---
title: Tailwind Setup
---

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<div class="copy">
  <p>
    Our general Tailwind setup involves a <code>frontend.config.json</code>, <code>tailwind.config.js</code> and an <code>input.css</code> file.
  </p>

  <p>
    We use values from this JSON file inside the Tailwind config to separate
    Tailwind config itself from front end site data. This JSON file is often
    read by a project's Webpack set up, a project's JavaScript and a project's
    CMS. This set up is, of course, not mandatory to use these plugins, but they
    may still prove inspiration for your Tailwind set up all the same.
  </p>

  <p>
    This documentation site is made using Tailwind and AREA 17 tailwind plugins,
    this page documents the config files used for this site.
  </p>

  <p>With the introduction of Tailwind 4, the setup of your project changes. Both use the same <code>frontend.config.json</code>.</p>

  <ul>
    <li><a href="#config">frontend.config.json</a></li>
    <li><a href="#tailwind-4">Tailwind 4 setup</a></li>
    <li><a href="#tailwind-3">Tailwind 3 setup</a></li>
  </ul>

  <p>
    <strong>Note:</strong> For the smallest possible output and the fastest build times, only include the plugins you are using. Some plugins, especially GridLines, require a lot of purging.
  </p>

  <h2 id="config">frontend.config.json</h2>

  <figure class="code-example">
    <figcaption class="code-example-filename">frontend.config.json</figcaption>
    <pre
      class="code-example-code"
    ><code class="language-json">{% include_relative frontend.config.json %}</code></pre>
  </figure>

  <ul>
    <li>
      <code>structure</code> - here we describe the main layout of the site, its
      grid and composition, from these <code>:root</code> variables will be made
      <ul>
        <li><code>breakpoints</code> - where each of our breakpoints starts</li>
        <li>
          <code>columns</code> - how many design columns at each breakpoint
        </li>
        <li>
          <code>container</code> - how wide the main container of the site is
          (<code>auto</code> or <code>px/vw/rem</code>)
        </li>
      </ul>
    </li>
    <li>
      <code>gutters</code> - gutters definitions
      <ul>
        <li><code>inner</code> - between design columns</li>
        <li><code>outer</code> - on the outside of the main container</li>
      </ul>
    </li>
    <li>
      <code>ratios</code> - which ratios should be generated for ratio boxes
    </li>
    <li>
      <code>spacing</code> - define the spacing values for use in Tailwind
      spacing classes like <code>h-20</code> and <code>mx-40</code>
      <ul>
        <li>
          <code>tokens</code> - people rarely think in <code>rems</code>,
          they're abstract but as experienced screen developers we've been
          talking about pixels for years - we rename the spacing tokens to pixel
          values and use a function to convert them to <code>rems</code> and so
          <code>mt-16</code> will give you a margin top of
          <code>16px</code> (which in the output CSS will be <code>1rem</code>)
          <br> <strong>Note:</strong> not required for Tailwind 4
        </li>
        <li>
          <code>groups</code> - responsive spacing utility classes, create
          global spacing rules that are responsive and systematised, from these
          <code>:root</code> variables will be made
        </li>
      </ul>
    </li>
    <li>
      <code>color</code> - define site colours
      <ul>
        <li>
          <code>tokens</code> - these are the colour names, such as
          <code>red-600</code>, not super human readable, from these
          <code>:root</code> variables will be made
        </li>
        <li>
          <code>borderColor</code> - apply colour tokens (or arbitrary colours)
          to human readable systematised named classes, eg:
          <code>border-primary</code> for your primary border, might map to
          <code>primary: grey-5</code>, from these <code>:root</code> variables
          will be made
        </li>
        <li><code>textColor</code> - same for text classes</li>
        <li><code>backgroundColor</code> - and background colours</li>
      </ul>
    </li>
    <li>
      <code>typography</code> - define the site type styles
      <ul>
        <li>
          <code>families</code> - firstly the families being used, from these
          <code>:root</code> variables will be made
        </li>
        <li>
          <code>typesets</code> - responsive type sets, where breakpoint
          overrides can be specified and typography can be systematised
        </li>
      </ul>
    </li>
  </ul>

  <h2 id="tailwind-4">Tailwind 4 tailwind.config.js and input.css</h2>

  <figure class="code-example">
    <figcaption class="code-example-filename">tailwind.config.js</figcaption>
    <pre
      class="code-example-code"
    ><code class="language-javascript">{% include_relative tailwind.config.js %}</code></pre>
  </figure>

  <p>And then input this tailwind.config.js and configure the Tailwind theme in CSS:</p>

  <figure class="code-example">
    <figcaption class="code-example-filename">input.css</figcaption>
    <pre
      class="code-example-code"
    ><code class="language-css">@config "./tailwind.config.js";
@import "tailwindcss";

@theme {
  --container-*: initial;
  --breakpoint-*: initial;
  --color-*: initial;
  --font-*: initial;
  --text-*: initial;
  --tracking-*: initial;
  --leading-*: initial;
  --spacing: 1px;
}

@utility container {
  max-width: 100%;
}</code></pre>
  </figure>

  <h2 id="tailwind-3">Tailwind 3 tailwind.config.js</h2>

  <figure class="code-example">
    <figcaption class="code-example-filename">tailwind.config.js</figcaption>
    <pre
      class="code-example-code"
    ><code class="language-javascript">{% include_relative v4/tailwind.config.js %}</code></pre>
  </figure>

  <figure class="code-example">
    <figcaption class="code-example-filename">input.css</figcaption>
    <pre
      class="code-example-code"
    ><code class="language-css">@tailwind base;
@tailwind components;
@tailwind utilities;</code></pre>
  </figure>
</div>

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