Adding the Material UI CSS framework to a React application
Tags: react, materialui, tutorial, webdev
Published: 2022-02-27 01:43:00

# Introduction

[React](https://reactjs.org/) is an open source JavaScript library for building user interfaces in WEB and mobile applications. Currently, React is at version 17 and Meta (formerly Facebook) is the main maintainer of the project.

[Material UI](https://mui.com/) is a CSS framework with foundational and advanced components, enabling you to develop applications faster.



# Prerequisites


Before you start, you need to install and configure the tools:

* [git](https://git-scm.com/)
* [Node.js and npm](https://nodejs.org/)
* IDE (e.g. [Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/) or [WebStorm](https://www.jetbrains.com/webstorm/))



# Getting started


## Create the React application

**1.** Let's create the application with the React base structure using the `create-react-app` tool.

```powershell
npx create-react-app react-mui --template typescript

Creating a new React app in /home/rodrigokamada/Development/React/react-mui.

Installing packages. This might take a couple of minutes.
Installing react, react-dom, and react-scripts with cra-template-typescript...


added 1369 packages in 32s

169 packages are looking for funding
  run `npm fund` for details

Initialized a git repository.

Installing template dependencies using npm...
npm WARN deprecated source-map-resolve@0.6.0: See https://github.com/lydell/source-map-resolve#deprecated

added 38 packages, and changed 1 package in 3s

169 packages are looking for funding
  run `npm fund` for details

We detected TypeScript in your project (src/App.test.tsx) and created a tsconfig.json file for you.

Your tsconfig.json has been populated with default values.

Removing template package using npm...


removed 1 package, and audited 1407 packages in 2s

169 packages are looking for funding
  run `npm fund` for details

8 moderate severity vulnerabilities

To address all issues (including breaking changes), run:
  npm audit fix --force

Run `npm audit` for details.

Created git commit.

Success! Created react-mui at /home/rodrigokamada/Development/React/react-mui
Inside that directory, you can run several commands:

  npm start
    Starts the development server.

  npm run build
    Bundles the app into static files for production.

  npm test
    Starts the test runner.

  npm run eject
    Removes this tool and copies build dependencies, configuration files
    and scripts into the app directory. If you do this, you can’t go back!

We suggest that you begin by typing:

  cd react-mui
  npm start

Happy hacking!
```

**2.** Install the `@mui/material`, `@mui/icons-material`, `@mui/lab`, `@emotion/react`, `@emotion/styled` and `@types/date-fns` libraries.

```powershell
npm install @mui/material @mui/icons-material @mui/lab @emotion/react @emotion/styled @types/date-fns
```

