Bootstrap recently announced the first alpha release of Bootstrap 4. This latest version of Bootstrap comes loaded with several new features, some of which mark a distinct departure from previous versions.
What’s New in Bootstrap 4 Alpha?
To begin, Bootstrap 4 has moved from LESS to SASS. This is a big move and lends a quiet nod of support to the SASS/SCSS crowd.
There’s also a better grid system meant specifically for mobile devices. Support for Flexbox has also been added, even with minor browser lag with Flexbox properties.
All HTML resets have now been combined into one new module: Reboot. To quote Bootstrap’s blog:
Reboot steps in where Normalize.css stops.
Since Bootstrap has shown preference for SASS, this also means BS4 Alpha includes newer customization options. CSS properties like gradients, transitions, and shadows have been moved into SASS variables for easy access.
Another major change in this new release is that support for Internet Explorer 8 has been dropped. Another quote from the Bootstrap blog:
If you need IE8 support, keep using Bootstrap 3.
Other than that you’ll also notice that JavaScript plugins have been rewritten, along with the documentation(which is now in Markdown).
What’s Next?
The source for Bootstrap 4 Alpha is already available on GitHub.
The current roadmap includes a few alpha releases followed by two beta releases, subsequently followed by two release candidates. Once the team makes it through all that work, BS4 stable release will be put out.
In case you’re not too keen on jumping ship right away, Bootstrap 3 will still be supported and will continue to receive critical bug fixes + documentation improvements. This is unlike the previous release where version 2.x was fully discontinued as soon as Bootstrap 3 was put online.
The Bootstrap team have also announced the release of Official Bootstrap Themes, a repository of premium themes built on Bootstrap.
Bootstrap 4 Alpha is on GitHub if you wanna give it a try. Also if you’re active on Slack there’s a dedicated BS4 Slack channel. And of course you can browse through the Bootstrap 4 docs to check out the more technical stuff.
What do you think of Bootstrap 4 Alpha and the many changes coming down the pipeline? Will you jump right onto BS4 or stick with Bootstrap 3?
Excited about the new bootstrap. Gotta dig into the documantation.
Also, a wee critique of your site usability. Black links in very dark grey font don’t stand out. So much so, that as someone who highlights the text I’m reading I accidentally click on the links.