TailwindCSS vs. SASS vs. CSS: The Ultimate Showdown

1. Vanilla CSS: The OG of Web Styling

What is CSS?

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is the fundamental language used to style websites. It’s like the seasoning to your HTML steak—without it, everything looks bland.

Strengths:

Universal: Every browser knows CSS. No installs, no compiling, just straight-up styling magic.

Simple (at first): Changing colors and fonts? Easy. Aligning something in the center? Well… good luck.

Lightweight: No extra libraries or dependencies. Just you and your code.

Weaknesses:

Can get messy fast: Large projects can turn into a spaghetti mess of stylesheets if not managed properly.

No variables or functions: Want to reuse a color or size? Get ready to copy and paste like it’s 1999.

Scalability issues: Writing clean, maintainable CSS requires discipline and structure. Otherwise, you’ll create a Frankenstein-style monster of styles.

When to Use CSS?

  • For small projects or quick styling.
  • When you don’t want to deal with extra tools or compilers.
  • If you enjoy the raw, untamed wilderness of front-end development.

2. SASS: CSS with Superpowers

What is SASS?

SASS (Syntactically Awesome Stylesheets) is CSS but with added features that make life easier. It’s like giving CSS a jetpack and teaching it how to cook gourmet meals.

Strengths:

Variables: Define colors, font sizes, and spacing once, and reuse them everywhere.

Nesting: No more endless selectors! You can structure styles in a more readable, hierarchical way.

Mixins & Functions: Reusable blocks of styles that keep your code DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself).

Partials & Modules: Split styles into smaller, manageable pieces instead of one giant file.

Weaknesses:

Requires compilation: You can’t just write SASS and expect browsers to understand. You need a preprocessor (like DartSASS or NodeSASS) to convert it into CSS.

Can still get messy: If not structured properly, SASS can lead to deeply nested selectors and bloated stylesheets.

When to Use SASS?

  • When working on large-scale projects that require organization and maintainability.
  • If you love writing clean, structured code with reusable components.
  • When you want to feel like a CSS wizard.

3. TailwindCSS: The Utility-First Rebel

What is TailwindCSS?

TailwindCSS is a utility-first CSS framework that provides pre-built classes to style your elements directly in HTML. Think of it as the LEGO set of styling—lots of tiny, reusable pieces that you combine to build something beautiful.

Strengths:

No more custom CSS files: Most styling happens in HTML, reducing the need for writing separate CSS.

Highly customizable: Tailwind’s configuration file lets you tweak everything to fit your needs.

Consistent design: Using predefined utility classes ensures uniform styles across your project.

Faster development: No need to invent class names or switch between files—just apply styles as you go.

Weaknesses:

HTML gets crowded: Your markup can become bloated with classes, making it harder to read.

Learning curve: It’s a different way of thinking about CSS, and it takes time to get used to.

Not ideal for small projects: If you just need a few styles, loading an entire framework might be overkill.

When to Use TailwindCSS?

  • When you want rapid development with a consistent design system.
  • If you dislike managing separate stylesheets.
  • When working on large, scalable applications where design consistency is key.

4. So… Which One Should You Choose?

A table comparing and scoring CSS, SASS and TailwindCSS

5. Conclusion: The Final Verdict

  • Use Vanilla CSS if you’re working on a small project, just learning, or want full control with minimal dependencies.
  • Use SASS if you need a structured, maintainable stylesheet for a mid-to-large project.
  • Use TailwindCSS if you want rapid development, consistent design, and don’t mind writing lots of utility classes in your HTML.

At the end of the day, there’s no single best choice—just the right tool for the job. So go forth, style wisely, and may your layouts always be perfectly centered (or at least, close enough). 🎨💻

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Hannah Feehan

Designer | Developer | Founder

Passionate about helping others, specialist areas include creative problem solving and education. Mum to three kiddies and two black cats

Connect with a member of Jorvik Web Dev to start a project or find out more info.

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