React JSX + Vite + Tailwind CSS 4.0 Complete Setup Guide

The Problem That Broke Thousands of Projects

When Tailwind CSS 4.0 launched on January 22, 2025, it completely changed installation processes, leaving developers worldwide struggling with broken setups and confusing error messages.

❌

Broken Commands

The old npx tailwindcss init command was completely removed, causing setup failures.

⚠️

PostCSS Errors

PostCSS plugins moved to separate packages, creating configuration conflicts.

📚

Documentation Gaps

Updated documentation arrived late, leaving developers without clear guidance.

Architecture Overview

React + Vite + Tailwind CSS 4.0 Architecture Diagram

Visual representation of how React, Vite, and Tailwind CSS 4.0 work together

Complete Setup Guide

Follow these tested steps for a perfect installation

Prerequisites

✅ Node.js Installation

Node.js must be installed on your PC. Download from: nodejs.org

Recommended version: Node.js 18+ or latest LTS

✅ Development Environment

Visual Studio Code IDE recommended. Download from: code.visualstudio.com

These commands work perfectly in VS Code's integrated terminal

Verify Installation

                        node --version
npm --version
                    

You should see version numbers for both Node.js and npm.

Step 1: Create Vite React Project

Template: react

npm create vite@latest {projectName} -- --template react

Replace {projectName} with your desired project name.

Step 2: Navigate to Project Directory

cd {projectName}

Step 3: Install Tailwind CSS Dependencies

Libraries: tailwindcss, @tailwindcss/vite

npm install tailwindcss @tailwindcss/vite

Step 4: Configure Vite

Path: vite.config.ts

                        import { defineConfig } from 'vite'
import react from '@vitejs/plugin-react'
import tailwindcss from '@tailwindcss/vite'

// https://vite.dev/config/
export default defineConfig({
  plugins: [
    tailwindcss(),
    react()
  ],
})
                    

Important: The tailwindcss() plugin must be placed before the react() plugin.

Step 5: Update CSS Entry Point

Path: src\index.css

@import "tailwindcss";

This replaces all default CSS content with Tailwind's import.

Test Your Setup

Add Test Code to src/App.jsx

                        import React from 'react'

function App() {
  return (
    <div className="min-h-screen bg-blue-500 flex items-center justify-center">
      <div className="text-center">
        <h1 className="text-4xl font-bold text-white mb-4">
          🎉 Tailwind CSS 4.0 is Working!
        </h1>
        <p className="text-blue-100 text-lg mb-6">
          Your React + Vite setup is complete
        </p>
        <button className="bg-white text-blue-500 px-6 py-3 rounded-lg font-semibold hover:bg-blue-50 transition-colors">
          Get Started
        </button>
      </div>
    </div>
  )
}

export default App
                    