Glossary · Web & App Development
shadcn/ui
Overview
What shadcn/ui Is
shadcn/ui is a collection of beautifully designed, accessible React components, buttons, dialogs, forms, tables, and more, built on Radix UI primitives and styled with Tailwind CSS. What makes it unusual is the delivery model: it is not an npm package you install and import. Instead, a CLI copies the component's source code directly into your project, so you own and can edit every line.
Why the 'Copy In' Model Matters
Traditional component libraries hide their internals behind a dependency, so customizing anything means fighting the library or waiting for updates. Because shadcn/ui puts the code in your repo, you change styles and behavior freely, with no version lock-in or bloat from features you never use. The trade-off is that you maintain those components yourself, which most teams find worthwhile.
How We Use It
For Next.js and React projects, shadcn/ui lets our frontend team ship polished, consistent interfaces quickly without inheriting a rigid design system. We start from its accessible components and adapt them to each client's brand. As a 100% in-house team, having the component source in the codebase keeps everything maintainable long after launch.
Where we use it
Related Zen in Tech services
How our team puts shadcn/ui to work in real projects.
FAQ
shadcn/ui — common questions
Is shadcn/ui free?
Yes. shadcn/ui is free and open-source. You use a CLI to add components to your project at no cost, and because the code lives in your repo, there are no license fees or paid tiers.
shadcn/ui vs a component library like MUI?
Libraries like MUI are installed as dependencies with their own styling system. shadcn/ui instead copies component code into your project, built on Radix UI and Tailwind, giving more control and customization at the cost of maintaining it yourself.
Do I need Tailwind CSS to use shadcn/ui?
Yes. shadcn/ui components are styled with Tailwind CSS, so your project needs Tailwind configured. It also relies on Radix UI primitives for behavior and accessibility, which the CLI sets up for you.
Need shadcn/ui done right?
Book a free consultation and we’ll map the fastest, most cost-effective path for your project.
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