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Framework (OSS). Set up Tailwind CSS v4 in Expo with react-native-css and NativeWind v5 for universal styling
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expo-tailwind-setup.SKILL.md
---
name: expo-tailwind-setup
description: Framework (OSS). Set up Tailwind CSS v4 in Expo with react-native-css and NativeWind v5 for universal styling
version: 1.0.0
license: MIT
---
# Tailwind CSS Setup for Expo with react-native-css
This guide covers setting up Tailwind CSS v4 in Expo using react-native-css and NativeWind v5 for universal styling across iOS, Android, and Web.
## Overview
This setup uses:
- **Tailwind CSS v4** - Modern CSS-first configuration
- **react-native-css** - CSS runtime for React Native
- **NativeWind v5** - Metro transformer for Tailwind in React Native
- **@tailwindcss/postcss** - PostCSS plugin for Tailwind v4
## Installation
```bash
# Install dependencies
npx expo install tailwindcss@^4 nativewind@5.0.0-preview.2 react-native-css@0.0.0-nightly.5ce6396 @tailwindcss/postcss tailwind-merge clsx
```
Add resolutions for lightningcss compatibility:
```json
// package.json
{
"resolutions": {
"lightningcss": "1.30.1"
}
}
```
- autoprefixer is not needed in Expo because of lightningcss
- postcss is included in expo by default
## Configuration Files
### Metro Config
Create or update `metro.config.js`:
```js
// metro.config.js
const { getDefaultConfig } = require("expo/metro-config");
const { withNativewind } = require("nativewind/metro");
/** @type {import('expo/metro-config').MetroConfig} */
const config = getDefaultConfig(__dirname);
module.exports = withNativewind(config, {
// inline variables break PlatformColor in CSS variables
inlineVariables: false,
// We add className support manually
globalClassNamePolyfill: false,
});
```
### PostCSS Config
Create `postcss.config.mjs`:
```js
// postcss.config.mjs
export default {
plugins: {
"@tailwindcss/postcss": {},
},
};
```
### Global CSS
Create `src/global.css`:
```css
@import "tailwindcss/theme.css" layer(theme);
@import "tailwindcss/preflight.css" layer(base);
@import "tailwindcss/utilities.css";
/* Platform-specific font families */
@media android {
:root {
--font-mono: monospace;
--font-rounded: normal;
--font-serif: serif;
--font-sans: normal;
}
}
@media ios {
:root {
--font-mono: ui-monospace;
--font-serif: ui-serif;
--font-sans: system-ui;
--font-rounded: ui-rounded;
}
}
```
## IMPORTANT: No Babel Config Needed
With Tailwind v4 and NativeWind v5, you do NOT need a babel.config.js for Tailwind. Remove any NativeWind babel presets if present:
```js
// DELETE babel.config.js if it only contains NativeWind config
// The following is NO LONGER needed:
// module.exports = function (api) {
// api.cache(true);
// return {
// presets: [
// ["babel-preset-expo", { jsxImportSource: "nativewind" }],
// "nativewind/babel",
// ],
// };
// };
```
## CSS Component Wrappers
Since react-native-css requires explicit CSS element wrapping, create reusable components:
### Main Components (`src/tw/index.tsx`)
```tsx
import {
useCssElement,
useNativeVariable as useFunctionalVariable,
} from "react-native-css";
import { Link as RouterLink } from "expo-router";
import Animated from "react-native-reanimated";
import React from "react";
import {
View as RNView,
Text as RNText,
Pressable as RNPressable,
ScrollView as RNScrollView,
TouchableHighlight as RNTouchableHighlight,
TextInput as RNTextInput,
StyleSheet,
} from "react-native";
// CSS-enabled Link
export const Link = (
props: React.ComponentProps<typeof RouterLink> & { className?: string }
) => {
return useCssElement(RouterLink, props, { className: "style" });
};
Link.Trigger = RouterLink.Trigger;
Link.Menu = RouterLink.Menu;
Link.MenuAction = RouterLink.MenuAction;
Link.Preview = RouterLink.Preview;
// CSS Variable hook
export const useCSSVariable =
process.env.EXPO_OS !== "web"
? useFunctionalVariable
: (variable: string) => `var(${variable})`;
// View
