How to Implement Fluent UI in React

Fluent UI, developed by Microsoft, is a collection of robust, customizable, and accessible components for building responsive and engaging user interfaces. This blog will guide you through the steps to integrate Fluent UI into your React project, highlight its key features, and provide a simple example to get you started.

What is Fluent UI?

Fluent UI is a design system and component library created by Microsoft to provide consistent design across various platforms and applications. It's widely used in Microsoft products, such as Office 365, and aims to deliver a unified, accessible, and flexible user experience.

Key Features of Fluent UI

1. Accessibility: Components are designed to be accessible, ensuring a great experience for all users.
2. Customizability: Offers extensive customization options to match your application's design language.
3. Consistency: Provides a consistent look and feel across different platforms and devices.
4. Responsive Design: Components adapt seamlessly to different screen sizes and orientations.
5. Comprehensive Component Library: Includes a wide range of UI components, from basic inputs to complex data grids and charts.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager) installed on your machine. You can download and install them from the official Node.js website.

For Setting up the initial React Project, please refer to my previous Article Setup Initial React Project

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Fluent UI in React

Installing Fluent UI

Go to the Project Root Folder and Install Fluent UI Library.

npm install @fluentui/react

Using Fluent UI Components

Now that Fluent UI is installed, you can start using its components. Import the desired components into your React component file and use them as you would with any other React components.

Here’s a simple example of how to use Fluent UI components in your project.

Example. Creating a Simple Form

Import Fluent UI Components

Open the src/App.tsx file (or create a new component file) and import the necessary Fluent UI components.

import React from 'react';
import { TextField, PrimaryButton, Stack } from '@fluentui/react';

Create a Form Component

Create a simple form using Fluent UI components.

function App() {
  return (
    <div className="App">
      <header className="App-header">
    <Stack tokens={{ childrenGap: 15 }} styles={{ root: { width: 300, margin: 'auto', padding: 20 } }}>
      <TextField label="Name" required />
      <TextField label="Email" type="email" required />
      <TextField label="Password" type="password" canRevealPassword required />
      <PrimaryButton text="Submit" />
    </Stack>
    </header>
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;

In this example, we use TextField for input fields and PrimaryButton for the submit button. The Stack component is used to lay out the form fields with spacing between them.

Run Your Application

Finally, start your React application to see the Fluent UI components in action.

npm run start

The Ouptut Should be as below.

Note. Please Refer to Microsoft Documentation for all Fluent UI Controls for various platforms other than React as well: Fluent UI Controls

Use Cases for Fluent UI in React

1. Enterprise Applications: Building consistent and accessible enterprise applications like dashboards and admin panels.
2. Microsoft Integrations: Developing applications that integrate with Microsoft products to maintain a consistent user experience.
3. Responsive Web Apps: Creating responsive web applications that need to look great on any device.
4. Design Systems: Implementing custom design systems that require extensive theming and customization capabilities.
5. Prototyping: Quickly prototyping UI designs with a comprehensive set of pre-built components.

Conclusion

Fluent UI is a powerful tool for building modern, responsive, and accessible user interfaces in React. By following the steps outlined in this blog, you can easily integrate Fluent UI into your projects and take advantage of its extensive component library and customization options. Whether you're building enterprise applications, responsive web apps, or prototypes, Fluent UI provides the tools you need to create high-quality user experiences.

Happy coding!