What is the tailwind-css-patterns skill?
tailwind-css-patterns is a Tailwind CSS styling skill that lives in the developer-kit-typescript plugin. It covers v4.1+ utilities, a mobile-first workflow, breakpoint values, dark mode and form and card examples, then points to eight reference files for layout, components, animation, performance and accessibility. It carries a troubleshooting section too.
tailwind-css-patterns sits in the developer-kit-typescript plugin of the developer-kit repository, a plugin marketplace with 150+ skills. Its SKILL.md is an expert guide for responsive, accessible interfaces with Tailwind CSS v4.1+ and its utility-first approach.
It allows the tools Read, Write, Edit, Glob, Grep and Bash, so the agent can search files and edit them while it restyles components. The description lists React, Vue and Svelte components as the main targets.
The six step workflow
- Start mobile-first: base styles for small screens, then sm:, md: and lg: prefixes for larger ones.
- Use design tokens from Tailwind's spacing, color and typography scales.
- Compose several utilities to build complex styles.
- Extract components for patterns that repeat.
- Configure the theme in tailwind.config.js or with @theme.
- Verify each breakpoint in DevTools responsive mode, and check for visual regressions and accessibility issues before committing.
What changes in your agent's output
- Layouts start from a base mobile layer, with breakpoints at 640, 768, 1024, 1280 and 1536 pixels layered on top.
- Spacing follows Tailwind's scale, and colors stay inside Tailwind's palette for consistency.
- Utility classes win over @apply, and long class strings get pulled out into components.
- Focus styles, ARIA labels and reduced motion preferences are part of the checklist.
Who tailwind-css-patterns is for
Best for
- Styling React, Vue or Svelte components with utility classes.
- Responsive layouts and grids that have to hold at every breakpoint.
- Teams adding dark mode or building a design system on Tailwind.
Not for
- Projects that do not use Tailwind. The whole guide is utility classes.
- Choosing a visual direction. This is a how-to for utilities; baseline UI is a different kind of guidance to compare.
- Unchecked config copy. The SKILL.md targets v4.1+ yet its troubleshooting names tailwind.config.js, content paths and darkMode, so test against your version.
Use it with UiChemy
tailwind-css-patterns produces Tailwind markup for component based front ends. UiChemy AI to WordPress imports an AI build, and Composer then edits it inside Elementor or Gutenberg. Click Get Started on uichemy.com.
For ready made parts to style, shadcn UI MCP and Starwind UI MCP are options to compare, and dark mode design goes further on theming.
How to install tailwind-css-patterns Skill: A Utility-First Styling Guide
/plugin marketplace add giuseppe-trisciuoglio/developer-kitAdd the marketplace
In Claude Code, run
/plugin marketplace add giuseppe-trisciuoglio/developer-kit.Enable the plugins
Enable developer-kit-core, which the README calls the required base plugin, and developer-kit-typescript. This skill sits in plugins/developer-kit-typescript/skills/tailwind-css-patterns.
Or install from a clone
Run
git clone https://github.com/giuseppe-trisciuoglio/developer-kit.git,cd developer-kit, thenmake install, which auto-detects your CLI. Targeted options aremake install-claude,make install-opencode,make install-copilotandmake install-codex.Ask for a styling task
Ask for a responsive component or a Tailwind layout and watch for the mobile-first workflow.
Check that it loaded
Ask for a responsive product card. The output should use base mobile classes with sm: and lg: prefixes, and the agent should say it checked the layout at each breakpoint.
Key features
- Breakpoint quick referenceA table gives the prefixes and minimum widths: sm at 640px, md at 768px, lg at 1024px, xl at 1280px and 2xl at 1536px.
- Common pattern snippetsShort HTML snippets cover centered content, a responsive grid that runs from one column to two to four, and a basic card component.
- Six step instruction listThe workflow runs from mobile-first base styles through tokens, composition, component extraction and theme configuration to testing at each breakpoint.
- Worked examplesA responsive product card in TSX that switches to a row at sm, a dark mode snippet with dark: variants, and a form input with a focus ring.
- Dark mode guidanceTroubleshooting covers setting the class or media strategy, toggling the dark class on the root element, and adding it to html before the body renders to avoid a flash.
- Seven best practicesConsistent spacing, Tailwind's color system, component extraction, utilities over @apply, semantic HTML, content paths for purging and accessibility with reduced motion.
- Troubleshooting notesFixes for classes not applying, responsive styles not working and dark mode issues, with steps such as checking content paths and rebuilding.
- Constraints and warningsIt flags class proliferation, misconfigured content paths that purge classes in production, overuse of arbitrary values and @apply with complex selectors.
- Eight reference filesDeeper notes on layout patterns, component patterns, responsive design, animations, performance, accessibility, configuration and extra reference material.
- Scoped tool accessThe frontmatter lists Read, Write, Edit, Glob, Grep and Bash as the tools the skill may use.
Frequently asked questions
What is the tailwind-css-patterns skill?
It is a Tailwind CSS styling guide packaged as an agent skill in the developer-kit-typescript plugin. It gives your AI agent breakpoints, a mobile-first workflow, examples, best practices, troubleshooting steps and eight reference files for utility-first work.
How do I install tailwind-css-patterns?
Add the developer-kit marketplace, then enable developer-kit-core and developer-kit-typescript. You can also clone the repository and run make install, which detects your CLI, or pick a target such as make install-codex. The skill is in plugins/developer-kit-typescript/skills/tailwind-css-patterns.
Which AI coding agents can use tailwind-css-patterns?
The README calls developer-kit a plugin marketplace for Claude Code, and says it also works with GitHub Copilot CLI, OpenCode CLI and Codex CLI. It lists make targets for each and a Claude Desktop setup. Other agents are not mentioned.
Which Tailwind version does it target?
The SKILL.md says it covers Tailwind CSS v4.1+ features, including CSS-first configuration. Its troubleshooting and best practice text also mentions tailwind.config.js, content paths and a darkMode setting, so confirm those steps against the Tailwind version in your project.
What is in the reference files?
There are eight: layout patterns, component patterns, responsive design, animations, performance, accessibility, configuration and a general reference file. They cover topics like cards, navigation, forms, modals, container queries, bundle optimization and focus management.
Do I need the whole developer-kit?
The README says developer-kit-core is the required base plugin and developer-kit-typescript adds the TypeScript tooling. Each plugin is self-contained, so you can skip the Java, Python, PHP and AWS ones. For a single component source, see shadcn UI MCP.
What license does it use?
The developer-kit repository is MIT licensed and has 355 stars. The last push was on September 10, 2026. The README also warns that skills can execute code, so review a SKILL.md before enabling it.