**3.** Remove the contents of the `src/App.tsx` file. Add some components as below.

```typescript
import React from 'react';
import AppBar from '@mui/material/AppBar';
import Avatar from '@mui/material/Avatar';
import Box from '@mui/material/Box';
import Button from '@mui/material/Button';
import Container from '@mui/material/Container';
import FormControlLabel from '@mui/material/FormControlLabel';
import IconButton from '@mui/material/IconButton';
import Menu from '@mui/material/Menu';
import MenuIcon from '@mui/icons-material/Menu';
import MenuItem from '@mui/material/MenuItem';
import Modal from '@mui/material/Modal';
import Switch from '@mui/material/Switch';
import TextField from '@mui/material/TextField';
import Toolbar from '@mui/material/Toolbar';
import Tooltip from '@mui/material/Tooltip';
import Typography from '@mui/material/Typography';
import AdapterDateFns from '@mui/lab/AdapterDateFns';
import DatePicker from '@mui/lab/DatePicker';
import LocalizationProvider from '@mui/lab/LocalizationProvider';
import './App.css';

const pages = ['Products', 'Pricing', 'Blog'];
const settings = ['Profile', 'Account', 'Dashboard', 'Logout'];

const modalStyle = {
  position: 'absolute' as 'absolute',
  top: '50%',
  left: '50%',
  transform: 'translate(-50%, -50%)',
  width: 400,
  bgcolor: 'background.paper',
  border: '2px solid #000',
  boxShadow: 24,
  p: 4,
};

function App() {
  const [anchorElNav, setAnchorElNav] = React.useState<null | HTMLElement>(null);
  const [anchorElUser, setAnchorElUser] = React.useState<null | HTMLElement>(null);

  const handleOpenNavMenu = (event: React.MouseEvent<HTMLElement>) => {
    setAnchorElNav(event.currentTarget);
  };
  const handleOpenUserMenu = (event: React.MouseEvent<HTMLElement>) => {
    setAnchorElUser(event.currentTarget);
  };

  const handleCloseNavMenu = () => {
    setAnchorElNav(null);
  };

  const handleCloseUserMenu = () => {
    setAnchorElUser(null);
  };

  const [value, setValue] = React.useState<Date | null>(null);

  const [open, setOpen] = React.useState(false);
  const handleOpen = () => setOpen(true);
  const handleClose = () => setOpen(false);

  return (
    <Container maxWidth="xl" sx={{ p: '0px !important' }}>
      <AppBar position="static">
        <Container maxWidth="xl">
          <Toolbar disableGutters>
            <Typography
              variant="h6"
              noWrap
              component="div"
              sx={{ mr: 2, display: { xs: 'none', md: 'flex' } }}
            >
              React Material UI
            </Typography>

            <Box sx={{ flexGrow: 1, display: { xs: 'flex', md: 'none' } }}>
              <IconButton
                size="large"
                aria-label="account of current user"
                aria-controls="menu-appbar"
                aria-haspopup="true"
                onClick={handleOpenNavMenu}
                color="inherit"
              >
                <MenuIcon />
              </IconButton>
              <Menu
                id="menu-appbar"
                anchorEl={anchorElNav}
                anchorOrigin={{
                  vertical: 'bottom',
                  horizontal: 'left',
                }}
                keepMounted
                transformOrigin={{
                  vertical: 'top',
                  horizontal: 'left',
                }}
                open={Boolean(anchorElNav)}
                onClose={handleCloseNavMenu}
                sx={{
                  display: { xs: 'block', md: 'none' },
                }}
              >
                {pages.map((page) => (
                  <MenuItem key={page} onClick={handleCloseNavMenu}>
                    <Typography textAlign="center">{page}</Typography>
                  </MenuItem>
                ))}
              </Menu>
            </Box>
            <Typography
              variant="h6"
              noWrap
              component="div"
              sx={{ flexGrow: 1, display: { xs: 'flex', md: 'none' } }}
            >
              React Material UI
            </Typography>
            <Box sx={{ flexGrow: 1, display: { xs: 'none', md: 'flex' } }}>
              {pages.map((page) => (
                <Button
                  key={page}
                  onClick={handleCloseNavMenu}
                  sx={{ my: 2, color: 'white', display: 'block' }}
                >
                  {page}
                </Button>
              ))}
            </Box>

            <Box sx={{ flexGrow: 0 }}>
              <Tooltip title="Open settings">
                <IconButton onClick={handleOpenUserMenu} sx={{ p: 0 }}>
                  <Avatar alt="Remy Sharp" src="/static/images/avatar/2.jpg" />
                </IconButton>
              </Tooltip>
              <Menu
                sx={{ mt: '45px' }}
                id="menu-appbar"
                anchorEl={anchorElUser}
                anchorOrigin={{
                  vertical: 'top',
                  horizontal: 'right',
                }}
                keepMounted
                transformOrigin={{
                  vertical: 'top',
                  horizontal: 'right',
                }}
                open={Boolean(anchorElUser)}
                onClose={handleCloseUserMenu}
              >
                {settings.map((setting) => (
                  <MenuItem key={setting} onClick={handleCloseUserMenu}>
                    <Typography textAlign="center">{setting}</Typography>
                  </MenuItem>
                ))}
              </Menu>
            </Box>
          </Toolbar>
        </Container>
      </AppBar>
      <Box
        component="form"
        sx={{
          mt: 3,
          '& .MuiTextField-root': { my: 1, width: '100%' },
        }}
        noValidate
        autoComplete="off"
      >
        <Container maxWidth="xl">
          <div>
            <TextField id="exampleInput" label="Example input" variant="outlined" />
          </div>
          <div>
            <TextField id="exampleTextarea" label="Example textarea" multiline rows={4} />
          </div>
          <div>
            <FormControlLabel control={<Switch defaultChecked />} label="Example switch" />
          </div>
          <div>
            <LocalizationProvider dateAdapter={AdapterDateFns}>
              <DatePicker
                label="Example date"
                value={value}
                onChange={(newValue: any) => {
                  setValue(newValue);
                }}
                renderInput={(params: any) => <TextField {...params} />}
              />
            </LocalizationProvider>
          </div>
          <div>
            <Button variant="contained" onClick={handleOpen}>Open modal</Button>
            <Modal
              open={open}
              onClose={handleClose}
              aria-labelledby="modal-modal-title"
              aria-describedby="modal-modal-description"
            >
              <Box sx={modalStyle}>
                <Typography id="modal-modal-title" variant="h6" component="h2">
                  Text in a modal
                </Typography>
                <Typography id="modal-modal-description" sx={{ mt: 2 }}>
                  Duis mollis, est non commodo luctus, nisi erat porttitor ligula.
                </Typography>
                <Button variant="contained" onClick={handleClose} sx={{ mt: 2 }}>Close modal</Button>
              </Box>
            </Modal>
          </div>
        </Container>
      </Box>
    </Container>
  );
}

export default App;
```

