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Learn Elm-ui - 9 Code Examples & CST Typing Practice Test

Elm UI is a library for building web interfaces in Elm, focusing on layout and styling in a declarative, type-safe way without relying on CSS.

View all 9 Elm-ui code examples →
Elm UI Counter ExampleElm UI Hello WorldElm UI Button Click ExampleElm UI Toggle ExampleElm UI Input ExampleElm UI Counter with StepElm UI Color Box ExampleElm UI Progress ExampleElm UI List Example

Learn ELM-UI with Real Code Examples

Updated Nov 25, 2025

Explain

Elm UI lets developers describe UIs using Elm code, avoiding manual CSS and HTML.

It uses a box-based layout system inspired by Flexbox but fully typed in Elm.

Provides composable, reusable UI elements with built-in styling support.

Ensures type safety for layout, spacing, and styling decisions.

Widely used in Elm projects for clean, maintainable, and responsive UI design.

Core Features

Box layout system for alignment and spacing

Styling via Elm functions and records

Composability of UI elements

Type-safe units and dimensions

No need for CSS classes or ids

Basic Concepts Overview

Box: fundamental building block for layout

Layout: determines positioning and alignment

Element: represents a UI component

Attributes: apply styling in Elm records

Composition: nest boxes to build complex UIs

Project Structure

src/ - Elm modules

Main.elm - entry point

UI modules - reusable components

elm.json - project dependencies

Assets - images or static files

Building Workflow

Create Elm project

Import Elm UI

Define layout using Boxes

Add elements like text, buttons, and images

Compose larger UI components from smaller boxes

Difficulty Use Cases

Beginner: create simple text and button layouts

Intermediate: design forms with input validation

Advanced: responsive dashboards

Expert: complex nested components with dynamic data

Architect: large-scale Elm UI apps with reusable modules

Comparisons

Elm UI vs plain Elm HTML: type-safe layout vs manual CSS

Elm UI vs React: functional layout vs JSX and CSS

Elm UI vs Blazor: Elm-only functional paradigm vs C# and WebAssembly

Elm UI vs Flutter Web: Elm typed layout vs Dart UI framework

Elm UI vs CSS frameworks: typed and composable vs class-based styling

Versioning Timeline

2016 - Elm UI concept introduced

2017 - Early versions of Elm UI released

2018-2020 - Elm UI stabilized and matured

2021-2023 - Elm UI adopted widely in Elm community

2024-2025 - Continuous improvements and ecosystem growth

Glossary

Box: layout container

Element: UI component

Layout: arrangement of boxes

Spacing: padding/margin

Composable: nestable UI building blocks

Installation Setup

Install Elm via npm or your system package manager

Add elm-ui to your project with `elm install mdgriffith/elm-ui`

Import Elm UI in your modules

Create a main function using `Element.layout`

Run `elm make` to compile the project

Environment Setup

Install Elm compiler

Install Node.js if needed for build tools

Add elm-ui package

Configure project folder

Run Elm reactor or compile with elm make

Config Files

elm.json - project dependencies

src/Main.elm - entry point

src/UI/ - reusable UI modules

assets/ - images and static files

tests/ - Elm unit tests

Cli Commands

elm init

elm install mdgriffith/elm-ui

elm make src/Main.elm

elm reactor

elm-test

Internationalization

Text managed in Elm modules for localization

Supports multiple languages via records

Dynamic content can be switched based on locale

Integration with Elm packages for translations

Cultural formatting handled manually in Elm

Accessibility

Accessible HTML output by default

Semantic elements like headers, paragraphs, lists

Keyboard navigation possible via HTML semantics

Screen reader-friendly layout

Aria attributes can be added via Elm attributes

Ui Styling

Styling done via Elm records

Spacing, alignment, width/height as functions

No CSS class dependencies

Compositional styling with nested boxes

Text, color, and font properties controlled in Elm

State Management

Managed via The Elm Architecture (model-update-view)

