Getting Started with Astro 5 and Tailwind CSS v4

Introduction

Astro has revolutionized the way we build static websites, and with the release of Tailwind CSS v4, we have even more powerful tools at our disposal. This guide will walk you through setting up a modern web development environment.

Why Choose Astro?

Astro is designed for building fast, content-focused websites. Here are some key benefits:

• Zero JavaScript by default - Ship only what you need
• Island Architecture - Partial hydration for interactive components
• Content Collections - Type-safe content management
• View Transitions - Smooth page transitions built-in

Performance First

Astro’s approach to performance is fundamentally different from traditional frameworks. Instead of shipping a JavaScript runtime to the browser, Astro renders your pages to static HTML at build time.

// Example: Fetching data in Astro
---
const response = await fetch('https://api.example.com/data');
const data = await response.json();
---

<ul>
  {data.map((item) => (
    <li>{item.name}</li>
  ))}
</ul>

Setting Up Tailwind CSS v4

Tailwind CSS v4 introduces a CSS-first configuration approach. Here’s how to set it up:

@import "tailwindcss";

@theme {
  --color-brand-500: oklch(0.60 0.16 250);
  --font-sans: 'Inter', sans-serif;
}

Key Changes in v4

1. CSS-based configuration - No more JavaScript config files
2. OKLCH colors - Better color manipulation
3. Container queries - Built-in support
4. 3D transforms - New utility classes

Best Practices

When building with Astro and Tailwind, keep these best practices in mind:

1. Use content collections for blog posts
2. Leverage view transitions for smooth navigation
3. Optimize images with Astro’s built-in image component
4. Use CSS variables for theming

Conclusion

Astro and Tailwind CSS v4 provide a powerful combination for building modern, performant websites. Start experimenting with these tools today!