Creating fast, customizable, and modern web apps has never been easier with React, Vite, and Tailwind CSS. This beginner-friendly guide will help you build a fully functional React project with Tailwind styling using Vite as your development tool.
π Why Use React + Vite + Tailwind?
- β‘ Vite: Superfast dev server and build tool.
- β React: Flexible and scalable UI library.
- π¨ Tailwind CSS: Utility-first CSS for rapid UI development.
π§° Prerequisites
Make sure you have the following installed:
- Node.js (v18+)
- npm or yarn
- VS Code or any code editor
π¦ Step 1: Create a React App Using Vite
npm create vite@latest my-react-app --template react cd my-react-app npm install
π¨ Step 2: Install Tailwind CSS
npm install -D tailwindcss postcss autoprefixer npx tailwindcss init -p
βοΈ Step 3: Configure Tailwind
Update tailwind.config.js:
export default { content: [ "./index.html", "./src/**/*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}", ], theme: { extend: {}, }, plugins: [], }
Add this to src/index.css
:
@tailwind base; @tailwind components; @tailwind utilities;
π Step 4: Start the Dev Server
npm run dev
Visit http://localhost:5173
in your browser.
π§ͺ Step 5: Test Tailwind Styling
Replace the content of App.jsx
with:
function App() { return ( <div className="flex items-center justify-center h-screen bg-gradient-to-r from-purple-500 to-blue-500 text-white text-4xl font-bold"> Hello Tailwind + React + Vite! π </div> ); } export default App;
β
Folder Structure
my-react-app/ βββ index.html βββ tailwind.config.js βββ postcss.config.js βββ src/ βββ App.jsx βββ main.jsx βββ index.css
β FAQs
Q: Can I use TypeScript with this setup?
A: Yes! Choose react-ts
template while initializing with Vite.
Q: Is this production-ready?
A: Yes. Vite offers optimized builds and Tailwind supports purging unused CSS.
Q: Can I use UI libraries with Tailwind?
A: Absolutely. Try Headless UI, Radix UI, or ShadCN for React-compatible components.
π§ Final Thoughts
Combining React, Vite, and Tailwind gives you:
- π Speedy dev experience and build times
- β¨ Clean, scalable, component-based architecture
- π¨ Beautiful, responsive UIs using utility-first CSS
π Original Blog Post Link
π Read it on How to Create a React App with Vite and Tailwind (Beginner Guide)
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