Show HN: Basecoat – shadcn/UI components, no React required • Hacker News Board

Show HN: Basecoat – shadcn/UI components, no React required

#1

Post by hunvreus » Tue, May 13, 2025, 11:22 AM UTC

Basecoat ports the upcoming shadcn/ui v4 [1] to plain HTML + Tailwind (no React):

- Live demo & documentation: https://basecoatui.com

- MIT‑licensed and free: https://github.com/hunvreus/basecoat/

- Works with any backend (Flask, Django, Rails, PHP, etc.) or static site.

- Fully theme‑compatible with shadcn/ui [2].

- Uses a sliver of Alpine.js only for a few interactive bits (e.g. combobox). Swap in your own JS if you prefer.

- Dead simple to use, just drop in a class here and there:

  Click me

Why I built it: after moving from a Next.js stack back to Flask + Tailwind + HTMX, I missed shadcn/ui and didn’t want walls of Tailwind classes (like Flowbite or Preline).

Feedback is most welcome: bugs, requests for components, criticism.

[1]: https://v4.shadcn.com/

[2]: https://basecoatui.com/installation/#install-theming

[3]: https://pagescms.org

Re: Show HN: Basecoat – shadcn/UI components, no React required

#2

Post by BenderV » Tue, May 13, 2025, 1:09 PM UTC

Awesome. Using Vue/Tailwind, I'm definitely interested in this. Maybe you could try to add examples of integrations with others frameworks? I'll play with it and give you my 2 cents.

Re: Show HN: Basecoat – shadcn/UI components, no React required

#3

Post by hunvreus » Tue, May 13, 2025, 1:36 PM UTC

BenderV wrote: post #2

Awesome. Using Vue/Tailwind, I'm definitely interested in this. Maybe you could try to add examples of integrations with others frameworks? I'll play with it and give you my 2 cents.

Hello there Ben. Sure thing, I'll try and expand the docs.

Re: Show HN: Basecoat – shadcn/UI components, no React required

#4

Post by replwoacause » Tue, May 13, 2025, 1:48 PM UTC

Looks nice! Can you add a CDN option? Would be nice for a quick start to play around.

Also, reminds me of https://franken-ui.dev

Re: Show HN: Basecoat – shadcn/UI components, no React required

#5

Post by hunvreus » Tue, May 13, 2025, 2:19 PM UTC

replwoacause wrote: post #4

Looks nice! Can you add a CDN option? Would be nice for a quick start to play around. Also, reminds me of https://franken-ui.dev

Yep, I've been considering adding a CDN option.

I think it may be on the heavier side though (~100k).

Re: Show HN: Basecoat – shadcn/UI components, no React required

#6

Post by pacmanche » Tue, May 13, 2025, 3:30 PM UTC

Now you just need to remove Tailwind

Re: Show HN: Basecoat – shadcn/UI components, no React required

#7

Post by revskill » Tue, May 13, 2025, 3:52 PM UTC

pacmanche wrote: post #6

Now you just need to remove Tailwind

And then ?

Re: Show HN: Basecoat – shadcn/UI components, no React required

#8

Post by hunvreus » Tue, May 13, 2025, 3:52 PM UTC

pacmanche wrote: post #6

Now you just need to remove Tailwind

If I offer a CDN version, it will be Tailwind-free.

Re: Show HN: Basecoat – shadcn/UI components, no React required

#9

Post by o_m » Tue, May 13, 2025, 4:16 PM UTC

Why did you decide going old school using Alpine.js instead of using plain vanilla web components?

Re: Show HN: Basecoat – shadcn/UI components, no React required

#10

Post by campak » Tue, May 13, 2025, 4:36 PM UTC

I dig it. Love this