainstorming & Ideation

For brainstorming & ideation

• 2544 Respondents say yes
• 1369 Respondents use miscellaneous/other media source
• 187 Respondents don’t use at all

Software use for brainstorming & ideation

• Miro: 899 users preferred it as a primary tool, 478 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Figma: 765 users preferred it as a primary tool, 523 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Sketch: 176 users preferred it as a primary tool, 347 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Adobe XD: 109 users preferred it as a primary tool, 120 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Adobe Illustrator: 96 users preferred it as a primary tool, 88 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Balsamiq: 61 users preferred it as a primary tool, 121 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• InVision Freehand: 117 users preferred it as a primary tool, 40 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Mural: 34 users preferred it as a primary tool, 95 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Whimsical: 22 users preferred it as a primary tool, 80 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Adobe Photoshop: 41 users preferred it as a primary tool, 57 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Milanote: 47 users preferred it as a primary tool, 47 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Axure: 45 users preferred it as a primary tool, 52 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Lucidchart: 35 users preferred it as a primary tool, 37 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Other Tools: 106 users preferred it as a primary tool, 317 users preferred it as a secondary tool

User Flow & Site Maps

For user flows & site maps

• 3184 Respondents say yes
• 575 Respondents use miscellaneous/other media source
• 341 Respondents don’t use at all

Software used for user flows & site maps

• Figma: 1036 users preferred it as a primary tool, 516 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Miro: 598 users preferred it as a primary tool, 424 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Sketch: 412 users preferred it as a primary tool, 394 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Whimsical: 248 users preferred it as a primary tool, 192 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Adobe XD: 252 users preferred it as a primary tool, 148 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• io: 111 users preferred it as a primary tool, 138 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• net: 113 users preferred it as a primary tool, 113 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Lucidchart: 90 users preferred it as a primary tool, 131 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Axure: 107 users preferred it as a primary tool, 74 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Omnigraffle: 27 users preferred it as a primary tool, 51 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Flowmapp: 28 users preferred it as a primary tool, 22 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• UXPin: 21 users preferred it as a primary tool, 5 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Other Tools: 142 users preferred it as a primary tool, 262 users preferred it as a secondary tool

UI Design

For UI Design

• 3953 Respondents say yes
• 95 Respondents use miscellaneous/other media source
• 52 Respondents don’t use at all

Software used for interface design

• Figma: 1975 users preferred it as a primary tool, 717 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Sketch: 1152 users preferred it as a primary tool, 706 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Adobe XD: 473 users preferred it as a primary tool, 526 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Adobe Illustrator: 70 users preferred it as a primary tool, 405 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Adobe Photoshop: 79 users preferred it as a primary tool, 391 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• InVision Studio: 19 users preferred it as a primary tool, 167 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Axure: 52 users preferred it as a primary tool, 117 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Framer: 15 users preferred it as a primary tool, 104 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• UXPin: 76 users preferred it as a primary tool, 41 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Affinity Designer: 11 users preferred it as a primary tool, 49 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Other Tools: 31 users preferred it as a primary tool, 90 users preferred it as a secondary tool

Operating System UI Tools Usability: 

Primary UI tools used on Mac

• Figma: 1633 users
• Sketch: 1150 users
• Adobe XD: 326 users

Primary tools used on Windows

• Figma: 523 users
• Sketch: 58 users
• Adobe XD: 211 users

UI Prototyping

For UI Prototyping

• 3801 Respondents say yes
• 226 Respondents use miscellaneous/other media source
• 72 Respondents don’t use at all

Software used for UI prototyping

• Figma: 1702 users preferred it as a primary tool, 613 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• InVision: 407 users preferred it as a primary tool, 527 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Adobe XD: 502 users preferred it as a primary tool, 362 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Sketch: 370 users preferred it as a primary tool, 471 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Principle: 101 users preferred it as a primary tool, 382 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• ProtoPie: 154 users preferred it as a primary tool, 243 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• HTML/CSS/JS: 47 users preferred it as a primary tool, 342 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Axure: 143 users preferred it as a primary tool, 149 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Framer: 60 users preferred it as a primary tool, 212 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Marvel: 61 users preferred it as a primary tool, 145 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• InVision Studio: 60 users preferred it as a primary tool, 129 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Webflow: 19 users preferred it as a primary tool, 149 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• UXPin: 89 users preferred it as a primary tool, 40 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Flinto: 22 users preferred it as a primary tool, 84 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• io: 20 users preferred it as a primary tool, 43 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Origami Studio: 7 users preferred it as a primary tool, 39 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Other Tools: 41 users preferred it as a primary tool, 65 users preferred it as a secondary tool

Prototyping in 2020 per % respondents

• Sketch: 20.5% respondents use the tool
• Figma: 56.46% respondents use the tool
• Adobe XD: 21% respondents use the tool
• InVision: 22.78% respondents use the tool

