Naive UI vs shadcn-vue
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A Vue 3 component library with 90+ UI components, TypeScript, and customizable themes.
Open source · MIT
A Vue port of shadcn-ui: copy-in UI components you can customize and build on.
The short answer
Choose Naive UI if you need…
- Vue 3 developers building admin panels or internal tools
- TypeScript projects that want typed components
- Teams that want to restyle components through a theme object instead of CSS files
- Projects that display large data lists, since data components support virtual lists by default
Choose shadcn-vue if you need…
- Vue developers who want ready-made UI components they can edit directly
- Teams building their own internal component library
- Projects that want accessible, customizable components as a base
Side-by-side
| Naive UI | shadcn-vue | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 18.6k | 10.8k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | See the README |
| Main language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 11 days ago | 9 days ago |
What each one is
Naive UI
Naive UI is a set of ready-made interface building blocks (buttons, forms, tables and similar components) for apps built with Vue 3. Developers install it from npm and use the components in their Vue projects instead of writing every piece from scratch. It is written in TypeScript and its look can be changed through a theme overrides object in JavaScript.
shadcn-vue
shadcn-vue is a set of UI components for Vue, ported from the shadcn-ui project. The README describes them as designed components you can customize, extend, and build on, and it encourages using the code as a starting point for your own component library. The project is MIT licensed and has a documentation site at shadcn-vue.com.
Best for
Naive UI
- Vue 3 developers building admin panels or internal tools
- TypeScript projects that want typed components
- Teams that want to restyle components through a theme object instead of CSS files
- Projects that display large data lists, since data components support virtual lists by default
shadcn-vue
- Vue developers who want ready-made UI components they can edit directly
- Teams building their own internal component library
- Projects that want accessible, customizable components as a base
Strengths
Naive UI
- The README lists more than 90 components, all tree-shakeable so unused parts can be left out of the build
- Themes are changed through a JavaScript object, with no Sass, Less, or CSS variable setup required
- Written in TypeScript, so it works with typed Vue projects
shadcn-vue
- MIT licensed, so it can be used and modified freely
- Open code: the README emphasizes that you can change the components themselves
- Documentation is available on a dedicated site
Not ideal for
Naive UI
- Projects not using Vue 3, since the README describes it as a Vue 3 library
- Teams that need a specific design system already built on another UI library, because switching costs are high
- Designers without developer help, since the library is used in code
shadcn-vue
- People who want a finished visual theme with no code changes; the README frames it as a starting point to customize
- Non-developers, since it is a code-level component set
- Projects that need a framework other than Vue
Trade-offs
Naive UI
- The README describes the 'Fast' claim loosely and gives no benchmarks
- No release is listed in the metadata, so version stability is not confirmed from here
- Icons and fonts are separate installs and the README recommends an external icon library
shadcn-vue
- The README is short and does not list specific components or install steps, so details must be checked on the docs site
- Depends on the Vue ecosystem; you need to be comfortable with Vue and TypeScript
- Latest release is v2.9.0 with no binaries, so it is consumed as code rather than as an app
Getting started
Naive UI
Install Naive UI from npm
npm i naive-uiInstall fonts (optional)
npm i vfontsshadcn-vue
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/unovue/shadcn-vueFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Naive UI and shadcn-vue?
Naive UI: A Vue 3 component library with 90+ UI components, TypeScript, and customizable themes. shadcn-vue: A Vue port of shadcn-ui: copy-in UI components you can customize and build on. Naive UI suits vue 3 developers building admin panels or internal tools, while shadcn-vue suits vue developers who want ready-made ui components they can edit directly.
Are Naive UI and shadcn-vue free?
Naive UI: Free and open source. shadcn-vue: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Naive UI or shadcn-vue?
Naive UI is easier to get started with (rated beginner); shadcn-vue is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Naive UI or shadcn-vue more popular?
Naive UI has more GitHub stars (18.6k) than shadcn-vue (10.8k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Naive UI and shadcn-vue?
Other options people compare them with include Element Plus, Quasar, Radix Primitives, Evergreen, BootstrapVue.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.