Tailwind CSS v4.0: A Revolutionary Performance Leap

Tailwind CSS v4.0 has arrived, and it's nothing short of revolutionary. This all-new version represents a complete ground-up rewrite optimized for performance and flexibility, taking full advantage of the latest web platform advancements.

Performance That Will Blow Your Mind

The most impressive aspect of v4.0 is its incredible performance improvements:

• Full builds: Up to 5x faster
• Incremental builds: Over 100x faster (measured in microseconds)
• No-change rebuilds: Complete in just 192 microseconds

# Benchmark comparison
v3.4 Full build: 378ms
v4.0 Full build: 100ms (3.78x improvement)

v3.4 Incremental: 44ms
v4.0 Incremental: 5ms (8.8x improvement)

Built for the Modern Web

Tailwind CSS v4.0 leverages cutting-edge CSS features that weren't available when v3.0 was released:

Native Cascade Layers

@layer theme, base, components, utilities;

@layer utilities {
  .mx-6 {
    margin-inline: calc(var(--spacing) * 6);
  }
}

Registered Custom Properties

@property --tw-gradient-from {
  syntax: "<color>";
  inherits: false;
  initial-value: #0000;
}

Advanced Color Mixing

.bg-blue-500\/50 {
  background-color: color-mix(in oklab, var(--color-blue-500) 50%, transparent);
}

Simplified Installation Experience

Gone are the days of complex configuration. v4.0 streamlines everything:

# 1. Install Tailwind CSS
npm i tailwindcss @tailwindcss/postcss

# 2. Add the PostCSS plugin
export default {
  plugins: ["@tailwindcss/postcss"],
};

# 3. Import Tailwind in your CSS
@import "tailwindcss";

That's it! No configuration files, no complex setup—just one line of CSS.

Game-Changing New Features

CSS-First Configuration

Customize and extend the framework directly in CSS instead of JavaScript:

@theme {
  --color-brand: #3b82f6;
  --font-family-display: "Inter", sans-serif;
}

Container Queries

First-class support for container queries without plugins:

<div class="@container">
  <div class="@lg:grid-cols-2">Content adapts to container size</div>
</div>

3D Transform Utilities

Transform elements in 3D space directly in your HTML:

<div class="rotate-x-45 rotate-y-12 translate-z-4">
  3D transformed element
</div>

Enhanced Gradient APIs

<!-- Radial gradients -->
<div class="bg-gradient-radial from-blue-500 to-purple-600"></div>

<!-- Conic gradients -->
<div class="bg-gradient-conic from-red-500 via-yellow-500 to-blue-500"></div>

@starting-style Support

Create smooth enter and exit transitions without JavaScript:

.fade-in {
  opacity: 1;
  transition: opacity 0.3s;
}

@starting-style {
  .fade-in {
    opacity: 0;
  }
}

Modernized Design System

P3 Color Palette

Tailwind v4.0 features a redesigned, more vivid color palette that takes full advantage of modern display technology and the P3 color space.

Dynamic Utility Values

<!-- No more guessing spacing values -->
<div class="p-[theme(spacing.4)]">
<!-- Access theme values directly -->
<div class="bg-[theme(colors.blue.500)]">

not-* Variant

<!-- Style elements when they DON'T match conditions -->
<button class="not-disabled:hover:bg-blue-600">
  Only hover when not disabled
</button>

Migration Made Easy

Worried about upgrading? Tailwind has you covered:

• Comprehensive upgrade guide
• Automated upgrade tool
• Backward compatibility considerations

The Future is Here

Tailwind CSS v4.0 isn't just an incremental update—it's a complete reimagining of what a CSS framework can be. With its focus on performance, modern web standards, and developer experience, it sets a new standard for utility-first frameworks.

The combination of microsecond build times, cutting-edge CSS features, and simplified configuration makes v4.0 the most developer-friendly version yet. Whether you're starting a new project or considering an upgrade, Tailwind CSS v4.0 represents the future of CSS development.

Getting Started

Ready to experience the future? You can:

• Install Tailwind CSS v4.0 in a new project
• Try it directly in the browser on Tailwind Play
• Follow the upgrade guide for existing projects

The revolution in CSS development starts now. Welcome to Tailwind CSS v4.0.