Tailwind Syntax Responsive

Tailwind CSS Responsive Design

Two independent systems exist : viewport breakpoints (page-level) and container queries (component-level). Use viewport breakpoints to change layout based on the BROWSER size ; use container queries to change layout based on a specific PARENT container's size.

Companion skills :

• tailwind-syntax-utility-classes : the utilities you wrap in responsive prefixes
• tailwind-syntax-variants : the full variant grammar (state, attribute, custom)
• tailwind-core-v3-vs-v4 : the broader v3-to-v4 differences

Quick Reference : Default Viewport Breakpoints

Shared between v3 and v4 :

v4 emits modern range syntax (width >= 40rem). v3 emits classic min-width. Functionally identical at runtime.

The Mobile-First Rule

Unprefixed utilities apply at ALL screen sizes. Prefixed utilities (sm:, md:, lg:, etc.) apply at THAT breakpoint AND UP.

<!-- ALWAYS : center on mobile, left-align from 640px up -->
<p class="text-center sm:text-left">Hello</p>

<!-- NEVER : intended "center on small only" but actually applies from 640px up -->
<p class="sm:text-center">Hello</p>

NEVER write sm:text-center thinking it means "small screens only". It means "from sm breakpoint upward". To target small-only, use max-sm:.

Range Targeting With max-* Variants

Stack with a min variant to target a SINGLE breakpoint range :

<!-- Applies at md only (768px to 1023px) -->
<div class="md:max-lg:flex"></div>

<!-- Applies at md and lg (768px to 1279px) -->
<div class="md:max-xl:bg-red-500"></div>

max-* was introduced in Tailwind v3.4 and remains available in v4 with identical syntax.

Arbitrary Breakpoints

For one-off values not in the breakpoint scale, use bracket notation :

<div class="min-[400px]:flex max-[600px]:hidden">
  Visible from 400px up, hidden below 600px (so visible 600px to infinity).
</div>

<div class="min-[1400px]:max-[1599px]:bg-yellow-200">
  Yellow background only in the 1400px to 1599px range.
</div>

Works identically in v3 and v4.

Custom Breakpoints

v3 : theme.screens in tailwind.config.js

/** @type {import('tailwindcss').Config} */
module.exports = {
  theme: {
    screens: {
      'sm': '640px',
      'md': '768px',
      'lg': '1024px',
      'xl': '1280px',
      '2xl': '1536px',
      'tablet': '640px',
      'laptop': '1024px',
      'desktop': '1280px',
      'ultra': '1920px',
    },
  },
}

Defining screens REPLACES the defaults. To EXTEND :

module.exports = {
  theme: {
    extend: {
      screens: {
        'ultra': '1920px',
        '3xl': '1920px',
      },
    },
  },
}

v4 : @theme --breakpoint-* in CSS

@import "tailwindcss";

@theme {
  --breakpoint-xs: 30rem;
  --breakpoint-3xl: 120rem;
  --breakpoint-ultra: 120rem;
}

To REMOVE a default :

@theme {
  --breakpoint-2xl: initial;
}

To RESET ALL and define custom :

@theme {
  --breakpoint-*: initial;
  --breakpoint-tablet: 40rem;
  --breakpoint-laptop: 64rem;
  --breakpoint-desktop: 80rem;
}

ALWAYS use rem (not px) in v4 to align with the rest of the v4 token scale. NEVER mix rem and px in the same breakpoint set : it produces inconsistent breakpoints when the user changes root font-size.

Container Queries : v3 Plugin vs v4 Built-In

v3 : install the plugin

npm install -D @tailwindcss/container-queries

// tailwind.config.js
module.exports = {
  plugins: [require('@tailwindcss/container-queries')],
}

Without the plugin, @container and @sm:flex simply do not generate any CSS in v3.

v4 : built-in (NEVER install the plugin)

/* src/app.css */
@import "tailwindcss";
/* That's it. Container queries available immediately. */

The v3 plugin README explicitly notes : "As of Tailwind CSS v4.0, container queries are supported in the framework by default and this plugin is no longer required." Leaving the plugin in a v4 project is harmless but useless dead weight.

Source : https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss-container-queries

Container Queries : The API

Mark a parent as a container, then use @sm, @md, etc. on descendants to react to the CONTAINER's size (not the viewport).

