Display
Display utilities set the box type: block, inline, flex, grid, hidden, contents. Pair with breakpoints to switch layouts as the viewport grows.
Display + responsive switching
EXAMPLE
<!-- 1) Standard display values -->
<div class="block">…</div>
<span class="inline">…</span>
<span class="inline-block px-2 py-1">…</span>
<div class="flex gap-3">…</div>
<div class="inline-flex items-center gap-2">…</div>
<div class="grid grid-cols-3 gap-4">…</div>
<div class="inline-grid">…</div>
<div class="contents">…</div> <!-- removes the box, keeps children -->
<div class="hidden">…</div>
<!-- 2) Responsive layouts — mobile-first -->
<!-- Stack on mobile, side-by-side on md+ -->
<div class="flex flex-col md:flex-row gap-4">
<aside class="md:w-64">Sidebar</aside>
<main class="flex-1">Content</main>
</div>
<!-- Hide an element on small screens -->
<button class="hidden md:inline-flex">Open settings</button>
<button class="md:hidden">Menu</button>
<!-- 3) Responsive grid -->
<div class="grid grid-cols-1 sm:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3 xl:grid-cols-4 gap-6">
<div class="…">Card</div>
…
</div>
<!-- 4) Print-friendly -->
<header class="flex print:hidden">Don't print the nav</header>
<article class="hidden print:block">Show only when printing</article>
<!-- 5) Toggle visibility but keep layout -->
<div class="invisible">Layout-occupying but invisible</div>
<div class="visible">…</div>
<!-- 6) contents — useful with semantic markup -->
<ul class="flex gap-3">
<li class="contents"> <!-- <li> doesn't constrain layout -->
<a>One</a>
<a>Two</a>
</li>
</ul>
<!-- 7) Common pattern — top nav -->
<nav class="flex items-center justify-between p-4">
<a class="text-xl font-semibold">Logo</a>
<ul class="hidden md:flex gap-6">
<li><a>Products</a></li>
<li><a>Pricing</a></li>
<li><a>About</a></li>
</ul>
<button class="md:hidden">☰</button>
</nav>
Why it matters
Tailwind’s breakpoint prefixes (sm:, md:, etc.) are min-width — mobile-first. Start with the small layout and add larger overrides. Reading the markup top-to-bottom = small-screen-to-large.
Tip: Tweak the snippet with Try it Yourself », then sit the quiz at the bottom of the page.
Discussion
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