Tailwind CSS Patterns (v4 - 2025)
SkillMediaThis is a skill that gives an AI agent reference patterns for Tailwind CSS v4. It covers CSS-first configuration with the @theme directive, container queries, responsive breakpoints, dark mode, color tokens, and layout recipes. The agent uses these patterns when writing or editing stylesheets and components, inspecting the project first with read, write, and file-search tools.
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Details
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No other account needed.
Have a project that uses Tailwind CSS v4.
What your AI can do with it
- Write Tailwind CSS v4 code using CSS-first @theme configuration
- Apply container queries with @container and @sm:, @md:, @lg: classes
- Use responsive breakpoints from sm: through 2xl: with mobile-first styles
- Set up dark mode with class or media strategies
- Define design tokens as CSS variables for colors, spacing, and typography
- Inspect project files with Read, Write, Edit, Glob, and Grep before styling
Getting started
- Have a project that uses Tailwind CSS v4.
- Make sure the agent can use Read, Write, Edit, Glob, and Grep tools.
- Add the skill to your agent's available skills.
- Ask the agent to write or edit a stylesheet or component, and it will apply the v4 patterns.
What this skill tells your AI
The instructions your AI receives, as published by davila7/claude-code-templates in cli-tool/components/skills/creative-design/tailwind-patterns/SKILL.md and read by ahel’s review.
Modern utility-first CSS with CSS-native configuration.
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
@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
- Write mobile styles first (no prefix)
- Add larger screen overrides with prefixes
- 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.
Signals
- GitHub stars
- 32k
- Forks
- 4k
- Last commit
- Oct 2026
Others that do the same job
Questions
- What is tailwind claude skill?
- It is a skill that gives an agent reference patterns for Tailwind CSS v4, including CSS-first theming, container queries, responsive breakpoints, dark mode, and design tokens.
- Does it support Tailwind CSS v3?
- No. The skill covers Tailwind CSS v4 principles and patterns, not v3.
- What tools does the skill use?
- It uses Read, Write, Edit, Glob, and Grep to inspect the project before writing or editing stylesheets and components.
- Can it configure dark mode?
- Yes. It covers dark mode strategies using a class toggle or media query.
Advanced
- Item type
- skill
- Key
tailwind-patterns-davila7- Source
- github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates
github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates
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