How does Tailwind compare with Bootstrap or writing your own CSS?

Summary

Bootstrap gives pre-built components (buttons, navbars) with a fixed look you override; Tailwind gives low-level utilities so you build any design. Hand-written CSS gives full control but needs naming, organisation and tends to grow and become unsafe to change. Tailwind trades class names in HTML for consistency and maintainability.

Longer Answer

Teams often pair Tailwind with headless component libraries (Radix, Headless UI) or copy-paste kits (shadcn/ui) to get components without a fixed look.

Key Points

• Bootstrap: components, fixed style.
• Tailwind: utilities, any design.
• Custom CSS: control, harder to maintain.
• Headless libraries add behaviour.

Deep dive: Tailwind CSS Tutorial: Tailwind CSS Introduction

What interviewers look for

A balanced comparison with real use cases.