Tailwind CSS v4 principles. CSS-first configuration, container queries, modern patterns, design token architecture. Use when building with Tailwind v4 or migrating from v3.
Scanned 9/23/2026
Skills Directorynpx -y skills add coco-research/coco --skill tailwind-patterns --agent claude-codeInstalls into .claude/skills of the current project.
Are you the author of Tailwind Patterns?
Add the live security badge to your README — it updates automatically with every re-scan.
[](https://www.skillsdirectory.com/skills/coco-research-tailwind-patterns)More formats (shields.io, HTML) on the badges page. Keep it an A: scan every change in CI with Pro.
---
name: tailwind-patterns
description: "Tailwind CSS v4 principles. CSS-first configuration, container queries, modern patterns, design token architecture. Use when building with Tailwind v4 or migrating from v3."
domain: design
supports: [claude-code, cursor, codex, generic]
version: 0.1.0
---
# Tailwind CSS Patterns (v4 - 2025)
Tailwind CSS v4 principles. CSS-first configuration, container queries, modern patterns, design token architecture. Use when building with Tailwind CSS v4, migrating from v3, configuring design tokens in CSS, implementing responsive layouts, or applying utility-first patterns.
---
## 1. Tailwind v4 Architecture
### What Changed from v3
| v3 (Legacy) | v4 (Current) |
|-------------|--------------|
| `tailwind.config.js` | CSS-based `@theme` directive |
| PostCSS plugin | Oxide engine (10x faster) |
| JIT mode | Native, always-on |
| Plugin system | CSS-native features |
| `@apply` directive | Still works, discouraged |
### v4 Core Concepts
| Concept | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| **CSS-first** | Configuration in CSS, not JavaScript |
| **Oxide Engine** | Rust-based compiler, much faster |
| **Native Nesting** | CSS nesting without PostCSS |
| **CSS Variables** | All tokens exposed as `--*` vars |
---
## 2. CSS-Based Configuration
### Theme Definition
```css
@theme {
/* Colors - use semantic names */
--color-primary: oklch(0.7 0.15 250);
--color-surface: oklch(0.98 0 0);
--color-surface-dark: oklch(0.15 0 0);
/* Spacing scale */
--spacing-xs: 0.25rem;
--spacing-sm: 0.5rem;
--spacing-md: 1rem;
--spacing-lg: 2rem;
/* Typography */
--font-sans: 'Inter', system-ui, sans-serif;
--font-mono: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace;
}
```
### When to Extend vs Override
| Action | Use When |
|--------|----------|
| **Extend** | Adding new values alongside defaults |
| **Override** | Replacing default scale entirely |
| **Semantic tokens** | Project-specific naming (primary, surface) |
---
## 3. Container Queries (v4 Native)
### Breakpoint vs Container
| Type | Responds To |
|------|-------------|
| **Breakpoint** (`md:`) | Viewport width |
| **Container** (`@container`) | Parent element width |
### Container Query Usage
| Pattern | Classes |
|---------|---------|
| Define container | `@container` on parent |
| Container breakpoint | `@sm:`, `@md:`, `@lg:` on children |
| Named containers | `@container/card` for specificity |
### When to Use
| Scenario | Use |
|----------|-----|
| Page-level layouts | Viewport breakpoints |
| Component-level responsive | Container queries |
| Reusable components | Container queries (context-independent) |
---
## 4. Responsive Design
### Breakpoint System
| Prefix | Min Width | Target |
|--------|-----------|--------|
| (none) | 0px | Mobile-first base |
| `sm:` | 640px | Large phone / small tablet |
| `md:` | 768px | Tablet |
| `lg:` | 1024px | Laptop |
| `xl:` | 1280px | Desktop |
| `2xl:` | 1536px | Large desktop |
### Mobile-First Principle
1. Write mobile styles first (no prefix)
2. Add larger screen overrides with prefixes
3. Example: `w-full md:w-1/2 lg:w-1/3`
---
## 5. Dark Mode
### Configuration Strategies
| Method | Behavior | Use When |
|--------|----------|----------|
| `class` | `.dark` class toggles | Manual theme switcher |
| `media` | Follows system preference | No user control |
| `selector` | Custom selector (v4) | Complex theming |
### Dark Mode Pattern
| Element | Light | Dark |
|---------|-------|------|
| Background | `bg-white` | `dark:bg-zinc-900` |
| Text | `text-zinc-900` | `dark:text-zinc-100` |
| Borders | `border-zinc-200` | `dark:border-zinc-700` |
---
## 6. Modern Layout Patterns
### Flexbox Patterns
| Pattern | Classes |
|---------|---------|
| Center (both axes) | `flex items-center justify-center` |
| Vertical stack | `flex flex-col gap-4` |
| Horizontal row | `flex gap-4` |
| Space between | `flex justify-between items-center` |
| Wrap grid | `flex flex-wrap gap-4` |
### Grid Patterns
| Pattern | Classes |
|---------|---------|
| Auto-fit responsive | `grid grid-cols-[repeat(auto-fit,minmax(250px,1fr))]` |
| Asymmetric (Bento) | `grid grid-cols-3 grid-rows-2` with spans |
| Sidebar layout | `grid grid-cols-[auto_1fr]` |
> **Note:** Prefer asymmetric/Bento layouts over symmetric 3-column grids.
