Just-In-Time Mode in Tailwind CSS

Introduction

The Just-In-Time (JIT) mode in Tailwind CSS is a powerful feature that allows developers to generate styles on-the-fly as they use them in their markup. This approach leads to smaller CSS files and enables more dynamic utility classes.

Key Concepts

• **Dynamic Generation**: JIT generates styles on demand based on your content.
• **Reduced File Size**: Since only the used styles are generated, the final CSS file is significantly smaller.
• **Extended Functionality**: You can use arbitrary values and more complex utilities that may not be pre-defined in the Tailwind configuration.

Setup

To enable JIT mode in Tailwind CSS, you need to update your Tailwind configuration file. Here’s how:

module.exports = {
  mode: 'jit',
  purge: ['./src/**/*.{js,jsx,ts,tsx}', './public/index.html'],
  theme: {
    extend: {},
  },
  variants: {},
  plugins: [],
};

Usage

Once JIT mode is enabled, you can use Tailwind’s utility classes as you normally would. Here’s an example of how it works:

<div class="bg-blue-500 text-white p-4 rounded-lg">
    Hello, Tailwind JIT!
</div>

Best Practices

1. **Use Purge**: Always set up purge options to remove unused styles.
2. **Keep Config Clean**: Only extend the theme when necessary to maintain performance.
3. **Leverage Arbitrary Values**: Utilize arbitrary values for quick adjustments without needing to modify the config file.

FAQ