<div class="@container">
  <div class="flex flex-col @md:flex-row">
    Stack vertically until the @container reaches the @md size, then row.
  </div>
</div>

Default container size scale (v4 built-in : 13 sizes) :

The v3 plugin shipped fewer sizes (@xs through @7xl, 12 sizes, no @3xs or @2xs). NEVER assume v3 has the full v4 scale.

Container Queries : Max and Range

<div class="@container">
  <div class="flex flex-row @max-md:flex-col">
    Row by default, column when @container is BELOW @md.
  </div>
</div>

Range stacking :

<div class="@container">
  <!-- Applies only when @container is between @sm and @md -->
  <div class="@sm:@max-md:bg-yellow-100"></div>
</div>

Container Queries : Named Containers

When nested @container parents exist, name them to target a specific one :

<div class="@container/sidebar">
  <div class="@container/card">
    <!-- React to the sidebar container's size -->
    <p class="text-sm @md/sidebar:text-base">Title</p>
    <!-- React to the card container's size -->
    <p class="text-xs @lg/card:text-sm">Body</p>
  </div>
</div>

ALWAYS name containers when they nest. Unnamed @md: targets the NEAREST ancestor @container. Add a name to make the intent explicit.

Container Queries : Arbitrary Sizes

<div class="@container">
  <div class="@min-[475px]:flex-row @max-[960px]:flex-col"></div>
</div>

Identical bracket-notation pattern to viewport arbitrary breakpoints.

Container Queries : Custom Sizes

v4

@import "tailwindcss";

@theme {
  --container-8xl: 96rem;
  --container-card: 30rem;
}

Then @8xl:flex-row or @card:p-4.

v3 (plugin)

// tailwind.config.js
module.exports = {
  theme: {
    extend: {
      containers: {
        '8xl': '96rem',
        'card': '30rem',
      },
    },
  },
  plugins: [require('@tailwindcss/container-queries')],
}

Container Query Length Units (v4)

v4 supports cqw, cqi, cqh, cqb units inside a container :

<div class="@container">
  <p class="w-[50cqw] text-[5cqi]">
    Width is 50% of container width ; font-size is 5% of container inline-size.
  </p>
</div>

The @container-size variant on the parent enables block-size containers :

<div class="@container-size">
  <div class="h-[50cqb]"></div>
</div>

NEVER use cqb or cqh without @container-size on a parent : block-size containment is opt-in because the browser cost is higher than width-only.

Decision Tree : Viewport vs Container Query

Does the layout react to PAGE size (browser window)?
├── YES → Use viewport breakpoints : sm:flex md:grid-cols-2
│         Independent of where the component sits in the tree.
│
└── NO  → Does the layout react to a SPECIFIC PARENT'S size?
    ├── YES → Use container queries : @container on parent, @md:flex-row on child.
    │         Component-intrinsic ; renders correctly in any layout slot.
    │
    └── BOTH → Combine : @container the component, use both viewport
               prefixes for page-level concerns AND @sm/@md for
               container-local concerns. They compose with `:` between.

ALWAYS prefer container queries for reusable components (cards, sidebars, nav items). ALWAYS use viewport breakpoints for page-level layout (grid templates, header height).

v3 to v4 Migration : Container Queries

Two steps :

1. Remove @tailwindcss/container-queries from package.json devDependencies.
2. Remove require('@tailwindcss/container-queries') from the legacy tailwind.config.js plugins array (if you kept a v3 config via @config).

Existing @container and @sm: class usage works without changes : the v4 built-in implementation is API-compatible with the v3 plugin (plus the two extra @3xs and @2xs sizes).

NEVER keep the plugin installed and active in v4 : it tries to register the same variants and produces silent ordering oddities.

Reference Files

• references/methods.md : every variant, every size, full breakpoint and container query API
• references/examples.md : side-by-side v3 vs v4 setup, named containers, custom breakpoints, length units, real layouts
• references/anti-patterns.md : mobile-first reversal, max-* range confusion, named-container bleeding, plugin-left-in-v4, cqb without @container-size

Verified Sources

• https://tailwindcss.com/docs/responsive-design (v4 viewport + container)
• https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss-container-queries (v3 plugin + deprecation)
• https://v3.tailwindcss.com/docs/responsive-design (v3 viewport baseline)