Unicorn Platform

World's best and simplest website builder powered by AI

Build your website
Back to Blog
Saturday, December 2, 2023

Tailwind button - outline, primary, secondary, danger, warning, info, and more.

Most websites lack visually engaging buttons that guide users to take action.

With Tailwind CSS, you can easily create beautiful, functional buttons that convert visitors.

In this post, we'll explore the flexibility of Tailwind buttons - from basic styles like outline and primary, to advanced customizations with icons, animations, and more. You'll learn how to tailor Tailwind buttons for enhanced UX across your site.

Embracing the Flexibility of Tailwind Buttons

Tailwind CSS provides a versatile set of tools for styling buttons. From multiple variants like outline, primary, secondary to informative ones like danger, warning, and info - Tailwind buttons enable complete customizability. Integrating animations and icons takes things up a notch. Let's explore why Tailwind buttons are a web developer's best friend.

Decoding Tailwind Buttons: An Overview

Tailwind buttons differ from conventional HTML buttons. Instead of rigid styling, Tailwind applies utility classes to add responsiveness and aesthetics. This methodology allows rapid iterations without struggling with CSS. Just apply the suitable classes as attributes.

For instance:

<button class="bg-blue-500 text-white font-bold py-2 px-4 rounded">
  Button Text
</button>

Gives a primary blue button styling. Change the bg and text color utilities to create any variant imaginable.

Why Tailwind Buttons? Unveiling the Advantages

Tailwind buttons provide numerous advantages:

  • Faster development with easy styling via utilities.
  • Responsiveness out-of-the-box through inbuilt mobile-first approach.
  • Plugin expandability - animations, icons support.
  • Design flexibility - make buttons look the way you want.
  • Customization using hover and focus states.
  • Reusability of button styles across projects.

These facets demonstrate why Tailwind buttons should be your top choice.

Exploring the Spectrum of Tailwind Button Variants

Common button types include:

  • Primary: Indicates main call-to-action. Example - Sign Up button. Uses brand colors.

  • Secondary: Alternative action button. Buy Now vs Add to Cart. Muted styling.

  • Outline: Replaces solid buttons when page has multiple actions. Adds emphasis without overpowering.

  • Danger: Warns before deleting data or accounts. Uses red color.

  • Warning: Cautions users. Applies yellow styling.

  • Info: Provides additional details upon hover/click. Blue is standard.

This range covers most use cases. Pick what's appropriate for your buttons.

Tailoring Tailwind Buttons: A Guide to Customization

Make Tailwind buttons uniquely yours with:

  • Colors: Change background, text, border shades as needed.

  • Animations: Transition effects via Tailwind plugins.

  • Icons: Enhance meaning. Use SVG icons or emoji.

  • Sizes: Modify padding, fonts for bigger or smaller buttons.

  • Borders: Outline, rounded, pill-shaped options available.

Explore different combinations for innovative results.

In summary, Tailwind CSS empowers you to craft buttons exactly the way you envision them. Leverage its flexibility to ship pixel-perfect designs faster.

How do you use the Tailwind button in react?

To use the Tailwind button component in React, first install the @material-tailwind/react package:

npm install @material-tailwind/react

Then import the Button component and any types you need:

import { Button } from "@material-tailwind/react";

type variant = "filled" | "outlined" | "gradient" | "text";
type size = "sm" | "md" | "lg";

The Button component accepts several props to customize its appearance and behavior:

  • variant - The style variant of the button: "filled", "outlined", "gradient", or "text".
  • size - The size of the button: "sm", "md", or "lg".
  • color - The color theme of the button.
  • rounded - Whether to show a rounded button style.
  • iconOnly - Whether button only contains an icon without text.
  • children - The content shown inside the button.

Here is an example usage:

<Button 
  variant="gradient"
  size="lg"
  color="blue"
  rounded={true}
>
  Submit
</Button>

This renders a large blue gradient button with rounded corners containing the text "Submit".

The Tailwind button is highly customizable and integrating it into React apps is straightforward with the @material-tailwind/react package. Review the package documentation to see all available props for styling your buttons.

How do I turn off focus outline in Tailwind?

Removing the default focus outline can negatively impact accessibility. It is highly recommended to apply custom focus styling when removing outlines.

To remove the focus outline in Tailwind CSS, use the outline-none utility:

<button class="outline-none">Button</button>

This will remove the default focus outline browser styles.

However, it is considered best practice to provide visible focus indication for accessibility. Some options for custom focus styling include:

/* Focus within */
<button class="focus:outline focus:outline-1 focus:outline-blue-500">
  Button
</button>

/* Focus within using ring utilities */  
<button class="focus:ring focus:ring-2 focus:ring-blue-500">
  Button 
</button>

/* Focus within using box-shadow */
<button class="focus:shadow-outline">
  Button
</button>

So in summary:

  • Use outline-none to remove default focus outlines
  • Always try to provide alternate focus styling for accessibility
  • focus: ring and box-shadow utilities are great for custom focus styles

Removing outlines impacts accessibility. Apply custom focus styling whenever possible.

