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Tailwind Config Changes Not Reflecting in Dev

Changes to tailwind.config.js don't appear in development. Need to restart dev server to see theme changes. New colors, spacing, or custom utilities don't apply.

Vite should watch tailwind.config.js but sometimes changes aren't detected. Manual server restart required.

Common Causes

  1. Dev server not watching tailwind.config.js
  2. PostCSS not recompiling after config change
  3. Vite build cache needs clearing
  4. Content path changes not triggering rebuild
  5. IDE not saving file or watching disabled

How to Fix It

Ensure vite.config.js watches config file:

export default {
  server: {
    watch: {
      include: ['./tailwind.config.js']
    }
  }
}

Clear cache and restart: `rm -rf node_modules/.vite && npm run dev`

Or manually hard refresh browser (Shift+F5).

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I force reload config?

Stop dev server, delete .vite cache folder, restart. Or hard refresh browser with Shift+F5.

Do I need to rebuild CSS?

No, Tailwind JIT compiles on demand. Changes should appear after browser refresh.

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