---
## 7. Modern Color System
### OKLCH vs RGB/HSL
| Format | Advantage |
|--------|-----------|
| **OKLCH** | Perceptually uniform, better for design |
| **HSL** | Intuitive hue/saturation |
| **RGB** | Legacy compatibility |
### Color Token Architecture
| Layer | Example | Purpose |
|-------|---------|---------|
| **Primitive** | `--blue-500` | Raw color values |
| **Semantic** | `--color-primary` | Purpose-based naming |
| **Component** | `--button-bg` | Component-specific |
---
## 8. Typography System
### Font Stack Pattern
| Type | Recommended |
|------|-------------|
| Sans | `'Inter', 'SF Pro', system-ui, sans-serif` |
| Mono | `'JetBrains Mono', 'Fira Code', monospace` |
| Display | `'Outfit', 'Poppins', sans-serif` |
### Type Scale
| Class | Size | Use |
|-------|------|-----|
| `text-xs` | 0.75rem | Labels, captions |
| `text-sm` | 0.875rem | Secondary text |
| `text-base` | 1rem | Body text |
| `text-lg` | 1.125rem | Lead text |
| `text-xl`+ | 1.25rem+ | Headings |
---
## 9. Animation & Transitions
### Built-in Animations
| Class | Effect |
|-------|--------|
| `animate-spin` | Continuous rotation |
| `animate-ping` | Attention pulse |
| `animate-pulse` | Subtle opacity pulse |
| `animate-bounce` | Bouncing effect |
### Transition Patterns
| Pattern | Classes |
|---------|---------|
| All properties | `transition-all duration-200` |
| Specific | `transition-colors duration-150` |
| With easing | `ease-out` or `ease-in-out` |
| Hover effect | `hover:scale-105 transition-transform` |
---
## 10. Component Extraction
### When to Extract
| Signal | Action |
|--------|--------|
| Same class combo 3+ times | Extract component |
| Complex state variants | Extract component |
| Design system element | Extract + document |
### Extraction Methods
| Method | Use When |
|--------|----------|
| **React/Vue component** | Dynamic, JS needed |
| **@apply in CSS** | Static, no JS needed |
| **Design tokens** | Reusable values |
---
## 11. Anti-Patterns
| Don't | Do |
|-------|-----|
| Arbitrary values everywhere | Use design system scale |
| `!important` | Fix specificity properly |
| Inline `style=` | Use utilities |
| Duplicate long class lists | Extract component |
| Mix v3 config with v4 | Migrate fully to CSS-first |
| Use `@apply` heavily | Prefer components |
---
## 12. Performance Principles
| Principle | Implementation |
|-----------|----------------|
| **Purge unused** | Automatic in v4 |
| **Avoid dynamism** | No template string classes |
| **Use Oxide** | Default in v4, 10x faster |
| **Cache builds** | CI/CD caching |
---
> **Remember:** Tailwind v4 is CSS-first. Embrace CSS variables, container queries, and native features. The config file is now optional.
Is this your skill, or is something wrong with this listing? Request removal or report an issue. Author removals are honored within 72 hours.
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
