Prerequisites
Before starting the project make sure to install the following utilities:
Creating a new Next application
Let's create a fresh Next application so that we can go through all the steps together.
Step 1
Create new project.
Note: Options used while creating the app: Typescript -
Yes, ESLint - Yes, `src/` directory -
Yes, App Router - both examples included in
this tutorial.
If you encounter the Request is not defined error, consider
updating your Node.js version to at least v18.0.0 or higher.
Alternatively, you can use Next.js v13.0.0 or a more recent version to
address this issue.
npx create-next-app@latest
cd my-project
Step 2
Run the development server.
npm run dev
Installing and configuring Tailwind CSS and TW Elements
Step 1
Install Tailwind CSS.
npm install -D tailwindcss postcss autoprefixer
npx tailwindcss init -p
File structure
If you have created a new next app, depending on the chosen options, your file structure could look like this:
// with App Router
my-project/
├── node_modules/
├── public/
├── src/
│ ├── pages/ - needs to be created
│ ├── app/
│ │ ├── favicon.ico
│ │ ├── globals.css
│ │ ├── layout.tsx
│ │ └── page.tsx
│ ├── index.css
│ ├── ...
│ └── index.js
├── package-lock.json
├── package.json
├── postcss.config.js
├── next.config.js
├── tsconfig.config.js
├── ...
└── tailwind.config.js
// without App Router
my-project/
├── node_modules/
├── public/
├── src/
│ ├── pages/
│ ├──── app/
│ │ ├── _app.tsx
│ │ ├── _document.tsx
│ │ └── index.tsx
│ └── styles/
│ └── globals.css
├── package-lock.json
├── package.json
├── postcss.config.js
├── next.config.js
├── tsconfig.config.js
├── ...
└── tailwind.config.js
Step 2
Add the paths to all of your template files in your
tailwind.config.js file.
/** @type {import('tailwindcss').Config} */
module.exports = {
content: [
"./app/**/*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}",
"./pages/**/*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}",
"./components/**/*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}",
"./node_modules/tw-elements/js/**/*.js",
// Or if using `src` directory:
"./src/**/*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}",
"./node_modules/tw-elements/js/**/*.js"
],
theme: {
extend: {},
},
darkMode: "class",
plugins: [require("tw-elements/plugin.cjs")]
}
Step 3
Add the @tailwind directives for each of Tailwind's layers to
your globals.css. Additionally, delete the default font styles in layout.tsx file.
@import url("https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Roboto:300,400,500,700,900&display=swap");
@tailwind base;
@layer base {
html {
@apply text-surface;
@apply bg-white;
}
html.dark {
@apply text-neutral-50;
@apply bg-body-dark;
}
}
@tailwind components;
@tailwind utilities;
p {
@apply leading-[1.6];
}
Step 4
Install TW Elements.
npm install tw-elements
Step 5
Create standalone file with name of your component (for example
MyComponent.tsx in src/pages directory - create
one if it doesn't exist) and add dynamic import TWE components which are you
intend to use. Also include necessary function initTWE.
Initialize initTWE in a lifecycle method. Since
tw-elements needs to be used client side don't
forget to add "use client" at the beginning of the file.
"use client";
import { useEffect } from "react";
const MyComponent = () => {
useEffect(() => {
const init = async () => {
const { Tooltip, initTWE } = await import("tw-elements");
initTWE({ Tooltip });
};
init();
}, []);
return (
<div className="mt-16 flex justify-center">
<p className="text-lg">
Hover the link to see the
<a
href="#"
className="text-primary ps-1 transition duration-150 ease-in-out hover:text-primary-600 focus:text-primary-600 active:text-primary-700 dark:text-primary-400 dark:hover:text-primary-500 dark:focus:text-primary-500 dark:active:text-primary-600"
data-twe-toggle="tooltip"
title="Hi! I'm tooltip"
>
tooltip
</a>
</p>
</div>
);
};
export default MyComponent;
Step 6
Import the newly created component wrapping it into
dynamic import with ssr object set to
false. You can do it either in
./src/app/page.tsx or ./src/pages/index.tsx.
import dynamic from "next/dynamic";
const DynamicComponent = dynamic(() => import("../pages/MyComponent"), {
ssr: false,
});
const Home = () => {
return (
<>
<DynamicComponent />
</>
);
};
export default Home;
Step 7
This step enables the reloading of Tailwind CSS styles. Start the app and see if everything's fine. Awesome! You're all set to dive into using TW Elements for your Next project. Have fun!
npm run dev
Initializing via JS
By default all components have autoinit which means they are initialized by data attributes. But if you want to make init by JavaScript - there is also possibility to do that.
Step 1
Import components which are you intend to use and initialize components in lifecycle hook.
"use client";
import { useEffect } from "react";
const MyComponent = () => {
useEffect(() => {
const init = async () => {
const { Tooltip } = await import("tw-elements");
const myTooltip = new Tooltip(document.getElementById("my-tooltip"));
};
init();
}, []);
return (
<div className="mt-16 flex justify-center">
<p className="text-lg">
Hover the link to see the
<a
id="my-tooltip"
href="#"
className="text-primary ps-1 transition duration-150 ease-in-out hover:text-primary-600 focus:text-primary-600 active:text-primary-700 dark:text-primary-400 dark:hover:text-primary-500 dark:focus:text-primary-500 dark:active:text-primary-600"
title="Hi! I'm tooltip"
>
tooltip
</a>
</p>
</div>
);
};
export default MyComponent;