export type ViewProps = React.ComponentProps<typeof RNView> & {
className?: string;
};
export const View = (props: ViewProps) => {
return useCssElement(RNView, props, { className: "style" });
};
View.displayName = "CSS(View)";
// Text
export const Text = (
props: React.ComponentProps<typeof RNText> & { className?: string }
) => {
return useCssElement(RNText, props, { className: "style" });
};
Text.displayName = "CSS(Text)";
// ScrollView
export const ScrollView = (
props: React.ComponentProps<typeof RNScrollView> & {
className?: string;
contentContainerClassName?: string;
}
) => {
return useCssElement(RNScrollView, props, {
className: "style",
contentContainerClassName: "contentContainerStyle",
});
};
ScrollView.displayName = "CSS(ScrollView)";
// Pressable
export const Pressable = (
props: React.ComponentProps<typeof RNPressable> & { className?: string }
) => {
return useCssElement(RNPressable, props, { className: "style" });
};
Pressable.displayName = "CSS(Pressable)";
// TextInput
export const TextInput = (
props: React.ComponentProps<typeof RNTextInput> & { className?: string }
) => {
return useCssElement(RNTextInput, props, { className: "style" });
};
TextInput.displayName = "CSS(TextInput)";
// AnimatedScrollView
export const AnimatedScrollView = (
props: React.ComponentProps<typeof Animated.ScrollView> & {
className?: string;
contentClassName?: string;
contentContainerClassName?: string;
}
) => {
return useCssElement(Animated.ScrollView, props, {
className: "style",
contentClassName: "contentContainerStyle",
contentContainerClassName: "contentContainerStyle",
});
};
// TouchableHighlight with underlayColor extraction
function XXTouchableHighlight(
props: React.ComponentProps<typeof RNTouchableHighlight>
) {
const { underlayColor, ...style } = StyleSheet.flatten(props.style) || {};
return (
<RNTouchableHighlight
underlayColor={underlayColor}
{...props}
style={style}
/>
);
}
export const TouchableHighlight = (
props: React.ComponentProps<typeof RNTouchableHighlight>
) => {
return useCssElement(XXTouchableHighlight, props, { className: "style" });
};
TouchableHighlight.displayName = "CSS(TouchableHighlight)";
```
### Image Component (`src/tw/image.tsx`)
```tsx
import { useCssElement } from "react-native-css";
import React from "react";
import { StyleSheet } from "react-native";
import Animated from "react-native-reanimated";
import { Image as RNImage } from "expo-image";
const AnimatedExpoImage = Animated.createAnimatedComponent(RNImage);
export type ImageProps = React.ComponentProps<typeof Image>;
function CSSImage(props: React.ComponentProps<typeof AnimatedExpoImage>) {
// @ts-expect-error: Remap objectFit style to contentFit property
const { objectFit, objectPosition, ...style } =
StyleSheet.flatten(props.style) || {};
return (
<AnimatedExpoImage
contentFit={objectFit}
contentPosition={objectPosition}
{...props}
source={
typeof props.source === "string" ? { uri: props.source } : props.source
}
// @ts-expect-error: Style is remapped above
style={style}
/>
);
}
export const Image = (
props: React.ComponentProps<typeof CSSImage> & { className?: string }
) => {
return useCssElement(CSSImage, props, { className: "style" });
};
Image.displayName = "CSS(Image)";
```
### Animated Components (`src/tw/animated.tsx`)
```tsx
import * as TW from "./index";
import RNAnimated from "react-native-reanimated";
export const Animated = {
...RNAnimated,
View: RNAnimated.createAnimatedComponent(TW.View),
};
```
## Usage
Import CSS-wrapped components from your tw directory:
```tsx
import { View, Text, ScrollView, Image } from "@/tw";
export default function MyScreen() {
return (
<ScrollView className="flex-1 bg-white">
<View className="p-4 gap-4">
<Text className="text-xl font-bold text-gray-900">Hello Tailwind!</Text>
<Image
className="w-full h-48 rounded-lg object-cover"
source={{ uri: "https://example.com/image.jpg" }}
/>
</View>
</ScrollView>
);
}
```
## Custom Theme Variables
Add custom theme variables in your global.css using `@theme`:
