Panes
Lightweight, framework-agnostic library for Cupertino-style modals, cards, and panes.
If you need a tiny, dependency-free modal library that works across any stack, Panes is a solid pick. It lacks built-in accessibility audits and complex nested modals, so skip it for enterprise UI systems. Consider alternatives like Headless UI or Radix for more accessible, framework-native modals.
- Front-end developers building cross-framework UI components
- Developers wanting iPhone-style modals/panes without native stacks
- Small teams needing a lightweight, dependency-free modal library
- Prototypers and indie hackers valuing small bundle size
- Teams needing enterprise-grade modals with built-in accessibility audits
- Developers requiring extensive pre-built themes or design systems
- Projects relying on tight framework-specific integrations (e.g., React Portals)
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Skip Panes if you need built-in accessibility compliance, complex nested modals, or deep framework integration like React Portals.
Panes is free and open-source, with no hidden costs. It's ideal for individual developers and small teams who want a lightweight modal solution without paying for premium libraries. Compared to enterprise modal libraries (e.g., Telerik or DevExtreme), you save on licensing fees but lose support and advanced features.
In short
Panes — Lightweight, framework-agnostic library for Cupertino-style modals, cards, and panes. Best for Front-end developers building cross-framework UI components, Developers wanting iPhone-style modals/panes without native stacks, Small teams needing a lightweight, dependency-free modal library. Free to use.
Viability Score
How likely is Panes to still be operational in 12 months? Based on 4 signals — momentum (how recently it shipped), wrapper dependency, revenue model, and web presence.
Last calculated: July 2026
How we score →Key Features
- Cupertino-style sheet panes
- Bulletin panes
- Inversed modal panes
- Smooth animations and transitions
- Light and dark appearance customization
- Modular plugin system
- Zero third-party dependencies
- 12KB minified and gzipped bundle
- AI-assisted codebase
- Open-source with Open Collective sponsorship
- Framework-agnostic (Svelte, Vue, React, Angular, Elixir, vanilla JS)
- Dynamic modals, cards, and panes
About Panes
Panes (Cupertino Panes) is a free, open-source JavaScript library for creating dynamic modals, cards, and panes that work with any front-end framework—Svelte, Vue, React, Angular, Elixir, or vanilla JS. At just 12KB minified and gzipped with zero dependencies, it's built for performance. The library offers Cupertino-style sheet, bulletin, and inversed modal panes, smooth animations, and light/dark appearance. Its codebase is AI-assisted, and the project is sponsored via Open Collective. Perfect for developers needing iPhone-style floating panels without heavy framework-specific bloat.
Behind the Verdict
Panes excels at one thing: giving you a small, fast modal/card/pane that mimics iOS aesthetics in any framework. At 12KB with zero deps, it's ideal for projects where bundle size matters—think landing pages, prototypes, or performance-critical apps. The sheet and bulletin styles feel natural, and the modular plugin system lets you extend functionality. However, the library is still niche: docs are minimal, community is small, and you won't get accessibility features out of the box. It's not a fit for complex modals requiring nested stacks or screen-reader support. For teams already using a UI framework (like Radix, Chakra, or Mantine), their built-in modals are more integrated. But if you want a consistent Cupertino look across React, Vue, and vanilla pages without importing a full design system, Panes delivers.
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Real-world workflow fit
Concrete scenarios for the personas Panes actually fits — and what changes day-one when you adopt it.
You need a bottom sheet for selecting options that looks native on iOS.
Outcome: Install Panes via npm, instantiate a CupertinoPane in a few lines, and have a functional, animated sheet that matches Cupertino design without adding dependencies.
You want modals that appear smoothly, without bloating your site with a UI framework.
Outcome: Drop Panes into your vanilla JS page, use the bulletin pane for announcements and sheet pane for sign-up, all under 12KB.
Use Cases
- Add Cupertino-style bottom sheets to a Svelte app that works seamlessly across browsers.
- Create a modal card system for a Vue dashboard without importing heavy UI frameworks.
- Quickly prototype floating panels for a React prototype using zero dependencies.
- Replace an existing jQuery modal solution with a modern, lightweight library.
- Build a bulletin-style notification pane for an Angular e-commerce site.
Limitations
- The library is still relatively small and community-driven, so documentation and tutorials are limited.
- It may not receive frequent updates – the latest version mentioned is 1.4.21.
- Advanced features like accessibility support or server-side rendering are not explicitly documented.
as of 2026-07-06
12-month cost
Project the real annual outlay, including the implied monthly cost when only an annual tier is published.
Vendor list price only. Add-on usage, seat overages, and contract minimums are surfaced under Hidden costs & gotchas.
Plans compared
For each published Panes tier: who it actually fits, and what it adds vs. the previous tier. Cross-reference the cost calculator above for projected annual outlay.
Free (Open Source)
$0
Ideal for
Any developer or team who wants a free, lightweight modal library with full source access.
What this tier adds
Free entry point: all features are included, with Open Collective sponsorship options for supporters.
Where the pricing makes sense
The company stage and team size where Panes's pricing actually pencils out — and where peers do it cheaper.
Panes is free and open-source, with no hidden costs. It's ideal for individual developers and small teams who want a lightweight modal solution without paying for premium libraries. Compared to enterprise modal libraries (e.g., Telerik or DevExtreme), you save on licensing fees but lose support and advanced features.
Setup time & first value
How long it actually takes to get something useful out of Panes — broken out by persona, not the marketing-page minute.
A developer familiar with JavaScript can add Panes to a project within minutes: npm install @cupertino-pane/pane, then instantiate a new CupertinoPane with your element selector. No build config changes needed. First modal in under 5 minutes.
Resources & Guides
Official links
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Frequently Asked Questions
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