# Headless UI vs Tailwind CSS

**Leader by Vioscale score:** Tailwind CSS

| Attribute | Headless UI | Tailwind CSS |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 65.9 (62% (medium)) | 72 (78% (high)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | - | 34 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 45,352 | 1,049,673 |
| adoption.github_stars | 28,721 | 97,335 |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | 7,182,960 | 126,824,276 |
| description.long | Open-source library of fully accessible UI components designed to be completely unstyled, providing seamless integration with Tailwind CSS | A CSS framework providing a library of styling utilities you can apply directly to your HTML elements. It scans your code and generates only the CSS you actually use, with built-in support for responsive layouts, dark mode, and theme customization. |
| features.capabilities | `{"paradigm":"Headless component library","bundle_size":"tiny","ssr_support":true,"virtual_dom":true,"component_model":true}` | `{"paradigm":"Utility-first CSS framework","bundle_size":"tiny","ssr_support":true}` |
| integrations.count | 3 | 7 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"React"},{"name":"Vue"},{"name":"Tailwind CSS"}]` | `[{"name":"Laravel"},{"name":"SvelteKit"},{"name":"React Router"},{"name":"Nuxt"},{"name":"SolidJS"},{"name":"Vite"},{"name":"PostCSS"}]` |
| language.primary | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| license.spdx | MIT | MIT |
| platform.support | `{"web":true}` | `{"web":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://headlessui.com/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-13T23:00:21.344Z"}` | `{"type":"open_source","sourceUrl":"https://tailwindcss.com","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T15:24:55.725Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | - |
| pricing.model | commercial | open_source |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | - | yes |
| release.cadence_days | 12 | 17 |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.2.10","date":"2026-04-07T17:11:30Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.2.10"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.2.9","date":"2025-09-25T13:51:49Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.2.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.2.8","date":"2025-09-12T15:34:21Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.2.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.2.7","date":"2025-07-30T14:04:23Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.2.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.2.6","date":"2025-07-24T14:50:04Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.2.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.2.5","date":"2025-07-23T11:23:56Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.2.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.2.4","date":"2025-05-20T14:17:25Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.2.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.2.3","date":"2025-05-12T21:49:39Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.2.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.2.2","date":"2025-04-17T13:18:58Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.2.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.2.1","date":"2025-04-04T14:48:26Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.2.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/tailwindcss%40v0.2.2","date":"2025-02-06T13:22:42Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/tailwindcss@v0.2.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.2.0","date":"2024-10-25T13:52:27Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.2.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.1.10","date":"2024-10-10T18:58:56Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.1.10"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.1.9","date":"2024-10-03T09:58:43Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.1.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.1.8","date":"2024-09-12T10:36:03Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.1.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.1.7","date":"2024-09-11T15:33:57Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.1.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/vue%40v1.7.23","date":"2024-09-09T09:07:12Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/vue@v1.7.23"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.1.6","date":"2024-09-09T19:15:42Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.1.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.1.5","date":"2024-09-04T14:37:47Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.1.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/headlessui/releases/tag/%40headlessui/react%40v2.1.4","date":"2024-09-03T15:26:48Z","type":"stable","version":"@headlessui/react@v2.1.4"}]` | `[{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.3.3","date":"2026-07-16T11:55:08Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.3.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.3.2","date":"2026-06-29T14:21:45Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.3.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.3.1","date":"2026-06-12T17:50:58Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.3.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.3.0","date":"2026-05-08T20:17:25Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.3.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.2.4","date":"2026-04-21T13:09:56Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.2.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.2.3","date":"2026-04-20T20:46:46Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.2.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.2.2","date":"2026-03-18T16:06:04Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.2.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.2.1","date":"2026-02-23T12:51:32Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.2.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.2.0","date":"2026-02-18T14:58:28Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.2.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.1.18","date":"2025-12-11T16:31:46Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.1.18"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v3.4.19","date":"2025-12-10T18:39:41Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.4.19"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.1.17","date":"2025-11-06T15:34:59Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.1.17"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.1.16","date":"2025-10-23T10:55:20Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.1.16"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.1.15","date":"2025-10-20T13:17:31Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.1.15"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.1.14","date":"2025-10-01T16:00:08Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.1.14"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v3.4.18","date":"2025-10-01T15:29:54Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.4.18"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.1.13","date":"2025-09-04T17:29:16Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.1.13"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.1.12","date":"2025-08-14T12:48:21Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.1.12"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.1.11","date":"2025-06-26T10:52:42Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.1.11"},{"url":"https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/releases/tag/v4.1.10","date":"2025-06-11T20:37:12Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.1.10"}]` |
| security.scorecard | 4.2 | 6.7 |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=%40headlessui%2Freact&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=tailwindcss&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (Frontend UI Frameworks)

| Capability | Headless UI | Tailwind CSS |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Paradigm | Headless component library | Utility-first CSS framework |
| Reusable component model | ✓ | - |
| **Rendering** |  |  |
| Virtual DOM | ✓ | - |
| Signals / fine-grained reactivity | - | - |
| SSR support | ✓ | ✓ |
| **DX** |  |  |
| First-class TypeScript | - | - |
| **State** |  |  |
| Built-in state management | - | - |
| **Ecosystem** |  |  |
| Official router | - | - |
| **Performance** |  |  |
| Runtime size | Tiny (<10kb) | Tiny (<10kb) |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T17:48:30.611Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*