Developer Handoff

For Developer Handoff

• 3185 Respondents say yes
• 501 Respondents use miscellaneous/other media source
• 414 Respondents don’t use at all

Software used for developer handoff

• Figma: 1416 users preferred it as a primary tool, 334 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Zeplin: 646 users preferred it as a primary tool, 440 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• InVision: 301 users preferred it as a primary tool, 242 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Adobe XD: 269 users preferred it as a primary tool, 152 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Abstract: 161 users preferred it as a primary tool, 105 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Sketch: 98 users preferred it as a primary tool, 165 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• UXPin: 75 users preferred it as a primary tool, 9 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Marvel: 26 users preferred it as a primary tool, 38 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Avocode: 24 users preferred it as a primary tool, 30 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Sympli Handoff: 18 users preferred it as a primary tool, 16 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Other Tools: 122 users preferred it as a primary tool, 152 users preferred it as a secondary tool

Design System

For design systems

• 3216 Respondents say yes
• 475 Respondents use miscellaneous/other media source
• 409 Respondents don’t use at all

Software used for design systems

• Figma: 1641 users preferred it as a primary tool, 304 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Sketch: 770 users preferred it as a primary tool, 273 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Adobe XD: 309 users preferred it as a primary tool, 144 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Storybook: 90 users preferred it as a primary tool, 250 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Zeroheight: 123 users preferred it as a primary tool, 150 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• InVision DSM: 75 users preferred it as a primary tool, 90 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• UXPin: 58 users preferred it as a primary tool, 18 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Craft: 23 users preferred it as a primary tool, 49 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Abstract: 16 users preferred it as a primary tool, 37 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Zeplin: 12 users preferred it as a primary tool, 26 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Other Tools: 100 users preferred it as a primary tool, 120 users preferred it as a secondary tool

User Testing

For User Testing

• 2091 Respondents say yes
• 1048 Respondents use miscellaneous/other media source
• 961 Respondents don’t use at all

Software used for user testing

• Zoom: 478 users preferred it as a primary tool, 273 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Maze: 301 users preferred it as a primary tool, 197 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• UsabilityHub: 284 users preferred it as a primary tool, 138 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• io: 241 users preferred it as a primary tool, 127 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• com: 159 users preferred it as a primary tool, 84 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Marvel: 82 users preferred it as a primary tool, 87 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Google Meet: 83 users preferred it as a primary tool, 53 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Userzoom: 72 users preferred it as a primary tool, 41 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Validately: 43 users preferred it as a primary tool, 34 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Microsoft Teams: 46 users preferred it as a primary tool, 25 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Useberry: 27 users preferred it as a primary tool, 16 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Loop11: 17 users preferred it as a primary tool, 25 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Other Tools: 264 users preferred it as a primary tool, 190 users preferred it as a secondary tool

Versioning

For Versioning & File Management

• 2774 Respondents say yes
• 665 Respondents use miscellaneous/other media source
• 661 Respondents don’t use at all

Software used for versioning & file management

• Figma: 1105 users preferred it as a primary tool, 243 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Google Drive: 384 users preferred it as a primary tool, 398 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Abstract: 381 users preferred it as a primary tool, 113 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Github: 218 users preferred it as a primary tool, 230 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Dropbox: 173 users preferred it as a primary tool, 208 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• OneDrive: 124 users preferred it as a primary tool, 95 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Bitbucket: 53 users preferred it as a primary tool, 48 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Box: 58 users preferred it as a primary tool, 21 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Sketch: 37 users preferred it as a primary tool, 12 users preferred it as a secondary tool
• Other Tools: 174 users preferred it as a primary tool, 113 users preferred it as a secondary tool

Most Preferred UI/UX Tools of 2021 (Jan-Mar) per 1400 Respondents

• Figma: 1316
• Sketch: 292
• Framer: 251
• Adobe XD: 174
• ProtoPie: 163
• Webflow: 105
• InVision: 70
• Miro: 61
• Maze: 60
• UXPin: 36
• Principle: 32
• Notion: 29
• Axure RP: 26
• Abstract: 26
• Blender: 19
• Zeroheight: 16
• Cinema 4d: 16
• Storybook: 13
• Zeplin: 13
• Other Tools: 691

How to use UI Toolkits for Web and Mobile Designs

UI Toolkit is a collection of features, functionality, resources and tools for developing user interfaces (UI) for both website and mobile. You can use UI Toolkit to develop custom UI and extensions, runtime debugging tools and UI for different games and mobile applications.

• The UI system includes core features and functionality needed to create user interfaces.
• UI Assets: Asset types that are inspired by standard web formats and used for structuring and styling of UI.

Alternatives to a UI Toolkit

Use a premade UI kit with a huge collection of design elements which is likely to decrease your expenses and pay only for that with you’re using the kit for custom designing. There are many reasons to use a UI toolkit so that you can achieve more and can earn more.