Vanilla Extract vs Styled Components

Developers should use Vanilla Extract when building performance-critical web applications that require type-safe, maintainable styling without runtime CSS injection meets developers should learn styled components when building react applications that require maintainable, scalable, and dynamic styling, especially in component-driven architectures. Here's our take.

Vanilla Extract

Nice Pick

Developers should use Vanilla Extract when building performance-critical web applications that require type-safe, maintainable styling without runtime CSS injection

Pros

• It's ideal for TypeScript projects where type safety is a priority, and for teams wanting to avoid the performance penalties of traditional CSS-in-JS solutions
• Related to: typescript, react

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Styled Components

Developers should learn Styled Components when building React applications that require maintainable, scalable, and dynamic styling, especially in component-driven architectures

Pros

• It is ideal for projects needing theme support, server-side rendering, or where CSS-in-JS benefits like colocation of styles and logic are prioritized
• Related to: react, css-in-js

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use Vanilla Extract if: You want it's ideal for typescript projects where type safety is a priority, and for teams wanting to avoid the performance penalties of traditional css-in-js solutions and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Styled Components if: You prioritize it is ideal for projects needing theme support, server-side rendering, or where css-in-js benefits like colocation of styles and logic are prioritized over what Vanilla Extract offers.

The Bottom Line

Vanilla Extract wins

Developers should use Vanilla Extract when building performance-critical web applications that require type-safe, maintainable styling without runtime CSS injection