You’ve probably heard of Tailwind CSS, and if you’ve spent any time on developer Twitter or in frontend Slack channels, you’ve also probably heard someone say it sucks. Too many classes, too verbose, not “real” CSS—there’s no shortage of opinions. And hey, if you’re skeptical, I get it. Tailwind does look weird at first.
But what if I told you that most of those concerns come from misunderstandings or outdated takes? So, let’s clear the air. Here’s why Tailwind doesn’t suck, and in fact, why it might become your new best friend once you get to know it.
“It’s Just Inline Styles on Steroids”
At first glance, Tailwind does look like inline styles. Instead of writing:
.button {
background-color: #4f46e5;
padding: 0.5rem 1rem;
border-radius: 0.375rem;
}You’re writing this directly in your markup:
<button class="bg-indigo-600 px-4 py-2 rounded-md">Click Me</button>Yeah, it looks like inline styles, but here’s the difference: Tailwind generates utility classes that are optimized and reusable. You’re not repeating styles; you’re composing your UI using a consistent design system. Each class is tiny, predictable, and easy to use.
Instead of having to switch between your CSS file and your component, you get to style in context. And because Tailwind lets you combine classes like LEGO bricks, you can build complex designs with zero custom CSS.
No more wondering if your class names are unique enough or scrolling through long style sheets.
“It Makes My HTML a Mess”
It’s true: Tailwind will make your HTML look busier. But that’s the tradeoff—you’re moving complexity from your CSS to your HTML, where it’s much easier to maintain.
Why Tailwind is Less Messy
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Your CSS file stays clean. Tailwind eliminates the need for unused or bloated CSS files. The utility-first approach encourages you to style on the fly without creating redundant class names.
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No hunting for styles. Ever wondered why that one button doesn’t look right? With Tailwind, the styles are right there in the HTML. You don’t have to jump between files to debug styles.
And if you’re worried about readability, Tailwind has solutions for that, too. You can extract common patterns into reusable components or use tools like Prettier to format your classes neatly.
“I Have to Remember All Those Tailwind Class Names”
Yes, Tailwind comes with a lot of utility classes. But here’s the thing: Tailwind’s class names are intuitive and consistent.
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p-4? That’s padding. -
bg-red-500? Background color. -
text-sm? Text size.
Once you start using it, the naming system clicks. It’s based on common patterns you’re already familiar with from CSS, so it feels natural.
And if you really can’t remember a class name, Tailwind’s documentation is hands down some of the best in the industry. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve Googled “Tailwind margin bottom” and found exactly what I need in seconds.
“It’s Not Real CSS”
This one’s a bit of a purist argument. Tailwind doesn’t stop you from using CSS—it just gives you a better way to write it. You’re still working with all the principles of CSS, but instead of hand-coding everything, you’re using utility classes to speed up development.
And Tailwind doesn’t lock you in. If you need something custom, Tailwind supports:
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Arbitrary values:
<div class="w-[375px]"></div> -
Custom plugins: Extend Tailwind’s functionality with your own utilities.
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@layer directive: Write custom CSS alongside your Tailwind setup.
It’s flexible—and a lot more “real” than you think.
“It Adds Too Much CSS to My Bundle”
This used to be a valid concern, but Tailwind’s build process has solved it. By using tools like PurgeCSS (now built into Tailwind), you can strip out any unused styles in production. That means your final CSS file is tiny.
In fact, Tailwind often produces smaller bundles than handcrafted CSS frameworks, because it only includes the exact styles you use.
Why Developers Love Tailwind
Let’s wrap it up with some practical wins. Tailwind gives you:
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Speed. You build faster because you’re not writing custom CSS from scratch.
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Consistency. Your entire team works within a design system, reducing style drift.
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Maintainability. No more stale CSS. You’re always using what you need.
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Flexibility. You can style any element exactly how you want without fighting predefined components.
Once you get over the learning curve (which isn’t as steep as it looks), Tailwind makes frontend development smoother, faster, and—honestly—more fun.
Final Thoughts: Give Tailwind a Chance
It’s okay if Tailwind isn’t for you. But if you’ve dismissed it based on misconceptions or a quick glance, I’d encourage you to try it on a small project. You might be surprised by how much you enjoy it.
Tailwind doesn’t suck—it’s just different. And once you get used to the utility-first mindset, you might find it’s exactly the tool you needed.