```css
@layer theme {
@theme {
/* Custom fonts */
--font-rounded: "SF Pro Rounded", sans-serif;
/* Custom line heights */
--text-xs--line-height: calc(1em / 0.75);
--text-sm--line-height: calc(1.25em / 0.875);
--text-base--line-height: calc(1.5em / 1);
/* Custom leading scales */
--leading-tight: 1.25em;
--leading-snug: 1.375em;
--leading-normal: 1.5em;
}
}
```
## Platform-Specific Styles
Use platform media queries for platform-specific styling:
```css
@media ios {
:root {
--font-sans: system-ui;
--font-rounded: ui-rounded;
}
}
@media android {
:root {
--font-sans: normal;
--font-rounded: normal;
}
}
```
## Apple System Colors with CSS Variables
Create a CSS file for Apple semantic colors:
```css
/* src/css/sf.css */
@layer base {
html {
color-scheme: light;
}
}
:root {
/* Accent colors with light/dark mode */
--sf-blue: light-dark(rgb(0 122 255), rgb(10 132 255));
--sf-green: light-dark(rgb(52 199 89), rgb(48 209 89));
--sf-red: light-dark(rgb(255 59 48), rgb(255 69 58));
/* Gray scales */
--sf-gray: light-dark(rgb(142 142 147), rgb(142 142 147));
--sf-gray-2: light-dark(rgb(174 174 178), rgb(99 99 102));
/* Text colors */
--sf-text: light-dark(rgb(0 0 0), rgb(255 255 255));
--sf-text-2: light-dark(rgb(60 60 67 / 0.6), rgb(235 235 245 / 0.6));
/* Background colors */
--sf-bg: light-dark(rgb(255 255 255), rgb(0 0 0));
--sf-bg-2: light-dark(rgb(242 242 247), rgb(28 28 30));
}
/* iOS native colors via platformColor */
@media ios {
:root {
--sf-blue: platformColor(systemBlue);
--sf-green: platformColor(systemGreen);
--sf-red: platformColor(systemRed);
--sf-gray: platformColor(systemGray);
--sf-text: platformColor(label);
--sf-text-2: platformColor(secondaryLabel);
--sf-bg: platformColor(systemBackground);
--sf-bg-2: platformColor(secondarySystemBackground);
}
}
/* Register as Tailwind theme colors */
@layer theme {
@theme {
--color-sf-blue: var(--sf-blue);
--color-sf-green: var(--sf-green);
--color-sf-red: var(--sf-red);
--color-sf-gray: var(--sf-gray);
--color-sf-text: var(--sf-text);
--color-sf-text-2: var(--sf-text-2);
--color-sf-bg: var(--sf-bg);
--color-sf-bg-2: var(--sf-bg-2);
}
}
```
Then use in components:
```tsx
<Text className="text-sf-text">Primary text</Text>
<Text className="text-sf-text-2">Secondary text</Text>
<View className="bg-sf-bg">...</View>
```
## Using CSS Variables in JavaScript
Use the `useCSSVariable` hook:
```tsx
import { useCSSVariable } from "@/tw";
function MyComponent() {
const blue = useCSSVariable("--sf-blue");
return <View style={{ borderColor: blue }} />;
}
```
## Key Differences from NativeWind v4 / Tailwind v3
1. **No babel.config.js** - Configuration is now CSS-first
2. **PostCSS plugin** - Uses `@tailwindcss/postcss` instead of `tailwindcss`
3. **CSS imports** - Use `@import "tailwindcss/..."` instead of `@tailwind` directives
4. **Theme config** - Use `@theme` in CSS instead of `tailwind.config.js`
5. **Component wrappers** - Must wrap components with `useCssElement` for className support
6. **Metro config** - Use `withNativewind` with different options (`inlineVariables: false`)
## Troubleshooting
### Styles not applying
1. Ensure you have the CSS file imported in your app entry
2. Check that components are wrapped with `useCssElement`
3. Verify Metro config has `withNativewind` applied
### Platform colors not working
1. Use `platformColor()` in `@media ios` blocks
2. Fall back to `light-dark()` for web/Android
### TypeScript errors
Add className to component props:
```tsx
type Props = React.ComponentProps<typeof RNView> & { className?: string };
```
## Submitting Feedback
If you encounter errors, misleading or outdated information in this skill, report it so Expo can improve:
```bash
npx --yes submit-expo-feedback@latest --category skills --subject "expo-tailwind-setup" "<actionable feedback>"
```
Only submit when you have something specific and actionable to report. Include as much relevant context as possible.
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