CLI Command Reference

A complete list and usage guide for all available Tailwind CLI commands.

Core Commands

init

tailwind init

Create a new Tailwind configuration file

Creates a tailwind.config.js file with the standard configuration. Use the --type flag for framework-specific configurations.

tailwind init
tailwind init -t next // Next.js preset
tailwind init -t vue // Vue.js preset
build

tailwind build

Generate production-ready CSS

Compiles your Tailwind configuration to a CSS file. Add the --prefix and --purge flags for production builds.

tailwind build ./src --output ./dist/main.css --purge
watch

tailwind watch

Watch and rebuild on file changes

Automatically rebuilds Tailwind CSS when source files change. Ideal for development.

tailwind watch --output ./dist/main.css
purge

tailwind purge

Remove unused styles from project

Analyzes HTML files to remove unused styles for production optimization.

tailwind purge ./dist --sources ./app/**/*.html

Getting Help

Need assistance with advanced usage? Check out our documentation or try the help command.

tailwind --help tailwind init --help