Original skill document
Rendered from the source repository. Headings, examples, code, tables, links, and referenced images are preserved.
Tailwind Design System (v4)
Build production-ready design systems with Tailwind CSS v4, including CSS-first configuration, design tokens, component variants, responsive patterns, and accessibility.
Note: This skill targets Tailwind CSS v4 (2024+). For v3 projects, refer to the upgrade guide.
When to Use This Skill
- Creating a component library with Tailwind v4
- Implementing design tokens and theming with CSS-first configuration
- Building responsive and accessible components
- Standardizing UI patterns across a codebase
- Migrating from Tailwind v3 to v4
- Setting up dark mode with native CSS features
Key v4 Changes
| v3 Pattern | v4 Pattern |
|---|---|
tailwind.config.ts | @theme in CSS |
@tailwind base/components/utilities | @import "tailwindcss" |
darkMode: "class" | @custom-variant dark (&:where(.dark, .dark *)) |
theme.extend.colors | @theme { --color-*: value } |
require("tailwindcss-animate") | CSS @keyframes in @theme + @starting-style for entry animations |
Quick Start
css
/* app.css - Tailwind v4 CSS-first configuration */
@import "tailwindcss";
/* Define your theme with @theme */
@theme {
/* Semantic color tokens using OKLCH for better color perception */
--color-background: oklch(100% 0 0);
--color-foreground: oklch(14.5% 0.025 264);
--color-primary: oklch(14.5% 0.025 264);
--color-primary-foreground: oklch(98% 0.01 264);
--color-secondary: oklch(96% 0.01 264);
--color-secondary-foreground: oklch(14.5% 0.025 264);
--color-muted: oklch(96% 0.01 264);
--color-muted-foreground: oklch(46% 0.02 264);
--color-accent: oklch(96% 0.01 264);
--color-accent-foreground: oklch(14.5% 0.025 264);
--color-destructive: oklch(53% 0.22 27);
--color-destructive-foreground: oklch(98% 0.01 264);
--color-border: oklch(91% 0.01 264);
--color-ring: oklch(14.5% 0.025 264);
--color-card: oklch(100% 0 0);
--color-card-foreground: oklch(14.5% 0.025 264);
/* Ring offset for focus states */
--color-ring-offset: oklch(100% 0 0);
/* Radius tokens */
--radius-sm: 0.25rem;
--radius-md: 0.375rem;
--radius-lg: 0.5rem;
--radius-xl: 0.75rem;
/* Animation tokens - keyframes inside @theme are output when referenced by --animate-* variables */
--animate-fade-in: fade-in 0.2s ease-out;
--animate-fade-out: fade-out 0.2s ease-in;
--animate-slide-in: slide-in 0.3s ease-out;
--animate-slide-out: slide-out 0.3s ease-in;
@keyframes fade-in {
from {
opacity: 0;
}
to {
opacity: 1;
}
}
@keyframes fade-out {
from {
opacity: 1;
}
to {
opacity: 0;
}
}
@keyframes slide-in {
from {
transform: translateY(-0.5rem);
opacity: 0;
}
to {
transform: translateY(0);
opacity: 1;
}
}
@keyframes slide-out {
from {
transform: translateY(0);
opacity: 1;
}
to {
transform: translateY(-0.5rem);
opacity: 0;
}
}
}
/* Dark mode variant - use @custom-variant for class-based dark mode */
@custom-variant dark (&:where(.dark, .dark *));
/* Dark mode theme overrides */
.dark {
--color-background: oklch(14.5% 0.025 264);
--color-foreground: oklch(98% 0.01 264);
--color-primary: oklch(98% 0.01 264);
--color-primary-foreground: oklch(14.5% 0.025 264);
--color-secondary: oklch(22% 0.02 264);
--color-secondary-foreground: oklch(98% 0.01 264);
--color-muted: oklch(22% 0.02 264);
--color-muted-foreground: oklch(65% 0.02 264);
--color-accent: oklch(22% 0.02 264);
--color-accent-foreground: oklch(98% 0.01 264);
--color-destructive: oklch(42% 0.15 27);
--color-destructive-foreground: oklch(98% 0.01 264);
--color-border: oklch(22% 0.02 264);
--color-ring: oklch(83% 0.02 264);
--color-card: oklch(14.5% 0.025 264);
--color-card-foreground: oklch(98% 0.01 264);
--color-ring-offset: oklch(14.5% 0.025 264);
}
/* Base styles */
@layer base {
* {
@apply border-border;
}
body {
@apply bg-background text-foreground antialiased;
}
}Core Concepts
1. Design Token Hierarchy
Brand Tokens (abstract)
└── Semantic Tokens (purpose)
└── Component Tokens (specific)
Example:
oklch(45% 0.2 260) → --color-primary → bg-primary2. Component Architecture
Base styles → Variants → Sizes → States → OverridesDetailed patterns and worked examples
Detailed pattern documentation lives in references/details.md. Read that file when the navigation tier above is insufficient.
