The Empire UI blog

2026-09-10 · 8 min read

Review and Rating Component in React: Stars, Average, Breakdown

Build a full review and rating system in React - interactive stars, score average, histogram breakdown, and accessible markup. No libraries needed.

Read →

2026-09-09 · 9 min read

Scroll Reveal Animation in React: AOS vs Framer Motion vs Intersection Observer

AOS, Framer Motion, or raw Intersection Observer - which actually belongs in your React project? A practical breakdown with real code and honest trade-offs.

Read →

2026-09-08 · 9 min read

Page Load Animation in React: First Paint, Stagger, Skeleton to Content

How to handle page load animations in React - from first paint flicker to skeleton-to-content transitions and stagger sequences that don't tank performance.

Read →

2026-09-07 · 8 min read

Confetti in React 2026: canvas-confetti, tsParticles and Pure CSS

Three real approaches to confetti in React - canvas-confetti, tsParticles, and zero-dependency CSS - with working code, bundle cost breakdowns, and when to use each.

Read →

2026-09-04 · 8 min read

Timeline Component in Tailwind: Vertical, Alternating, Compact

Build vertical, alternating, and compact timeline components with Tailwind CSS - no extra libraries, just utility classes and clean React patterns.

Read →

2026-09-03 · 8 min read

Alert and Callout Components in Tailwind: Info, Warning, Error, Success

Build production-ready alert and callout components in Tailwind CSS - info, warning, error, and success variants with icons, dismiss logic, and accessibility.

Read →

2026-09-01 · 8 min read

Avatar and Avatar Group in Tailwind: Initials, Stack, Count Badge

Build stacked avatar groups with Tailwind CSS - initials fallback, overlap rings, and count badges. No library needed, just utility classes and React.

Read →

2026-08-30 · 8 min read

Progress Bar in Tailwind: Animated, Striped, Segmented Variants

Build animated, striped, and segmented progress bars with pure Tailwind CSS and React. No plugins needed - just utility classes and a bit of JavaScript.

Read →

2026-08-30 · 8 min read

Button Component Variants in Tailwind: Primary, Ghost, Icon, Loading

Build a production-ready button system in Tailwind CSS - primary, ghost, icon, and loading variants with React, TypeScript, and class-variance-authority.

Read →

2026-08-28 · 8 min read

Portfolio Layout in Tailwind: Grid, Project Cards, About Section

Build a polished developer portfolio with Tailwind CSS - responsive project grid, animated cards, and an about section that doesn't look like every other dev site.

Read →

2026-08-28 · 9 min read

SaaS Marketing Page in Tailwind: Hero, Features, Pricing, FAQ

Build a complete SaaS marketing page with Tailwind CSS - hero, features grid, pricing table, and FAQ accordion. Real code, real patterns, no fluff.

Read →

2026-08-27 · 9 min read

E-Commerce Product Page in Tailwind: Gallery, Options, CTA

Build a production-ready e-commerce product page with Tailwind CSS - image gallery, variant selectors, sticky CTA, and mobile layout that actually converts.

Read →

2026-08-26 · 9 min read

Supabase + React in 2026: Auth, Realtime, Storage From Scratch

Wire up Supabase auth, realtime subscriptions, and file storage into a React app from zero - no hand-waving, just code that actually runs.

Read →

2026-08-25 · 9 min read

Drag-and-Drop Kanban in React: dnd-kit Full Implementation

Build a fully working drag-and-drop Kanban board in React with dnd-kit - columns, cards, sorting, and keyboard support all covered from scratch.

Read →

2026-08-25 · 9 min read

PDF Generation in React: react-pdf, Puppeteer and @react-pdf/renderer

Compare react-pdf, @react-pdf/renderer, and Puppeteer for generating PDFs in React apps - with real code, honest tradeoffs, and when to use each.

Read →

2026-08-24 · 9 min read

QR Code Scanner in React: Camera Access, Decode, Error Handling

Build a real QR code scanner in React using the MediaStream API and ZXing - camera access, live decode, error states, and mobile gotchas covered.

