Tailwind CSS is a utility-first CSS framework that makes it easy to build custom designs without writing custom CSS. It allows you to apply individual utility classes directly in your HTML, which helps create fully customized layouts with minimal effort.
- Tailwind provides many utility classes for building responsive and custom designs.
- You can easily customize the framework to suit your needs via its configuration file.
- Tailwind helps build seamless mobile-first and responsive designs.
- Tailwind CSS has a feature that removes any unused CSS, improving performance.
To begin with Tailwind CSS, you need to install it using one of the methods. The easiest way is by using the CDN for quick setup.
- Getting Started with Tailwind CSS
- How to Add Tailwind CSS to HTML?
- How to Install Tailwind CSS with Create React App?
- How to setup Tailwind CSS with Vite?
- Install Tailwind CSS with PHP
- Install & Setup Tailwind CSS with Next.js
- How to use Tailwind CSS with Django?
- How to setup Tailwind CSS in AngularJS?
Let us now take a look at our first code example.
<html>
<head>
<link href="https://unpkg.com/tailwindcss@2.2.19/dist/tailwind.min.css"
rel="stylesheet">
</head>
<body>
<div class="h-full border-2 border-gray-200
border-opacity-60 rounded-lg
overflow-hidden">
<div class="p-6 hover:bg-green-600
hover:text-white transition
duration-300 ease-in">
<h1 class="text-2xl font-semibold mb-3">
Hover
</h1>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>
In this example:
- Tailwind CDN: The link to the Tailwind CSS CDN is included in the <head> section of the HTML document to load the necessary CSS styles.
- Hover Effect:
- hover:bg-green-600: Changes the background color to green when the user hovers over the element.
- hover:text-white: Changes the text color to white when hovered.
- transition duration-300 ease-in: Applies a smooth transition effect for 300ms when hovering.
- Responsive Design: The class names used here are mobile-first, ensuring they work well across different screen sizes.
Basics
Get started with Tailwind CSS by learning its core principles and the utilities it offers for building custom designs.
Tailwind CSS Layout
Tailwind CSS makes it easy to manage layouts using utility classes that control container sizes, box sizing, and positioning.
- Container
- Box Sizing
- Display
- Float
- Clear
- Object Fit
- Object Position
- Overflow
- Overscroll Behavior
- Position
- Top/Right/Bottom/Left
- Visibility
- Z-index
Tailwind CSS Flexbox
Tailwind CSS allows you to create flexible and responsive layouts using Flexbox.
Tailwind CSS Grid
Create complex grid layouts with ease using Tailwind's grid utilities.
- Grid Template Columns
- Grid Column Start / End
- Grid Template Rows
- Grid Row Start / End
- Grid Auto Flow
- Grid Auto Columns
- Grid Auto Rows
- Grid Gap
Tailwind CSS Alignment
Tailwind CSS provides utility classes to align content both horizontally and vertically.
- Justify Content
- Justify Items
- Justify Self
- Align Content
- Align Items
- Align Self
- Place Content
- Place Items
- Place Self
Tailwind CSS Spacing
Tailwind CSS simplifies spacing control for padding, margin, and space between elements.
Tailwind CSS Sizing
Control element sizes with Tailwind's utilities for width, height, and maximum/minimum sizes.
Tailwind CSS Typography
Tailwind provides utilities to easily style text, including font sizes, weights, and line heights.
- Font Family
- Font Size
- Font Smoothing
- Font Style
- Font Weight
- Font Variant Numeric
- Letter Spacing
- Line Height
- List Style Type
- Placeholder Color
- Placeholder Opacity
- Text Alignment
- Text Color
- Text Opacity
- Text Decoration
- Text Transform
- Vertical Alignment
- Whitespace
- Word Break
Tailwind CSS Backgrounds
Tailwind's background utilities allow you to control backgrounds like images, colors, and gradients.
- Background Image
- Background Clip
- Background Color
- Background Opacity
- Background Position
- Background Repeat
- Background Size
- Gradient Color Stops
Tailwind CSS Borders
Easily customize borders with Tailwind's utilities for border color, radius, and width.
