Bootstrap 4 Alpha is out. Major changes: SASS instead of LESS, Flexbox grid, dropped IE8/IE9 support, new utility classes. Is it worth migrating from Bootstrap 3?
Main changes¶
SASS: Finally! Bootstrap is switching from LESS to SASS. Our stack is SCSS — no more need for two preprocessors. Flexbox grid: More flexible layout, auto-sizing columns, vertical centring. Rem/em: Relative units instead of pixels — better accessibility.
New components¶
Cards (replacing panels, wells, thumbnails), utility classes for spacing (m-3, p-2), a responsive xl breakpoint (1200px+). The jumbotron module and glyphicons have been removed — Font Awesome as a replacement.
Migrating from Bootstrap 3¶
Breaking changes everywhere — classes renamed, grid system different, JavaScript plugins rewritten. Migration is not trivial. Use Bootstrap 4 for new projects; existing projects stay on 3 until the stable release.
A promising foundation, but wait for stable¶
Bootstrap 4 is the modernisation the framework needed. But alpha = unstable API. For production, wait for stable. For new experiments, try it now.
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