Element
A Vue 2 component library of ready-made UI pieces for building web apps.
- Stars
- 54k
- Forks
- 14.4k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- Vue
- Last update
- 2.2 years ago
- Type
- Library
No commits in over a year — check for forks or alternatives before adopting.
What it is
Element is a UI toolkit for Vue.js 2.0 that provides a set of prebuilt interface components such as buttons, selects and other common web controls. Developers use it to build consistent web pages and admin-style interfaces without designing every component from scratch. The README says it will stay on Vue 2.x and points Vue 3 users to Element Plus.
- Add prebuilt form controls such as Select and Button to a Vue 2 app
- Import only the components you need instead of the whole library
- Customize the theme using the documented custom theme guide
- Preview and generate a theme online using the linked theme tool
Great for
- Developers maintaining an existing Vue 2.x web application
- Teams building internal admin or back-office interfaces with Vue 2
- Developers who want prebuilt components with a documented API and themes
- Projects that need to support Internet Explorer 10+ alongside modern browsers
Not ideal for
- New projects on Vue 3, because the README recommends Element Plus for Vue 3 instead
- Mini-program development, because the README recommends MorJS for that
- Designers looking for a visual tool rather than code components
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: Node.js and npm (implied by the npm install command; version not stated in README) · Vue.js 2.x project
Install the package
npm install element-ui -S - 2
Run it
- Create or open a Vue 2.x project
- Run npm install element-ui -S
- In your entry file, import Vue and Element and call Vue.use(Element)
- Use an Element component such as a Button in one of your templates
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Import individual components (for example Select and Button) to keep bundle size smaller
- Follow the custom theme guide in the docs to change colors and styles
- Browse the linked awesome-element list and the VS Code or Atom helper extensions
- Check the FAQ before reporting issues
Downloads
Strengths
- Large, established project with 54,002 stars and an MIT license
- Documentation is available in English, Chinese, Spanish and French
- Supports both full-library and per-component imports
Trade-offs
- Locked to Vue 2.x; the README directs Vue 3 users elsewhere
- Latest release is v2.15.14 and the last push shown is from August 2024, so check current maintenance status before adopting
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| element (this) | 54k | Library | beginner | 2.2 years ago | Developers maintaining an existing Vue 2.x web application |
| element-plus | 27.8k | Library | intermediate | 4 days ago | Developers building admin panels or business web apps with Vue 3 |
| bootstrap-vue | 14.4k | Library | intermediate | 7 months ago | Developers maintaining an existing Vue 2 app that already uses BootstrapVue |
| vant | 24.4k | Library | beginner | 4 days ago | Teams building mobile-first web apps or H5 pages in Vue |
| primevue | 14.4k | Library | intermediate | 1 months ago | Vue developers who already use PrimeVue and need security fixes for existing projects |
| vux | 17.4k | Library | intermediate | 4 months ago | Developers building mobile web pages with Vue 2 |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.