@apply for extracting patterns in Tailwind - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to apply padding and background color using Tailwind's @apply.

Tailwind

.btn {
  @apply [1];
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Atext-center font-bold

Bm-2 border-2

Cflex items-center

Dp-4 bg-blue-500

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using unrelated utilities like text alignment or flexbox.

Forgetting to separate utilities with spaces.

The @apply directive lets you reuse Tailwind utility classes. Here, 'p-4 bg-blue-500' applies padding and background color.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to extract common text styles using @apply in a CSS class.

Tailwind

.text-style {
  @apply [1];
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Atext-lg font-semibold text-gray-700

Bp-6 bg-red-300 rounded

Cflex justify-center items-center

Dborder border-gray-400 shadow-md

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Choosing layout or spacing utilities instead of text styles.

Mixing unrelated utilities in the @apply directive.

The class applies large text size, semi-bold font, and gray color using Tailwind utilities with @apply.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the @apply usage to combine flexbox and spacing utilities.

Tailwind

.container {
  @apply [1];
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Aflex, justify-center, p-4

Bflex justify-center p-4

Cflex; justify-center; p-4

Dflex;justify-center;p-4

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using commas or semicolons to separate utilities.

Writing utilities without spaces.

In @apply, utilities must be space-separated without commas or semicolons.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to create a reusable card style with shadow and padding using @apply.

Tailwind

.card {
  @apply [1] [2];
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Ashadow-lg

Bp-6

Ctext-center

Dbg-gray-100

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Choosing text alignment or background color instead of shadow or padding.

Mixing unrelated utilities.

The card uses 'shadow-lg' for shadow and 'p-6' for padding, combined with @apply.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to create a button style with rounded corners, background color, and text color using @apply.

Tailwind

.btn-primary {
  @apply [1] [2] [3];
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Arounded-md

Bbg-green-600

Ctext-white

Dborder-2

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using border utilities instead of rounded corners.

Mixing background and text colors incorrectly.

The button uses 'rounded-md' for corners, 'bg-green-600' for background, and 'text-white' for text color.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of using @apply in Tailwind CSS?

easy

A. To create animations in Tailwind CSS

B. To add JavaScript functionality to Tailwind classes

C. To import external CSS files into Tailwind

D. To combine multiple utility classes into one reusable custom class

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand what @apply does

   @apply lets you write multiple Tailwind utility classes inside a CSS rule to create a single custom class.

2. Step 2: Identify the main use

   This helps reuse styles and keep code tidy by combining utilities into one class.

3. Final Answer:

   To combine multiple utility classes into one reusable custom class -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   @apply combines utilities = C [OK]

Hint: Remember: @apply bundles utilities into one class [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking @apply adds JavaScript
• Confusing @apply with animation creation
• Assuming @apply imports CSS files

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to use @apply inside a CSS file?

easy

A. .btn { @apply text-white bg-blue-500 px-4 py-2; }

B. .btn { apply: text-white bg-blue-500 px-4 py-2; }

C. .btn { @use text-white bg-blue-500 px-4 py-2; }

D. .btn { apply(@text-white, @bg-blue-500); }

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall the correct @apply syntax

   The correct way is to write @apply followed by utility classes inside a CSS rule block.

2. Step 2: Check each option

   Only .btn { @apply text-white bg-blue-500 px-4 py-2; } uses @apply correctly with utility classes separated by spaces.

3. Final Answer:

   .btn { @apply text-white bg-blue-500 px-4 py-2; } -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Correct @apply syntax = A [OK]

Hint: Look for '@apply' keyword followed by utilities inside braces [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using 'apply:' instead of '@apply'
• Using '@use' or other incorrect keywords
• Trying to call @apply like a function

3. Given this CSS code using @apply:

.card {
  @apply p-6 bg-white rounded-lg shadow-md;
}

What visual styles will the .card class have?

medium

A. No padding, transparent background, rounded corners, and large shadow

B. Padding of 6px, black background, square corners, and no shadow

C. Padding of 1.5rem, white background, rounded corners, and medium shadow

D. Padding of 6rem, gray background, rounded corners, and small shadow

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand each utility class

   p-6 means padding 1.5rem, bg-white sets white background, rounded-lg adds large rounded corners, shadow-md adds medium shadow.

2. Step 2: Match these styles to options

   Padding of 1.5rem, white background, rounded corners, and medium shadow correctly describes these styles. Others have wrong padding sizes or colors.

3. Final Answer:

   Padding of 1.5rem, white background, rounded corners, and medium shadow -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   p-6 + bg-white + rounded-lg + shadow-md = A [OK]

Hint: Know Tailwind spacing and color names to decode @apply output [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing padding units (px vs rem)
• Mixing up background colors
• Misunderstanding shadow sizes

4. What is wrong with this CSS using @apply?

.btn {
  @apply text-white bg-blue-500 px-4 py-2;
  @apply rounded-lg;
  color: red;
}

medium

A. The syntax is invalid because @apply must be last

B. Multiple @apply statements should be combined into one

C. The color property conflicts with @apply and causes error

D. You cannot use @apply with padding classes

Solution

1. Step 1: Check usage of multiple @apply

   Tailwind allows multiple @apply but best practice is to combine them for clarity and to avoid duplication.

2. Step 2: Analyze other options

   @apply works with padding, color property is valid CSS and does not cause error, and @apply can be anywhere inside the rule.

3. Final Answer:

   Multiple @apply statements should be combined into one -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Combine @apply classes for cleaner CSS = D [OK]

Hint: Combine all utilities in one @apply for neat CSS [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking @apply can't be used multiple times
• Assuming color property conflicts with @apply
• Believing @apply must be last in CSS block

5. You want to create a reusable button style in Tailwind using @apply that has white text, blue background, padding, rounded corners, and a hover effect that darkens the background. Which CSS snippet correctly achieves this?

hard

A. .btn {
@apply text-white bg-blue-500 px-4 py-2 rounded;
&:hover { @apply bg-blue-700; }
}

B. .btn {
@apply text-white bg-blue-500 px-4 py-2 rounded hover:bg-blue-700;
}

C. .btn {
@apply text-white bg-blue-500 px-4 py-2 rounded;
:hover { @apply bg-blue-700; }
}

D. .btn {
@apply text-white bg-blue-500 px-4 py-2 rounded;
hover: { @apply bg-blue-700; }
}

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand hover styling with @apply

   To apply hover styles with @apply, you must nest inside a CSS hover selector like &:hover in your CSS.

2. Step 2: Check each option's hover syntax

   .btn { @apply text-white bg-blue-500 px-4 py-2 rounded; &:hover { @apply bg-blue-700; } } correctly uses &:hover { @apply bg-blue-700; }. .btn { @apply text-white bg-blue-500 px-4 py-2 rounded hover:bg-blue-700; } tries to use hover:bg-blue-700 inside @apply which is invalid. Options C and D have incorrect hover selector syntax.

3. Final Answer:

   .btn { @apply text-white bg-blue-500 px-4 py-2 rounded; &:hover { @apply bg-blue-700; } } -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Use &:hover with @apply for hover styles = B [OK]

Hint: Use &:hover { @apply ... } for hover styles in CSS [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to use hover: prefix inside @apply
• Using :hover without & in nested CSS
• Incorrect hover selector syntax causing errors