Common Integration Issues in Materialize CSS

Component Initialization Conflicts

Many Materialize components (modals, dropdowns, tooltips) require manual JavaScript initialization. When integrating into modern front-end frameworks like React, Vue, or Angular, this can result in lifecycle mismatches and broken UI states.

document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
  var elems = document.querySelectorAll('.modal');
  M.Modal.init(elems);
});

Double Initialization Symptoms

Re-initializing components without destroying previous instances leads to duplicate event handlers and memory leaks. This is common in SPAs when navigating back and forth between views.

Diagnosing Style Conflicts

Global CSS Overrides Fail

Materialize uses high-specificity selectors and dynamic class assignments. Simple CSS overrides like .btn often fail due to these priorities.

.btn {
  background-color: #ff5252 !important;
}

Using !important works but is not sustainable. Prefer custom classes or SCSS overrides with higher specificity.

Breakpoints Not Responsive

Materialize relies on a 12-column grid, but misaligned use of .col classes or improper nesting can break layouts at different screen sizes.

<div class="row">
  <div class="col s12 m6 l4">Responsive Column</div>
</div>

SPA Framework Pitfalls

React and Materialize

Materialize isn't React-aware and doesn't support virtual DOM lifecycles. Components initialized with M.Modal.init() might break after re-renders.

Workaround: use useEffect to initialize components once DOM is ready.

useEffect(() => {
  const elems = document.querySelectorAll('.modal');
  M.Modal.init(elems);
}, []);

Vue and Materialize

Similar challenges exist with Vue. Use mounted() lifecycle hook for component initialization, and destroy components manually on unmount.

Debugging JavaScript Failures

Missing Dependencies

Materialize requires both jQuery (for legacy versions) and the Materialize JS file. A missing or incorrect script order results in M is not defined errors.

<script src="/materialize.min.js"></script>
<script>
  document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
    M.AutoInit();
  });
</script>

AutoInit Limitations

M.AutoInit() initializes all components automatically but doesn't allow granular configuration. This can cause issues with modals or dropdowns needing specific options.

Best Practices for Scalable Materialize Usage

1. Component Wrappers

Wrap Materialize components inside reusable framework-specific components (e.g., React functional components or Vue components) to isolate initialization and teardown logic.

2. SCSS Overrides

Instead of overriding compiled CSS, import Materialize SCSS and customize variables before compiling. This ensures theme consistency and avoids specificity issues.

$primary-color: #4a148c;
@import "materialize/components/color-variables";
@import "materialize";

3. Minimize Global JS Initialization

Use targeted initialization and avoid AutoInit() in large applications. Explicitly initialize only what is needed per view.

4. Defer Initialization Until DOM Ready

Ensure all components are initialized only after their respective DOM nodes are available to avoid race conditions.

5. Watch for Deprecated jQuery Usage

Modern versions of Materialize (v1+) have moved away from jQuery. Remove jQuery dependency to future-proof your codebase.

Conclusion

Materialize CSS delivers strong design aesthetics but introduces challenges when building complex, SPA-based front-ends. Problems with initialization, style overrides, and framework integration can hinder scalability and maintainability. By understanding how Materialize manages DOM and JavaScript lifecycles, and by applying scoped overrides and smart wrappers, front-end teams can make the most of this elegant framework without compromising performance or maintainability.

FAQs

1. Can I use Materialize CSS with React or Vue effectively?

Yes, but you must manage initialization inside lifecycle hooks (useEffect/mounted) and avoid reinitialization conflicts.

2. Why are my dropdowns not working in Materialize?

They likely weren't initialized correctly or were destroyed by a SPA re-render. Always reinitialize after DOM changes.

3. How do I change the default theme colors?

Customize SCSS variables before importing Materialize's source in your build process instead of overriding compiled CSS.

4. What is the best way to manage modals in a SPA?

Use a wrapper component with proper lifecycle management and manually destroy modal instances on unmount.

5. Is jQuery required for Materialize?

Only older versions (<1.0.0) rely on jQuery. Newer versions are jQuery-free and should be used for modern projects.