UI state stored in model

Events update model via messages

Nested components share state through model

No mutable state in elements themselves

Data Management

Immutable model data

JSON decoding/encoding for API calls

External data fetched via Http module

State updated via messages

Persistent state stored outside Elm if needed

Architecture

UI is composed of nested Boxes

Boxes define layout, alignment, padding, and spacing

Styles are applied as Elm records

Components can be composed from smaller boxes

No separate HTML or CSS files required

Rendering Model

Elm compiler generates HTML/CSS

Element boxes define layout

Nested elements compose complex UIs

Attributes and styling applied via Elm records

Responsive adjustments through alignment properties

Architectural Patterns

The Elm Architecture (TEA) for state management

Composable boxes for UI

Stateless elements where possible

Single source of truth for UI state

Functional event handling

Real World Architectures

Elm-based dashboards

Internal tools with complex forms

Educational web apps with type-safe UI

Responsive data visualization apps

Full-page web apps with modular UI components

Design Principles

Declarative UI composition

Type safety for layout and styling

Functional and composable components

Minimal reliance on CSS

Predictable and maintainable UIs

Scalability Guide

Compose UIs with reusable boxes

Use modules for organization

Avoid deeply nested boxes for performance

Split large pages into smaller Elm modules

Integrate with Elm Architecture for state management

Migration Guide

Move from plain Elm HTML to Elm UI

Refactor CSS-based layouts to Box layouts

Update component composition patterns

Replace manual spacing/alignment with Elm UI functions

Test layouts and responsiveness

Performance Notes

Elm UI compiles to efficient HTML/CSS

No runtime layout calculations needed

Lightweight compared to JS frameworks

Deterministic layout rendering

No unnecessary DOM mutations

Security Notes

Safe by design due to Elm's type system

No direct DOM manipulation reduces XSS risk

All UI is built via Elm functions

No inline JavaScript required

Safe handling of dynamic content

Monitoring Analytics

Monitor application performance via compile warnings

Inspect model updates for unexpected changes

Track rendering performance in browser

Use logging via Debug.log for development

No runtime layout errors due to Elm’s type system

Code Quality

Keep Box nesting shallow when possible

Use reusable UI modules

Follow Elm style conventions

Type-check layout and styling

Test with elm-test for correctness

Practical Examples

Build a centered login form

Create a responsive navigation bar

Design a dashboard with cards and grids

Compose reusable button components

Implement a responsive footer layout

Troubleshooting

Check type errors for element attributes

Ensure Box nesting is correct

Use proper units for dimensions

Verify alignment and padding logic

Debug layout by simplifying boxes

Testing Guide

Unit-test Elm modules with elm-test

Test UI elements via Elm assertions

Use Elm debugger to inspect model state

Validate layout and composition logic

Test dynamic updates and messages

Deployment Options

Compile Elm to static HTML/CSS/JS

Host on Netlify, Vercel, or any static server

Integrate with backend APIs

Use CI/CD pipelines for automated builds

Serve responsive web apps across devices

Tools Ecosystem

Elm compiler

elm-live for hot reloading

elm-format for consistent styling

Elm packages (elm-ui, elm/browser)

Editor plugins (VS Code, Atom, Sublime)

Integrations

Elm Browser for routing

HTTP for API calls

JSON decoding/encoding

Ports for JavaScript interop

CSS for advanced styling if needed

Productivity Tips

Reuse Box components

Keep layout logic modular

Use Elm compiler for type-checking

Leverage elm-ui documentation examples

Simplify nested layouts for clarity

Challenges

Adapting to purely functional layout thinking

Complex nested UI compositions

Responsive design within Elm UI constraints

Integrating external JS or CSS when needed

Debugging layout issues via types

Learning Path

Learn Elm basics and functional programming

Understand Elm Architecture (TEA)

Learn Elm UI Box layout system

Practice building small components

Compose full UI layouts with Elm UI

Skill Improvement Plan

Week 1: Simple Box layouts and text elements

Week 2: Buttons and input fields

Week 3: Nested composition and reusable components

Week 4: Responsive design with Elm UI

Week 5: Full-page web apps and dashboards

Interview Questions

What is Elm UI and why use it?

Explain Box layout in Elm UI.

How do you compose reusable components?

How does Elm UI ensure type safety?

How does Elm UI differ from CSS frameworks?

Cheat Sheet

Element.layout - root UI layout

Element.column/row - vertical/horizontal boxes

Element.spacing - padding/margin

Element.el - wrap child elements

Element.width/height - set dimensions

Books

Programming Elm

Elm in Action

Functional Web Development with Elm

Building Web Apps with Elm UI

Elm for Front-End Developers

Tutorials

Build a simple login form

Compose a responsive navigation bar

Create reusable button components

Design a dashboard with boxes and grids

Implement a multi-page Elm UI app

Official Docs

https://package.elm-lang.org/packages/mdgriffith/elm-ui/latest/

https://github.com/mdgriffith/elm-ui

Community Links

Elm Discourse

Elm Slack and Discord channels

Elm UI GitHub discussions

Elm blogs and tutorials

StackOverflow Elm questions

Community Support

Elm Discourse

Elm Slack and Discord channels

Elm packages GitHub repositories

Elm UI GitHub discussions

Elm blogs and tutorials

Monetization

Internal Elm-based dashboards for enterprises

Subscription-based Elm web apps

Educational apps with reusable Elm UI modules

Component libraries for Elm UI

Prototyping client apps with rapid iteration

Future Roadmap

Expanded Elm UI component libraries

Better integration with Elm packages

Responsive helpers and grid systems

Improved documentation and tutorials

Community-driven feature enhancements

When Not To Use

Projects not using Elm

Highly customized CSS animations

Existing large CSS frameworks

Dynamic third-party JS UI libraries

Designs requiring low-level DOM manipulations

Final Summary

Elm UI is a declarative, type-safe UI library for Elm.

