I have used Bootstrap for years. It still works well, but for smaller projects I got tired of fighting the full package when I only needed a few components and a responsive grid.

Bulma changed that for me. It is a CSS-only framework. There is no required JavaScript. The class names read like plain English: button, is-primary, columns, is-multiline. That matters more than it sounds like it should.

The learning curve is smaller than it looks. Most of the time I can build a page by combining a handful of layout primitives:

• container for width
• columns and column for layout
• section and hero for vertical rhythm
• navbar for a responsive menu

Bulma is opinionated in a useful way. It nudges me toward consistent spacing and typography rather than handing me a giant set of defaults that I still have to override. For a prototype, portfolio, or tiny client site, speed matters more than maximal customization.

It is also easy to explain to someone who is not a designer. Showing a teammate the markup is often enough to get them to change the page safely.

Fast forward to today and I still reach for Bulma for anything under a few pages. At some point the framework matters less than the clarity of the copy. Bulma gets out of the way and lets the words carry the page.