**4.** Run the application with the command below.

```powershell
npm start

Compiled successfully!

You can now view react-mui in the browser.

  http://localhost:3000/react-mui

Note that the development build is not optimized.
To create a production build, use npm run build.

assets by path static/js/*.js 3.57 MiB
  asset static/js/bundle.js 3.56 MiB [emitted] (name: main) 1 related asset
  asset static/js/node_modules_web-vitals_dist_web-vitals_js.chunk.js 6.92 KiB [emitted] 1 related asset
asset index.html 1.74 KiB [emitted]
asset asset-manifest.json 508 bytes [emitted]
orphan modules 295 KiB [orphan] 186 modules
runtime modules 32.4 KiB 16 modules
modules by path ./node_modules/ 2.66 MiB 574 modules
modules by path ./src/ 27 KiB
  modules by path ./src/*.css 8.82 KiB
    ./src/index.css 2.72 KiB [built] [code generated]
    ./node_modules/css-loader/dist/cjs.js??ruleSet[1].rules[1].oneOf[5].use[1]!./node_modules/postcss-loader/dist/cjs.js??ruleSet[1].rules[1].oneOf[5].use[2]!./node_modules/source-map-loader/dist/cjs.js!./src/index.css 1.37 KiB [built] [code generated]
    ./src/App.css 2.72 KiB [built] [code generated]
    ./node_modules/css-loader/dist/cjs.js??ruleSet[1].rules[1].oneOf[5].use[1]!./node_modules/postcss-loader/dist/cjs.js??ruleSet[1].rules[1].oneOf[5].use[2]!./node_modules/source-map-loader/dist/cjs.js!./src/App.css 2 KiB [built] [code generated]
  modules by path ./src/*.tsx 16.7 KiB
    ./src/index.tsx 1.83 KiB [built] [code generated]
    ./src/App.tsx 14.9 KiB [built] [code generated]
  ./src/reportWebVitals.ts 1.41 KiB [built] [code generated]
webpack 5.69.1 compiled successfully in 7201 ms
```

**5.** Ready! Access the URL `http://localhost:300/react-mui` and check if the application is working. See the application working on [GitHub Pages](https://rodrigokamada.github.io/react-mui/) and [Stackblitz](https://stackblitz.com/edit/react17-mui).

![React Material UI](https://res.cloudinary.com/rodrigokamada/image/upload/v1645616372/Blog/react-mui/react-mui.png)



The application repository is available at [https://github.com/rodrigokamada/react-mui](https://github.com/rodrigokamada/react-mui).

This tutorial was posted on my [blog](https://rodrigo.kamada.com.br/blog/adicionando-o-framework-de-css-material-ui-em-uma-aplicacao-react) in portuguese.