About
Apply Tailwind CSS patterns for responsive design, custom themes, component variants, and utility-first architecture.
name: tailwind-ops description: "Tailwind CSS utility patterns, responsive design, component patterns, v4 migration, and configuration. Use for: tailwind, tailwindcss, utility classes, responsive design, dark mode, tailwind v4, tailwind config, tw, container queries, @apply, prose, typography, animation." license: MIT allowed-tools: "Read Write Bash" metadata: author: claude-mods related-skills: react-ops, vue-ops, astro-ops
Tailwind Operations
Comprehensive Tailwind CSS patterns covering layout, responsive design, components, dark mode, animations, and v4 migration.
Layout Decision Tree
Which layout approach?
│
├─ Items in a single row or column?
│ └─ Use Flexbox
│ ├─ Row: class="flex items-center gap-4"
│ ├─ Column: class="flex flex-col gap-4"
│ ├─ Wrap: class="flex flex-wrap gap-4"
│ └─ Push item to end: class="flex" + child class="ml-auto"
│
├─ Items in a 2D grid (rows AND columns)?
│ └─ Use CSS Grid
│ ├─ Equal columns: class="grid grid-cols-3 gap-6"
│ ├─ Responsive grid: class="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3 gap-6"
│ ├─ Sidebar layout: class="grid grid-cols-[250px_1fr] gap-6"
│ ├─ Spanning: child class="col-span-2" or "row-span-2"
│ └─ Auto-fill: class="grid grid-cols-[repeat(auto-fill,minmax(250px,1fr))] gap-6"
│
├─ Component should adapt to its CONTAINER size (not viewport)?
│ └─ Use Container Queries (v3.2+ / v4 native)
│ ├─ Parent: class="@container"
│ ├─ Child: class="@sm:flex-row @lg:grid-cols-3"
│ └─ Named: class="@container/sidebar" → child: "@sm/sidebar:flex-row"
│
├─ Centering something?
│ ├─ Horizontal text: class="text-center"
│ ├─ Horizontal block: class="mx-auto" (needs width)
│ ├─ Flex center: class="flex items-center justify-center"
│ ├─ Grid center: class="grid place-items-center"
│ └─ Absolute center: class="absolute top-1/2 left-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 -translate-y-1/2"
│
└─ Full-page layout (header/sidebar/content/footer)?
└─ Use Grid with named areas or template rows
├─ Sticky header: class="grid grid-rows-[auto_1fr_auto] min-h-screen"
└─ Sidebar + main: class="grid grid-cols-[250px_1fr] min-h-screen"
Responsive Design Quick Reference
Breakpoints (Mobile-First)
| Prefix | Min Width | Typical Target |
|--------|-----------|----------------|
| (none) | 0px | Mobile (default) |
| sm: | 640px | Large phones, landscape |
| md: | 768px | Tablets |
| lg: | 1024px | Small laptops |
| xl: | 1280px | Desktops |
| 2xl: | 1536px | Large screens |
Mobile-first means: base styles apply to mobile, add breakpoint prefixes to override upward.
<!-- Stack on mobile, 2 columns on tablet, 3 on desktop -->
<div class="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3 gap-6">
<div>Card 1</div>
<div>Card 2</div>
<div>Card 3</div>
</div>
<!-- Hide on mobile, show on desktop -->
<nav class="hidden lg:flex items-center gap-6">...</nav>
<!-- Full width on mobile, constrained on desktop -->
<div class="w-full max-w-3xl mx-auto px-4 sm:px-6 lg:px-8">...</div>
Container Queries
<!-- Parent declares itself as a container -->
<div class="@container">
<!-- Children respond to PARENT width, not viewport -->
<div class="flex flex-col @sm:flex-row @lg:grid @lg:grid-cols-3 gap-4">
<div>Adapts to container</div>
</div>
</div>
<!-- Named container (useful when nesting) -->
<div class="@container/card">
<h2 class="text-sm @md/card:text-lg">Responds to card container</h2>
</div>
Fluid Typography with clamp()
<!-- Fluid heading: 1.5rem at small, 3rem at large, scales between -->
<h1 class="text-[clamp(1.5rem,4vw,3rem)]">Fluid Heading</h1>
<!-- Fluid body text -->
<p class="text-[clamp(0.875rem,1.5vw,1.125rem)] leading-relaxed">
Body text that scales smoothly.
</p>
Dark Mode Decision Tree
Which dark mode strategy?
│
├─ Manual toggle (user preference stored)?
│ └─ class strategy (v3) / selector strategy (v4)
│
│ v3: tailwind.config.js
│ module.exports = { darkMode: 'class' }
│ → Add class="dark" to <html> element
│
│ v4: CSS @custom-variant or default behavior
│ @custom-variant dark (&:where(.dark, .dark *));
│ → Same toggle, add class="dark" to <html>
│
├─ Follow system preference only?
│ └─ media strategy
│
│ v3: tailwind.config.js
│ module.exports = { darkMode: 'media' }
│ → Uses prefers-color-scheme automatically
│
│ v4: Default behavior (no config needed)
│ → Uses prefers-color-scheme out of the box
│
└─ Custom selector (data attribute, etc.)?
└─ selector strategy (v4 only)
v4: @custom-variant dark (&:where([data-theme="dark"], [data-theme="dark"] *));
→ Add data-theme="dark" to <html>
Dark Mode Patterns
<!-- Background and text -->
<div class="bg-white dark:bg-gray-900 text-gray-900 dark:text-gray-100">
<!-- Card with dark variant -->
<div class="bg-gray-50 dark:bg-gray-800 rounde
Compatible Tools
Claude CodeCursorGitHub Copilot
Tags
Frontend