Uses boxes and elements to build layouts without CSS.

Ensures predictable and maintainable UI behavior.

Ideal for Elm projects emphasizing functional, composable design.

Supports responsive layouts, reusable components, and type-safe styling.

Faq

Is Elm UI free?

Yes - open-source under BSD license.

Does it replace CSS?

It can handle most layout and styling, but advanced CSS may still be used.

Which languages are used?

Elm functional language.

Is it suitable for large projects?

Yes, for Elm-based web apps.

Can Elm UI handle responsive design?

Yes, via flexible box layouts and alignment properties.

Code Sample Descriptions

1

Elm UI Counter Example

module Main exposing (main)

import Browser
import Element exposing (..)
import Element.Events exposing (onClick)

-- MODEL

type alias Model =
    { count : Int }

initialModel : Model
initialModel =
    { count = 0 }

-- UPDATE

type Msg = Increment | Decrement | Reset

update : Msg -> Model -> Model
update msg model =
    case msg of
        Increment -> { model | count = model.count + 1 }
        Decrement -> { model | count = model.count - 1 }
        Reset -> { model | count = 0 }

-- VIEW

view : Model -> Element Msg
view model =
    column [ spacing 10, padding 20, alignCenter ]
        [ text ("Counter: " ++ String.fromInt model.count)
        , row [ spacing 10 ]
        [ button [ onClick Increment ] (text "+")
        , button [ onClick Decrement ] (text "-")
        , button [ onClick Reset ] (text "Reset")
        ]
        ]

-- MAIN

main =
    Browser.sandbox { init = initialModel, update = update, view = view }

Demonstrates a simple counter layout using Elm UI declarative syntax.

Let’s Try →
2

Elm UI Hello World

module Main exposing (main)

import Browser
import Element exposing (..)

view : Element msg
view =
    column [ spacing 10, padding 20, alignCenter ]
        [ text "Hello, Elm UI!" ]

main = Browser.sandbox { init = (), update = \_ model -> model, view = \_ -> view }

Displays a simple 'Hello World' message using Elm UI.

Let’s Try →
3

Elm UI Button Click Example

module Main exposing (main)

import Browser
import Element exposing (..)
import Element.Events exposing (onClick)

-- MODEL

type alias Model =
    { clicked : Bool }

initialModel : Model
initialModel =
    { clicked = False }

-- UPDATE

type Msg = Click

update : Msg -> Model -> Model
update msg model =
    case msg of
        Click -> { model | clicked = True }

-- VIEW

view : Model -> Element Msg
view model =
    column [ spacing 10, padding 20, alignCenter ]
        [ text (if model.clicked then "Button Clicked!" else "Click the Button")
        , button [ onClick Click ] (text "Click Me")
        ]

-- MAIN

main = Browser.sandbox { init = initialModel, update = update, view = view }

Changes label text when button is clicked.

Let’s Try →
4

Elm UI Toggle Example

module Main exposing (main)

import Browser
import Element exposing (..)
import Element.Events exposing (onClick)

-- MODEL

type alias Model =
    { on : Bool }

initialModel : Model
initialModel =
    { on = False }

-- UPDATE

type Msg = Toggle

update : Msg -> Model -> Model
update msg model =
    case msg of
        Toggle -> { model | on = not model.on }

-- VIEW

view : Model -> Element Msg
view model =
    column [ spacing 10, padding 20, alignCenter ]
        [ text (if model.on then "ON" else "OFF")
        , button [ onClick Toggle ] (text "Toggle")
        ]

-- MAIN

main = Browser.sandbox { init = initialModel, update = update, view = view }

A toggle button that switches between ON and OFF states.

Let’s Try →
5

Elm UI Input Example

module Main exposing (main)

import Browser
import Element exposing (..)
import Element.Events exposing (onInput)

-- MODEL

type alias Model =
    { inputText : String }

initialModel : Model
initialModel =
    { inputText = "" }

-- UPDATE

type Msg = Input String

update : Msg -> Model -> Model
update msg model =
    case msg of
        Input str -> { model | inputText = str }

-- VIEW

view : Model -> Element Msg
view model =
    column [ spacing 10, padding 20, alignCenter ]
        [ text ("You typed: " ++ model.inputText)
        , Element.input [ onInput Input ]
        ]

-- MAIN

main = Browser.sandbox { init = initialModel, update = update, view = view }

Captures user input and displays it dynamically.