Read →

2026-08-23 · 8 min read

React Email: Building HTML Emails With React Components

React Email lets you build HTML emails with real React components - no table soup, no inline CSS hell. Here's how to set it up and ship emails that actually render.

Read →

2026-08-22 · 9 min read

WebSockets in React: Real-Time Chat, Notifications, Live Data

Ship real-time chat, live notifications, and streaming data in React using raw WebSockets and Socket.io - with code you can actually use today.

Read →

2026-08-22 · 9 min read

Stripe Integration in React + Next.js: Checkout, Webhooks, Subscriptions

Ship real payments in Next.js: Stripe Checkout, webhook verification, and subscription billing with the App Router - no fluff, just working code.

Read →

2026-08-21 · 9 min read

File-Based Routing in React: Next.js App Router vs TanStack Router

A practical breakdown of Next.js App Router and TanStack Router - how file-based routing works in each, where they differ, and which one fits your project.

Read →

2026-08-20 · 9 min read

React Monorepo With Turborepo: Shared Components, Configs, Packages

Set up a React monorepo with Turborepo - share UI components, ESLint configs, TypeScript settings, and design tokens across every app without duplicating code.

Read →

2026-08-19 · 8 min read

React Performance Profiler: Finding and Fixing Slow Components

Learn how to use the React DevTools Profiler to pinpoint slow renders, fix wasted re-renders, and ship snappy UIs - with real code examples and actionable fixes.

Read →

2026-08-19 · 8 min read

URL State in React: nuqs, useSearchParams and the Right Patterns

Stop losing filter state on reload. Learn how to sync React state to the URL with nuqs, useSearchParams, and patterns that actually hold up in production.

Read →

2026-08-18 · 9 min read

React Internationalisation (i18n): next-intl, react-i18next in 2026

A practical comparison of next-intl and react-i18next for React apps in 2026 - routing, pluralisation, ICU, and when to pick each one.

Read →

2026-08-18 · 8 min read

React Data Fetching Patterns in 2026: Server, Client, Cache

Server Components, TanStack Query, Next.js cache - React data fetching has never been more powerful or more confusing. Here's how to pick the right pattern.

Read →

2026-08-17 · 9 min read

Progressive Web Apps with React and Next.js in 2026

Build installable, offline-ready PWAs with React and Next.js in 2026 - service workers, Web App Manifest, caching strategies, and push notifications covered end-to-end.

Read →

2026-08-16 · 9 min read

Authentication in Next.js 2026: NextAuth v5, Clerk, Better Auth

NextAuth v5, Clerk, and Better Auth are the three auth options worth your time in 2026. Here's how each one works in the App Router - and which to actually pick.

Read →

2026-08-15 · 9 min read

Glassmorphism Onboarding UI: Multi-Step Wizard With Frosted Steps

Build a multi-step onboarding wizard with frosted-glass steps in React - smooth transitions, accessible progress, and real Tailwind code you can ship today.

Read →

2026-08-14 · 9 min read

SaaS Pricing Page Design: Psychology, Layout and Toggle Tricks

How to design a SaaS pricing page that actually converts - toggle psychology, tier anchoring, layout patterns, and React implementation tricks that work in 2026.

Read →

2026-08-14 · 8 min read

Animated Number Counter in React: Stats That Count Up on Scroll

Build a scroll-triggered animated number counter in React using Intersection Observer - no library needed, just clean hooks and requestAnimationFrame.

Read →

2026-08-13 · 9 min read

Portfolio Hero Section Designs: 7 Layouts for Developers in 2026

Seven opinionated hero section layouts for developer portfolios in 2026 - with React code, real CSS values, and honest takes on what actually converts.

Read →

2026-08-13 · 8 min read

Glassmorphism Blog Layout: Frosted Article Cards and Reading View

Build a frosted-glass blog layout in React and Next.js - article grid cards, single-post reading view, and the backdrop-filter tricks that make it feel real.

