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Posted on • Originally published at webcodingwithankur.blogspot.com

How to Create a React App with Vite and Tailwind (Beginner Guide)

How to Create a React App with Vite and Tailwind

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.


πŸš€ Why Use React + Vite + Tailwind?

  • ⚑ Vite: Superfast dev server and build tool.
  • βš› React: Flexible and scalable UI library.
  • πŸ’¨ Tailwind CSS: Utility-first CSS for rapid UI development.

🧰 Prerequisites

Make sure you have the following installed:

  • Node.js (v18+)
  • npm or yarn
  • VS Code or any code editor

πŸ“¦ Step 1: Create a React App Using Vite

npm create vite@latest my-react-app --template react cd my-react-app npm install 
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πŸ’¨ Step 2: Install Tailwind CSS

npm install -D tailwindcss postcss autoprefixer npx tailwindcss init -p 
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✍️ Step 3: Configure Tailwind
Update tailwind.config.js:

export default { content: [ "./index.html", "./src/**/*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}", ], theme: { extend: {}, }, plugins: [], } 
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Add this to src/index.css:

@tailwind base; @tailwind components; @tailwind utilities; 
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πŸ”„ Step 4: Start the Dev Server

npm run dev 
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Visit http://localhost:5173 in your browser.


πŸ§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! πŸš€ </div> ); } export default App; 
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βœ… Folder Structure

my-react-app/ β”œβ”€β”€ index.html β”œβ”€β”€ tailwind.config.js β”œβ”€β”€ postcss.config.js └── src/ β”œβ”€β”€ App.jsx β”œβ”€β”€ main.jsx └── index.css 
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❓ 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.


🧠 Final Thoughts
Combining React, Vite, and Tailwind gives you:

  • πŸš€ Speedy dev experience and build times
  • ✨ Clean, scalable, component-based architecture
  • 🎨 Beautiful, responsive UIs using utility-first CSS

πŸ“Ž Original Blog Post Link
πŸ‘‰ Read it on How to Create a React App with Vite and Tailwind (Beginner Guide)

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