- Border Radius
- Border Width
- Border Color
- Border Opacity
- Border Style
- Divide Width
- Divide Color
- Divide Opacity
- Divide Style
- Ring Width
- Ring Color
- Ring Opacity
- Ring Offset Width
- Ring Offset Color
Tailwind CSS Effects
Apply visual effects such as shadows and opacity to enhance your UI.
Tailwind CSS Filters
Tailwind CSS provides utilities for applying CSS filters like blur, brightness, and contrast.
- Filter
- Blur
- Brightness
- Contrast
- Drop Shadow
- Grayscale
- Hue Rotate
- Invert
- Saturate
- Sepia
- Backdrop Filter
- Backdrop Blur
- Backdrop Brightness
- Backdrop Contrast
- Backdrop Grayscale
- Backdrop Hue Rotate
- Backdrop Invert
- Backdrop Opacity
- Backdrop Saturate
- Backdrop Sepia
Tailwind CSS Tables
Style tables easily with utilities that control layout and presentation.
Tailwind CSS Transitions and Animation
Add smooth transitions and animations to your UI elements with Tailwind's utility classes.
Tailwind CSS Transforms
Apply transformations such as scale, rotate, and translate with ease.
Tailwind CSS Interactivity
Tailwind provides utilities for enhancing user interactivity, such as cursor style and pointer events.
Tailwind CSS SVG
Style SVG elements with utilities for fill, stroke, and stroke width.
Tailwind CSS for Interview
Prepare for your interviews with common questions related to Tailwind CSS.
- Tailwind CSS Interview Questions and Answers
- Tailwind CSS Exercises, Practice Questions and Solutions
Advantages of Tailwind CSS
- Faster Development: Tailwind’s utility-first approach allows developers to style elements quickly without writing custom CSS for each element.
- Customizable: Tailwind is highly configurable. You can adjust everything, from colors and spacing to breakpoints and fonts, to suit your needs.
- No Unused CSS: With tools like PurgeCSS, unused CSS can be removed automatically, keeping your final CSS file size small and optimized.
- Easier to Maintain: Tailwind’s utility classes encourage consistent design throughout the project, making it easier to maintain.
- No Need for Custom CSS: Since you use predefined utility classes, you won’t need to write custom CSS for each element.
Applications of Tailwind CSS
- Web Development: Tailwind is perfect for creating custom designs quickly in web applications, websites, and landing pages.
- Responsive Websites: Easily create responsive layouts with Tailwind’s built-in classes for different screen sizes.
- Prototyping: Since Tailwind allows you to style directly in HTML, it’s great for prototyping designs without worrying about CSS.
- Component Libraries: Developers can build a consistent design system by creating reusable components, such as buttons, cards, and navigation bars.
Complete References
Tailwind CSS is extensive and covers every aspect of UI design and layout.
- Tailwind CSS Layout
- Tailwind CSS Flexbox
- Tailwind CSS Grid
- Tailwind CSS Alignment
- Tailwind CSS Spacing
- Tailwind CSS Sizing
- Tailwind CSS Typography
- Tailwind CSS Backgrounds
- Tailwind CSS Borders
- Tailwind CSS Effects
- Tailwind CSS Filters
- Tailwind CSS Tables
- Tailwind CSS Transitions and Animation
- Tailwind CSS Transforms
- Tailwind CSS Interactivity
Tailwind CSS vs Other Frameworks
Tailwind CSS is a utility-first CSS framework that offers high flexibility for building custom designs. Let's compare it with other popular frameworks like Bootstrap and Bulma to understand their unique features and use cases.
| Feature | Tailwind CSS | Bootstrap | Bulma |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approach | Utility-first framework | Component-based framework | Flexbox-based modular framework |
| Customization | Highly customizable via config file | Limited to theme variables | Customizable via Sass variables |
| Learning Curve | Steeper (must learn utility classes) | Easier (ready-made components) | Moderate (simpler than Tailwind) |
| File Size | Small when optimized with PurgeCSS | Larger due to included components | Lightweight but not as minimal |
| Responsiveness | Responsive utilities for all elements | Built-in responsive grid system | Flexbox-based responsive grid |
| Components | None included (build your own) | Comprehensive component library | Basic component set |
| Best Use Case | Custom designs, design systems | Rapid prototyping, admin dashboards | Modern websites, simple projects |