What is the difference between ring and outline in Tailwind?

ring and outline are two utilities in Tailwind CSS that are used to add borders around elements. However, there are some key differences:

  • ring creates a customizable ring or circular highlight around an element. You can control the thickness, color, opacity, and offset of the ring. This allows you to create more visually interesting effects.

  • outline creates a solid outline or dashed outline around an element, similar to the CSS outline property. The outline width and color can be customized but overall it offers less flexibility than ring.

So in summary:

  • Use ring when you need additional customization choices for the border or want to create a circular highlight effect. You can tweak the look extensively with ring.

  • Use outline when you simply want to add a basic solid or dashed outline around an element. It's great for simple focus states or making elements stand out.

Some key examples:

  • ring-2 ring-blue-500 - Thick blue ring
  • ring-offset-4 ring-green-200 - Green ring offset inwards
  • outline outline-2 outline-dashed - Dashed outline
  • outline-red-500 - Solid red outline

So if you need more design flexibility, use Tailwind's ring. But if you want a simpler outline, go with outline.

sbb-itb-b5a6996

How do I remove the focus border in Tailwind CSS?

When building forms with Tailwind CSS, you may notice a default focus outline appearing around form inputs when they receive focus. This outline is added by the @tailwindcss/forms plugin to meet accessibility standards.

However, you may want to customize or remove this default focus styling in some cases. Here are a few ways to remove the focus border in Tailwind CSS:

Use focus:ring-0

The focus ring in Tailwind CSS is created using the ring utilities. To completely remove the ring, use the focus:ring-0 utility:

<input class="focus:ring-0" type="text">

This will remove the focus outline entirely when the input is focused.

Use focus:ring-transparent

Another option is to make the focus ring transparent instead of removing it completely:

<input class="focus:ring-transparent" type="text">

This will keep the focus ring for accessibility purposes but make it invisible.

Customize the ring settings

You can also customize the ring settings like color, width, and offset to create your own focus styles.

For example:

<input class="focus:ring-blue-500 focus:ring-2" type="text">

This will create a 2px wide blue outline on focus.

So in summary, use focus:ring-0 to remove the default focus border or focus:ring-transparent to hide it. And customize the ring utilities to create your own styles.

Mastering Tailwind Button Styles and Functions

Tailwind CSS provides a versatile set of button styles and functions to help developers create visually impactful, purpose-driven buttons for any web project. Let's explore some of the most useful Tailwind button variants and how to leverage them effectively.

Accentuating CTAs with Outline Buttons

Outline buttons subtly highlight calls-to-action without visually overpowering other elements on a page. Their low-contrast style makes them ideal for secondary CTAs.

For example, try adding the .btn-outline class to accentuate a "Learn More" button on a landing page hero section:

<button class="btn-outline btn-lg">Learn More</button>

This will apply a thin border around the button, helping it stand out while keeping the focus on the main CTA button. The larger .btn-lg class gives it a bit more visual weight as well.

Outline buttons also work nicely in groups, such as ecommerce product filters:

<button class="btn-outline">All</button>
<button class="btn-outline">Apparel</button> 
<button class="btn-outline">Accessories</button>

Grouping outline buttons visually separates each one while linking them through a consistent style.

Harnessing the Impact of Primary Buttons

Primary buttons command attention as the principal calls-to-action on a page. Use them sparingly and purposefully.

For example, highlight the most desired conversion goal on a landing page with a bold colored primary button:

<button class="btn-primary btn-lg">Start Free Trial</button>

The .btn-primary styling draws immediate focus while conveying a sense of importance for signing up.

In another example, confirm destructive actions like deleting data or accounts with a clearly defined primary button:

<button class="btn-primary">Delete Account</button>

This strongly signals the significance of permanent data removal.

The Versatile Role of Secondary Buttons

While primary buttons define the main call-to-action, secondary buttons provide supporting, less pronounced actions. Their understated styling signifies secondary priority.

For instance, alternative navigation links on a page can be marked as secondary actions:

<button class="btn-secondary">Back to Reports</button>

This cues that returning to Reports holds lower precedence than completing the current task flow.

In another case, accompanying actions like Cancel on a modal window work well as secondary buttons:

<button class="btn-primary">Save Changes</button>
<button class="btn-secondary">Cancel</button>

The secondary Cancel button enables easily backing out of destructive changes compared to decisively Saving Changes.

Buttons indicating dangerous outcomes warrant strong visual signifiers to prevent unintended consequences. The .btn-danger and .btn-warning classes clarify actions that could result in data loss, financial charges, or account changes.

For example, confirm account cancellation with a danger button:

<button class="btn-danger">Delete My Account</button>

This signals the severity of permanent account removal.

