Tailwind CSS Component Patterns

Status: Production Ready ✅ Last Updated: 2026-01-14 Tailwind Compatibility: v3.x and v4.x Source: Production projects, shadcn/ui patterns

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Quick Start

Essential Patterns

// Section Container
<section className="max-w-7xl mx-auto px-4 sm:px-6 lg:px-8 py-16 sm:py-24">
  {/* content */}
</section>

// Card Base
<div className="bg-card text-card-foreground rounded-lg border border-border p-6">
  {/* content */}
</div>

// Button Primary
<button className="bg-primary text-primary-foreground px-4 py-2 rounded-md hover:bg-primary/90 transition-colors">
  Click me
</button>

// Responsive Grid
<div className="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3 gap-6">
  {/* items */}
</div>

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Spacing Scale

Consistent spacing prevents design drift:

Standard Pattern: Use increments of 4 (4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24)

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Responsive Breakpoints

Mobile-first approach (base styles = mobile, add larger breakpoints):

// Mobile: 1 column, Tablet: 2 columns, Desktop: 3 columns
<div className="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3 gap-6">

---

Container Patterns

Standard Page Container

<div className="max-w-7xl mx-auto px-4 sm:px-6 lg:px-8">
  {/* content */}
</div>

Variations:

• max-w-4xl - Narrow content (blog posts)
• max-w-5xl - Medium content
• max-w-6xl - Wide content
• max-w-7xl - Full width (default)

Section Spacing

<section className="py-16 sm:py-24">
  <div className="max-w-7xl mx-auto px-4 sm:px-6 lg:px-8">
    {/* content */}
  </div>
</section>

---

Card Patterns

Basic Card

<div className="bg-card text-card-foreground rounded-lg border border-border p-6">
  <h3 className="text-lg font-semibold mb-2">Card Title</h3>
  <p className="text-muted-foreground">Card description goes here.</p>
</div>

Feature Card with Icon

<div className="bg-card text-card-foreground rounded-lg border border-border p-6 hover:shadow-lg transition-shadow">
  <div className="h-12 w-12 rounded-lg bg-primary/10 flex items-center justify-center mb-4">
    {/* Icon */}
  </div>
  <h3 className="text-lg font-semibold mb-2">Feature Title</h3>
  <p className="text-muted-foreground">Feature description.</p>
</div>

Pricing Card

<div className="bg-card text-card-foreground rounded-lg border-2 border-border p-8 relative">
  <div className="text-sm font-semibold text-primary mb-2">Pro Plan</div>
  <div className="text-4xl font-bold mb-1">$29<span className="text-lg text-muted-foreground">/mo</span></div>
  <p className="text-muted-foreground mb-6">For growing teams</p>
  <button className="w-full bg-primary text-primary-foreground py-2 rounded-md hover:bg-primary/90">
    Get Started
  </button>
</div>

See references/card-patterns.md for more variants.

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Grid Layouts

Auto-Responsive Grid

<div className="grid grid-cols-1 md:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3 gap-6">
  {items.map(item => <Card key={item.id} {...item} />)}
</div>

Auto-Fit Grid (Dynamic Columns)

<div className="grid grid-cols-[repeat(auto-fit,minmax(280px,1fr))] gap-6">
  {/* Automatically adjusts columns based on available space */}
</div>

Masonry-Style Grid

<div className="columns-1 md:columns-2 lg:columns-3 gap-6 space-y-6">
  {items.map(item => (
    <div key={item.id} className="break-inside-avoid">
      <Card {...item} />
    </div>
  ))}
</div>

---

Button Patterns

// Primary
<button className="bg-primary text-primary-foreground px-4 py-2 rounded-md hover:bg-primary/90 transition-colors">
  Primary
</button>

// Secondary
<button className="bg-secondary text-secondary-foreground px-4 py-2 rounded-md hover:bg-secondary/80">
  Secondary
</button>

// Outline
<button className="border border-border bg-transparent px-4 py-2 rounded-md hover:bg-accent">
  Outline
</button>

// Ghost
<button className="bg-transparent px-4 py-2 rounded-md hover:bg-accent hover:text-accent-foreground">
  Ghost
</button>

// Destructive
<button className="bg-destructive text-destructive-foreground px-4 py-2 rounded-md hover:bg-destructive/90">
  Delete
</button>

Size Variants:

• Small: px-3 py-1.5 text-sm
• Default: `px-

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