Let’s Try →
6

Elm UI Counter with Step

module Main exposing (main)

import Browser
import Element exposing (..)
import Element.Events exposing (onClick)

-- MODEL

type alias Model =
    { count : Int, step : Int }

initialModel : Model
initialModel =
    { count = 0, step = 5 }

-- UPDATE

type Msg = Increment | Decrement

update : Msg -> Model -> Model
update msg model =
    case msg of
        Increment -> { model | count = model.count + model.step }
        Decrement -> { model | count = model.count - model.step }

-- VIEW

view : Model -> Element Msg
view model =
    column [ spacing 10, padding 20, alignCenter ]
        [ text ("Count: " ++ String.fromInt model.count)
        , row [ spacing 10 ]
        [ button [ onClick Increment ] (text "+")
        , button [ onClick Decrement ] (text "-")
        ]
        ]

-- MAIN

main = Browser.sandbox { init = initialModel, update = update, view = view }

A counter that increases or decreases by a specified step.

Let’s Try →
7

Elm UI Color Box Example

module Main exposing (main)

import Browser
import Element exposing (..)
import Element.Background as Background
import Element.Events exposing (onClick)

-- MODEL

type alias Model =
    { active : Bool }

initialModel : Model
initialModel = { active = False }

-- UPDATE

type Msg = Toggle

update : Msg -> Model -> Model
update msg model =
    case msg of Toggle -> { model | active = not model.active }

-- VIEW

view : Model -> Element Msg
view model =
    column [ spacing 10, padding 20, alignCenter ]
        [ el [ width (px 100), height (px 100), Background.color (if model.active then blue else red) ] (text "")
        , button [ onClick Toggle ] (text "Change Color")
        ]

-- MAIN

main = Browser.sandbox { init = initialModel, update = update, view = view }

Changes a colored box when a button is clicked.

Let’s Try →
8

Elm UI Progress Example

module Main exposing (main)

import Browser
import Element exposing (..)
import Element.Events exposing (onInput)

-- MODEL

type alias Model =
    { progress : Float }

initialModel : Model
initialModel = { progress = 0 }

-- UPDATE

type Msg = Update Float

update : Msg -> Model -> Model
update msg model =
    case msg of Update val -> { model | progress = val }

-- VIEW

view : Model -> Element Msg
view model =
    column [ spacing 10, padding 20, alignCenter ]
        [ el [ width fill, height (px 20), Background.color blue, padding 0 ] (el [] (text (String.fromFloat model.progress)))
        , Element.input [ onInput (str -> Update (String.toFloat str |> Result.withDefault 0)) ]
        ]

-- MAIN

main = Browser.sandbox { init = initialModel, update = update, view = view }

A slider that updates a visual progress bar.

Let’s Try →
9

Elm UI List Example

module Main exposing (main)

import Browser
import Element exposing (..)
import Element.Events exposing (onClick)

-- MODEL

type alias Model = { items : List String }

initialModel : Model
initialModel = { items = [] }

-- UPDATE

type Msg = AddItem String

update : Msg -> Model -> Model
update msg model =
    case msg of AddItem str -> { model | items = model.items ++ [str] }

-- VIEW

view : Model -> Element Msg
view model =
    column [ spacing 10, padding 20 ]
        ( List.map (item -> text item) model.items ++ [ button [ onClick (AddItem "New Item") ] (text "Add Item") ] )

-- MAIN

main = Browser.sandbox { init = initialModel, update = update, view = view }

Displays a dynamic list of items with buttons to add new entries.

Let’s Try →

Frequently Asked Questions about Elm-ui

What is Elm-ui?

Elm UI is a library for building web interfaces in Elm, focusing on layout and styling in a declarative, type-safe way without relying on CSS.

What are the primary use cases for Elm-ui?

Building web interfaces in Elm. Creating responsive layouts without CSS. Developing reusable UI components. Prototyping web app designs quickly. Type-safe styling and spacing

What are the strengths of Elm-ui?

Strong type safety ensures layout correctness. Reduces runtime layout errors. Declarative and composable UI design. Eliminates CSS complexity. Works seamlessly with Elm’s functional paradigm

What are the limitations of Elm-ui?

Limited to Elm applications. Does not support all CSS features. Smaller ecosystem compared to HTML/CSS frameworks. Learning curve for functional layout thinking. Less flexible for highly custom or complex visual designs

How can I practice Elm-ui typing speed?

CodeSpeedTest offers 9+ real Elm-ui code examples for typing practice. You can measure your WPM, track accuracy, and improve your coding speed with guided exercises.

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