Similarly, warn users of impending credit card charges:

<button class="btn-warning">Buy $50 Credits</button>

The warning button makes the billing action unambiguous.

Used judiciously, Tailwind button styles can direct visitors to intended goals, promote engagement, and reduce friction. Mastering their application takes intuition and experimentation informed by user testing. With practice, buttons become powerful tools for crafting experiences that convert.

Elevating User Experience with Advanced Tailwind Customizations

Tailwind CSS provides developers with an extensive set of utility classes to style UI components out-of-the-box. However, to take the user experience to the next level, some customization is required. In this section, we'll explore advanced techniques to enhance Tailwind buttons through icons, animations, sizing adjustments, and link styling.

Infusing Buttons with Icons for Enhanced Semantics

Icons can add clarity and visual flair to buttons. To incorporate icons into Tailwind buttons:

  • Use the Flowbite plugin's btn-with-icon class. This automatically positions an icon before or after button text:
<button class="btn-with-icon">
  <svg class="w-4 h-4 fill-current" viewBox="0 0 16 16">...</svg>
  <span>Download</span> 
</button>
  • Manually position icons using Flexbox or Grid layout utilities. For example:
<button class="inline-flex items-center">
  <svg class="w-5 h-5 mr-2" viewBox="0 0 24 24">...</svg>
  <span>Send Message</span>
</button>
  • Use icon fonts like Heroicons to inline icons directly into button text:
<button class="inline-flex items-center">
  <svg class="w-5 h-5 mr-2" viewBox="0 0 24 24">
    <path fill="currentColor" d="M12 22a10 10 0 1 1 0-20 10 10 0 0 1 0 20zm0-2a8 8 0 1 0 0-16 8 8 0 0 0 0 16zm-3.54-4.46a1 1 0 0 1 1.42-1.42 3 3 0 0 0 4.24 0 1 1 0 0 1 1.42 1.42 5 5 0 0 1-7.08 0zM9 11a1 1 0 1 1 0-2 1 1 0 0 1 0 2zm6 0a1 1 0 1 1 0-2 1 1 0 0 1 0 2z"/>
  </svg>
  <span>Save</span>  
</button>

Animating Tailwind Buttons for Interactive Flair

Subtle animations make buttons feel more dynamic and lively:

  • Fade in buttons on hover using transition and transform:
.button {
  @apply transition duration-150 ease-in-out transform hover:scale-105;
}
  • Apply pulsating animations with CSS custom properties and @keyframes:
.pulsate {
  animation: pulsate 1s ease-in-out infinite;
}

@keyframes pulsate {
  0% {
    --tw-shadow: 0 0 0 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);
  }
  100% { 
    --tw-shadow: 0 0 10px 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);
  }
}
  • Animate icon rotation on click with JavaScript by toggling classes:
button.addEventListener('click', () => {
  button.classList.toggle('rotate'); 
});

Tailoring Tailwind Button Sizes for Optimal Usability

Tailwind's default button sizing works for most cases. Further customization can optimize buttons for your design:

  • Increase minimum height and padding for improved touch target on mobile:
@layer components {
  .btn-mobile {
    @apply h-14 px-6 text-lg;
  }
}
  • Reduce padding horizontally for compact buttons:
.btn-compact {
  @apply px-2;
}
  • Limit maximum width to keep buttons appropriately sized:
.btn-limit-width {
  @apply max-w-full sm:max-w-xs;
}

Testing buttons across viewports ensures accessibility for all users.

Links styled as buttons promote consistency in navigation design:

  • Add .btn classes to link:
<a href="/" class="btn bg-indigo-500 hover:bg-indigo-600">
  Home
</a>
  • Use the @layer directive to create a Tailwind plugin for links as buttons:
@layer components {
  .btn-link {
    @apply inline-block text-center align-middle text-white bg-indigo-500 rounded py-2 px-4 font-medium hover:bg-indigo-600;
  }
}

This allows using .btn-link anywhere links need button styling.

With some imagination and Tailwind's composability, developers can elevate buttons far beyond expectations, crafting dynamic interfaces that charm users.

Wrapping Up: The Essence of Tailwind Button Mastery

Tailwind CSS provides a robust yet customizable button component for building responsive websites. Its variants streamline styling buttons while customizations like animations and icons optimize functionality.

Here are the key takeaways on mastering Tailwind buttons:

  • Effortless Styling: With variants like .btn-primary, .btn-secondary etc, styling buttons is a breeze. No need to write custom CSS.
  • Responsiveness: Buttons adapt seamlessly across devices due to Tailwind's mobile-first approach.
  • Animations: Animate buttons to delight users using .transition and .duration-[time] utilities.
  • Icons: Enhance buttons by adding icons like FontAwesome using .flex and .items-center.
  • Theming: Customize colors for branding or aesthetics using Tailwind's theming features.

In summary, Tailwind buttons tick all boxes - easy integration, customization and responsiveness. Level up website UI by harnessing their true potential!