Bootstrap 3.0 is here! Bootstrap is a front-end framework that streamlines the process of building responsive web pages and applications.  Unlike the previous versions of Bootstrap, 3.0 starts with a “Mobile First” approach, targeting mobile devices and scaling for larger screens.

First thing to know about 3.0 is that it is not backward compatible. This fact is clearly pointed out in the documentation, but really, who reads all of the documentation? Anyway, if you have already built you website using a previous version of Bootstrap, then there are steps to be taken to convert to the new version. (More about that in a future article)

Bootstrap 3.0 uses a grid based system for layout and presentation. It now has classes that target devices, such as desktop, tablet and mobile. This enables you to serve up content or layout based on the device or grid. Another great improvement that I was looking for, is the Box-Model. Bootstrap 3.0 now uses the box-sizing: border-box, making it easier to size with the grid system.

As far as browser support goes, Bootstrap 3.0 has dropped support for Internet Explorer 7. There are also issues in Internet Explorer 8, but the documentation gives details on how to make your site work well with these browsers.

Bootstrap is a great foundation for building responsive web applications and sites. The mobile first approach is a dramatic improvement to the previous versions. We will dig further into the framework in future posts.

Let me know what you think about Bootstrap 3.0 in the comments below.