TailwindCSS Standalone executables (via Mise) for Linux, macOS, and Windows

This guide focuses on managing TailwindCSS Standalone binaries across Linux, macOS, and Windows using mise-en-place. This method allows you to maintain multiple versions (e.g., v3 and v4) simultaneously on your machine without needing Node.js or npm.

Why use Mise for Tailwind?

While Tailwind Labs provides the executables, managing them manually (downloading, renaming, moving to PATH) is tedious. Using mise with the github backend automates this:

• No Node.js required: Runs the pre-compiled native binaries.
• Side-by-side versions: Use Tailwind v3 for legacy projects and v4 for new ones in the same terminal.
• Auto-switching: mise switches the tailwindcss command version automatically based on your current directory.

Installation with mise-en-place via github backend (Recommended)

The most reliable way to manage Tailwind versions is using the github: backend. This fetches releases directly from the official tailwindlabs/tailwindcss repository.

Install it as a TailwindCSS alias to avoid constantly using the long backend reference. It's important to set the alias before installing the first TailwindCSS version; otherwise, mise ls will list your TailwindCSS versions in two separate entries (it won't handle the original name and the alias together).

mise plugin rm tailwindcss
mise config set tool_alias.tailwindcss github:tailwindlabs/tailwindcss

You can install and use multiple major versions globally or per project.

# Install the absolute latest version
mise use tailwindcss@latest

# Install/Use the latest stable v4
mise use tailwindcss@4

# Install/Use the latest stable v3 (for compatibility)
mise use tailwindcss@3

# Install a specific patch version
mise use tailwindcss@3.4.15

# Check installed TailwindCSS versions
mise ls tailwindcss

# Change globally selected TailwindCSS version
mise use -g tailwindcss@4

Regardless of the version, the command remains the same:

# For development (runs until you stop it)
tailwindcss -i input.css -o output.css --watch

# For production (runs once)
tailwindcss -i input.css -o output.css

Automatic updates & version pinning

One of the most powerful features of mise is how it handles version resolutions. Instead of hardcoding a specific (patch) release, you can reference major versions. By referencing only the major version, you ensure that you always have the latest features and security patches within that release cycle, without manually downloading new binaries.

• tailwindcss@4: Points to the latest stable v4.x.x.
• tailwindcss@3: Points to the latest stable v3.x.x.

This is particularly useful because Tailwind v4 is a significant architectural shift. You can keep your v3 projects stable while exploring v4 features, and mise will manage the "latest" for both simultaneously.

How mise upgrades packages

mise doesn't just "install and forget". It allows you to keep your binaries fresh with simple commands. To see if a newer version is available for your pinned major version:

mise outdated

If you are using @4 and Tailwind releases 4.0.1, you can upgrade simply by running:

# Upgrades all managed tools to their latest resolved version
mise upgrade

# Upgrade only TailwindCSS
mise upgrade tailwindcss

Advanced configuration

Per-project versioning

If you have an older project that requires TailwindCSS v3, simply run this inside the project folder:

mise use tailwindcss@3

This creates a .mise.toml file. Every time you enter this folder, mise will ensure the tailwindcss command points to v3, while the rest of your system stays on v4.

Troubleshooting

Permissions

On Linux and macOS, mise automatically sets the executable bit. If you manually downloaded a binary from the releases page, remember to run chmod +x <filename>.

Version Conflicts

If you previously installed Tailwind via npm, the npm version might take precedence in your PATH. Run which tailwindcss to ensure it points to the ~/.local/share/mise path.

Running into issues?

While I actively follow TailwindCSS development and can answer related questions here, I recommend reaching out via Stack Overflow or GitHub Discussions for general TailwindCSS support.

• https://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/tailwind-css
• https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/issues
• https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/discussions

If you encounter issues specifically with mise-en-place, you can find a more active community for troubleshooting in mise-en-place Discussions.

• https://github.com/jdx/mise/discussions

About Me

I use mise-en-place primarily as a user, but I have deep, professional-level expertise in TailwindCSS. I have contributed answers to numerous Tailwind-related questions across Stack Overflow, GitHub Discussions, and the official Discord servers.

• Stack Overflow answers