Modern UI

In the ever-evolving React ecosystem, developers often struggle to choose the right UI library—one that is fast, accessible, modern, and developer-friendly. HeroUI, formerly known as NextUI, checks all those boxes and more. Officially rebranded in January 2025, HeroUI is quickly becoming the go-to choice for building beautiful and responsive interfaces with minimal effort. Backed by the power of Tailwind CSS and React Aria, HeroUI offers fully accessible and composable components built with performance in mind. Whether you’re building a dashboard, a marketing site, or a SaaS product, HeroUI’s modular design and rich theming options give you complete control. In this post, we’ll explore HeroUI’s key features, how to set it up, and why it might just be the best UI library for your next project. What is HeroUI? From NextUI to HeroUI HeroUI is a beautiful, fast, and modern React UI library designed to help developers build accessible and customizable web applications. It was formerly known as NextUI, and in January 2025, it underwent a strategic rebrand to better reflect its expanded capabilities and future direction. Built for the Future Key Features of HeroUI HeroUI vs Other UI Libraries HeroUI vs Material UI While Material UI offers a mature component ecosystem, it can feel rigid and comes with design opinions that are harder to override. HeroUI offers more flexibility through Tailwind, with less CSS bloat and faster customization. HeroUI vs Chakra UI Chakra UI emphasizes accessibility, like HeroUI. But HeroUI’s integration with Tailwind and its lightweight CLI tool gives it a performance edge—ideal for modern apps and frameworks like Next.js. Migrating from NextUI to HeroUI HeroUI is the spiritual successor to NextUI. Here’s what you need to know: Installing HeroUI Using the CLI The HeroUI CLI is the fastest way to get started. It handles everything from project scaffolding to component generation. Step 1: Install the CLI (Optional) You can install the CLI globally: npm install -g heroui Or use it directly via npx: npx heroui init Step 2: Initialize the Project Choose your preferred package manager: # pnpm pnpm dlx heroui init # npm npx heroui init # yarn yarn dlx heroui init # bun bunx heroui init You’ll be prompted to select: Step 3: Install Dependencies Once the setup is complete, install the dependencies: # pnpm pnpm install # npm npm install # yarn yarn install # bun bun install Step 4: Start the Development Server Run your project locally: # pnpm pnpm dev # npm npm run dev # yarn yarn dev # bun bun run dev Step 5: Add Components with the CLI Use the CLI to add components to your project: heroui add button Add multiple components: heroui add button card checkbox Or add all available components: heroui add –all If you omit the component name, the CLI launches an interactive menu: heroui add Example prompt: ? Which components would you like to add? ◯ accordion ◯ autocomplete ◯ avatar ◯ badge ◯ breadcrumbs ◉ button ◯ card ◯ checkbox ◯ chip ◯ code HeroUI in Action Here are just a few components you can start using immediately: Button Example import { Button } from “@heroui/react”; export default function Example() { return <Button color=”primary”>Click Me</Button>; } Modal Example import { Modal, useDisclosure } from “@heroui/react”; export default function ModalExample() { const { isOpen, onOpen, onClose } = useDisclosure(); return ( <> <Button onPress={onOpen}>Open Modal</Button> <Modal isOpen={isOpen} onClose={onClose}> <Modal.Content> <Modal.Header>Welcome</Modal.Header> <Modal.Body>Hello from HeroUI!</Modal.Body> </Modal.Content> </Modal> </> ); } Final Thoughts HeroUI brings together the best parts of Tailwind, accessibility, and developer-focused tooling in one elegant package. If you’re starting a new project in 2025 or looking to modernize an older one, HeroUI deserves a serious look. It’s ideal for: With its intuitive CLI, modular design, and commitment to best practices, HeroUI is ready for production and your next project.