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.
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
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.