shadcn/Tailwind Layouts
Help generate shadcn/Tailwind components that render correctly the first time. Most agent-generated UI fails due to missing mental models about how CSS layout works—not syntax errors, but assumption gaps.
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when:
Creating shadcn/Tailwind layouts
Debugging height/scroll issues
Fixing flex/grid problems
Setting up full-page app shells
Do NOT use this skill when:
Writing backend code
Working on non-Tailwind CSS projects
Designing (use frontend-design first)
Core Principle
CSS layout flows from constraints. Height flows down from explicit ancestors. Width flows up from content. Agents fail because they apply classes without understanding the constraint chain.
Critical Mental Models
Model 1: Height Inheritance Chain
h-full means height: 100%. 100% of what? 100% of the parent's computed height.
BROKEN (chain incomplete):
WORKING (chain complete):
Rule: Trace from element up to . Every ancestor needs explicit height, OR use viewport units (h-screen) to break the chain.
Model 2: Flex Overflow Gotcha
Flex children have implicit min-height: auto, preventing shrinking below content size.
// BROKEN (won't scroll)
{/* Can't shrink! */}
// WORKING (scrolls correctly)
{/* Can shrink */}
Rule: Flex children that scroll need min-h-0. Children that shouldn't shrink need shrink-0.
Model 3: Grid Parent/Child Separation
Grid is defined on the parent. Children just occupy cells.
// BROKEN
{/* Missing 'grid'! */}
// WORKING
{/* 'grid' enables grid-cols-* */}
Rule: flex or grid must be declared on parent before direction/template classes work.
Model 4: Scroll Container Dimensions
Scroll containers need explicit dimensions to know when to scroll.
// BROKEN (never scrolls)
{/* No height constraint */}
// WORKING (flex-constrained)
Diagnostic States
SL1: Height Chain Broken
Symptoms: Elements collapse, h-full not working Fix: Trace to html, add heights or use h-screen
SL2: Flex Overflow Blocked
Symptoms: Scroll doesn't work, content overflows Fix: Add min-h-0 to flex children that scroll
SL3: Grid Structure Wrong
Symptoms: Items stack vertically instead of columns Fix: Ensure grid grid-cols-* on parent
SL4: Styles Not Applying
Symptoms: Unstyled components, colors wrong Fix: Check Tailwind content paths, CSS variables in globals.css
SL5: Component Dependencies Missing
Symptoms: "Module not found", functionality broken Fix: npx shadcn add [component], install peer deps
Common Layout Patterns
Full-Page App Shell
// layout.tsx
{children}
// page.tsx
Dashboard with Header
Card Grid
{items.map(item => (
{item.title}
{item.content}
))}
Anti-Patterns
The Height Assumption
Using h-full without verifying ancestor chain. Fix: Trace to html. Use h-screen to break chain.
The Overflow Ignorance
Adding overflow-y-auto without min-h-0 on flex children. Fix: Flex children need min-h-0 to shrink.
The Import Guess
Guessing import paths like shadcn/ui. Fix: Check components.json for alias. Usually @/components/ui/*.
The Flat Compound
Flattening compound components (Dialog without DialogTrigger/DialogContent). Fix: Maintain required nesting structure.
Pre-Generation Checklist
Import alias known (@/components/ui/*)
html has h-full
body has h-full or min-h-full
Scroll containers have explicit height
Flex scroll children have min-h-0
Fixed elements have shrink-0
Related Skills
frontend-design - Design decisions before implementation
react-pwa - PWA features for React apps
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