With no prior knowledge or experience using any other type of UI framework, maybe other than customizing my Myspace profile back in middle school, I can see why it can be frustrating to use as when you first start using the framework. After only using Semantic UI for roughly a week, I feel that I only scratch the surface of its full potential. There are multiple possibilities and ways to do anything that is up to the user’s imagination. However, I can also see the appeal and possibly the enjoyment of using this framework to essentially build a website from the ground up. It can be overwhelming and difficult when you first start, however with practice and many trials and errors, I can see myself enjoying the process of it. Comparing it to our earlier experiences with Javascript, using HTML and CSS was definitely a breath of fresh air, as it deals with more of the aesthetic of the interface, than the gears of the website. But seeing that soon we will be merging all three parts, I feel that we are only now getting started with website building and the essence of software engineering.
Like I mentioned earlier, using a framework like Semantic UI doesn’t hold your hand in the beginning. However, this is the same experience as learning a new coding language. What I do find extremely helpful is the Semantic UI Docs, which not only has very organized building tools, but also examples and codes that you can use to make your website look clean and professional. There are a lot of different types of names and styles to choose from, so it could be very intimidating at first. However with enough practice and testing, It can actually be fun to use.
Overall, my experience with Semantic UI and UI design was definitely overwhelming at first, however after some trials and errors, I found it to be quite fun and exciting. There is just a lot to learn and memorize, so one doesn’t always need to check the Docs to know what to do, but they are extremely helpful. What I am looking forward to learning is how to implement Javascript within the html and css, so not that the website I am designing looks great, but also functions properly as well.