Read →

2026-08-12 · 8 min read

Glassmorphism Tooltip: Frosted-Glass Floating Labels in React

Build frosted-glass tooltips in React with backdrop-filter blur, CSS variables, and accessible ARIA attributes - no third-party tooltip library needed.

Read →

2026-08-11 · 8 min read

UI Microinteractions in 2026: The Small Details That Make Users Stay

Microinteractions are the silent persuaders of good UX. Learn how to build the hover states, transitions, and feedback loops that keep users engaged in 2026.

Read →

2026-08-10 · 8 min read

Scroll Progress Indicator in React: Bar, Circle and Sidebar Dots

Build a scroll progress bar, circular ring, and sidebar dot indicator in React using useRef and scroll events - no library needed.

Read →

2026-08-09 · 8 min read

Bento Grid SaaS Landing Page: Feature Showcase in 2026 Style

Learn how to build a bento grid feature section for your SaaS landing page with React and Tailwind in 2026 - the layout pattern every top product is copying.

Read →

2026-08-09 · 8 min read

Glassmorphism Charts in React: Recharts With Frosted Glass Style

Style Recharts bar, line, and area charts with frosted glass CSS in React - custom tooltips, glass containers, and dashboard layouts that actually look good.

Read →

2026-08-08 · 8 min read

Neumorphism Dashboard: Soft UI Admin Panels That Work

Build neumorphism admin dashboards that look stunning and stay accessible - real CSS, real React patterns, zero fake depth tricks.

Read →

2026-08-07 · 8 min read

Glassmorphism E-Commerce: Product Pages with Frosted Glass Cards

Build e-commerce product pages with frosted glass cards in React and Tailwind - layout patterns, add-to-cart UX, and performance tips that actually work.

Read →

2026-08-06 · 8 min read

Glassmorphism SaaS UI: Frosted Dashboard, Cards and Charts

Build a production-ready glassmorphism SaaS dashboard with frosted cards, KPI tiles, and chart wrappers using React and Tailwind CSS.

Read →

2026-08-04 · 8 min read

Landing Page Design Patterns in 2026: Above the Fold, Hero, CTA

Hero layouts, above-the-fold decisions, and CTA patterns that actually convert - a practical React guide for landing pages in 2026.

Read →

2026-08-04 · 9 min read

E-Commerce Product Card Design: 8 Layouts That Actually Convert

Eight proven product card layouts with React code, real conversion data, and design tradeoffs - so you stop guessing and start shipping cards that sell.

Read →

2026-07-29 · 8 min read

Smooth Scrolling in React: Lenis, locomotive-scroll and Native CSS

Compare Lenis, locomotive-scroll, and native CSS scroll-behavior in React. Real code, real tradeoffs - pick the right tool before you ship your next project.

Read →

2026-07-29 · 9 min read

Audio Visualizer in React: Web Audio API + Canvas = Waveform Magic

Build a real-time audio visualizer in React using Web Audio API and Canvas. Frequency bars, waveforms, and animation loops - all wired up with hooks.

Read →

2026-07-29 · 9 min read

GLSL Shader Effects in React: Noise, Distortion and Color Grading

Learn how to wire GLSL shaders into React with Three.js and react-three-fiber - noise, UV distortion, and cinematic color grading with real working code.

Read →

2026-07-28 · 8 min read

CSS Modules vs Tailwind vs styled-components: 2026 Verdict

CSS Modules, Tailwind, or styled-components? In 2026, the answer depends on your team size, runtime constraints, and how much you hate specificity wars.

Read →

2026-07-28 · 8 min read

Vite + React vs Next.js in 2026: Which Scaffold to Choose

Vite + React or Next.js in 2026? We break down build speed, SSR trade-offs, and when each scaffold actually makes sense for real projects.

Read →

2026-07-28 · 8 min read

shadcn/ui vs Radix UI: What's the Difference, Which Do You Need?

shadcn/ui is built on top of Radix UI - so which one do you actually install? Here's the real difference, and how to pick the right tool for your project.

Read →