AntD and Shad CN: Why Waste Time Being Creative When You Can Just Copy-Paste?

UI design is like the first impression you make when meeting someone. If it’s clean and well-thought-out, you’re already winning half the battle. But when it comes to web development, it’s not just about making your website look pretty. A great UI can increase conversion rates and user engagement, and sometimes even help you create a brand.

If you’re just starting in web development, you’ve probably heard of Ant Design (AntD) and Shad CN. These are popular libraries that help developers build attractive and functional interfaces quickly. But how do they affect your creativity? Should you use them, or should you avoid them? In this blog, we’re going to explore all these questions, explain the impact of UI design on lead conversions, and more.

What is Ant Design (AntD)?

Ant Design is like a ready-made suit for your web application. You don’t have to worry about stitching it yourself. It’s a collection of pre-designed components like buttons, sliders, modals, forms, and more. Think of it like buying a shirt from your local shop instead of designing it from scratch.

For beginners: AntD comes with built-in styles and components. You just need to add them to your project and customize them a little if needed. For beginners, this is like having a set of building blocks to start with, rather than creating everything from scratch. You can focus on making the app work rather than worrying about designing the UI. But beginners should avoid using these libraries, otherwise fundamentals will not be strong. If your fundamentals are clear or you are an intermediate then only you should opt for these libraries.
How it helps: Imagine you’re building a website for your school project, and you need a form to collect student details. AntD gives you a pre-made form, which you can easily modify with a few lines of code. You don't have to start from scratch.
But, does it kill creativity? Using pre-built components means you don't have to think about design, but this can limit your creative freedom. When you use AntD, your website might end up looking like every other website that uses it. It’s like having the same wallpaper in every room of your house. It’s easy, but it can be boring after a while.

What is Shad CN?

Shad CN is a UI library focused on providing simple, customizable components. It’s built for React and helps developers create beautiful designs with minimal effort.

For beginners: Shad CN is easier to customize than AntD, making it a good choice if you want some control over the look of your app but don’t want to design every component from scratch. But same for shadcn also that your basic must be clear.
How it helps: If AntD is like a ready-made suit, Shad CN is like a customizable one where you can tweak the buttons, inputs, and more without needing to design them yourself. For example, you can change the theme or the color scheme, making it look more unique.
Does it kill creativity? Shad CN offers more customization than AntD, so it might give you a little more creative freedom. But if you rely on its defaults without customizing too much, you could still end up with a generic-looking app.

When Should You Use AntD and Shad CN?

Use them when you need speed: Both AntD and Shad CN are great for prototyping. If you have a project with a deadline (like your friend's birthday party website), you don’t have time to design everything yourself. Just use one of these libraries, and you'll save time.
When you’re working in a team: If multiple developers are working on the same project, it’s easier to use a library like AntD. It ensures that the UI components are consistent across the app, even if different people are working on it. Think of it like a group project in school. Everyone brings something to the table, but you need a guide to ensure that everything fits together properly.
When you want something functional, not necessarily unique: If your goal is to build something functional quickly (like an admin panel for a website or a dashboard), these libraries are perfect. They’re designed for efficiency, not creativity.

When Should You NOT Use AntD and Shad CN?

When you want a unique design: If you’re trying to stand out with a truly unique design (maybe for a personal project or a startup), using AntD or Shad CN might hold you back. These libraries are great for generic designs, but they might not give you the creative freedom you need to create something one-of-a-kind.
When your project has very specific design requirements: If you're designing a highly customized UI for a particular brand or project (for example, a luxury clothing website with custom animations and layouts), using a ready-made library might not be the best fit. It’s like trying to fit into shoes that are too big or too small—it won’t work.
When you want to challenge yourself: If you're learning web development and want to truly understand how UI components work, relying on these libraries too much could stop you from learning the basics of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It’s like asking someone to do your math homework because you’re too lazy to learn how to solve the problems.

The Role of UI in Lead Conversion

Now, let’s talk about the real magic: conversion rates. In business, this is the ratio of visitors who take a desired action (like signing up or making a purchase) to the total number of visitors. The UI of your website plays a huge role in this.

Good UI = Higher Conversion Rates: Studies have shown that websites with a well-designed UI can increase conversion rates by up to 200%. If your website looks professional and is easy to navigate, users are more likely to trust it and take action.

Example:

Imagine you’re shopping online for a pair of shoes. You come across two websites:

Website 1: Looks old and cluttered, with buttons that are hard to read and a messy checkout process.
Website 2: Has a sleek, modern design, easy-to-read buttons, and a smooth checkout process.

You’re more likely to buy from Website 2, right? That’s the power of good UI.

User Behavior and Trust: According to a survey by Stanford, 75% of users judge the credibility of a business based on its website design. A clean and professional-looking UI can make your website feel more trustworthy, leading to more conversions.

Funny Example

Think about going to a wedding. You enter the venue, and everything looks beautiful—decorations, lights, food, everything is on point. You’ll feel comfortable, and you’ll want to stay and enjoy. But, if you walk into a wedding and the chairs are broken, the lights are dim, and the food is undercooked, you’ll want to leave immediately.

The UI of a website is like that wedding venue. If it’s designed well, people will stay, enjoy, and possibly convert into customers. If it’s poorly designed, they’ll leave faster than a kid running to catch an ice cream truck.

Conclusion

In conclusion, AntD and Shad CN are fantastic tools for beginners who want to build functional, clean UIs quickly. However, if you want more creative freedom or a truly unique design, you may want to dive into building custom UIs yourself. Remember that UI plays a significant role in conversion rates—good UI = happy users = higher conversions!