# ⬆️ What does TailwindCSS 2.1 improve?

**Author:** Elian Van Cutsem
**Published:** 2021-04-05
**Tags:** TailwindCSS, CSS, Release
**Description:** TailwindCSS 2.1 just got released, but what does it bring and improve?

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# What does TailwindCSS 2.1 improve?

TailwindCSS 2.1 just got released. Read [the official blogpost about that here](https://blog.tailwindcss.com/tailwindcss-2-1). I'm excited for it since it brings the new Just-In-Time engine to the core, I wrote [a detailed blogpost about what it is and how to use it](https://www.elian.codes/blog/21-03-16-what-is-tailwindcss-jit-and-how-to-use-it) some time ago, which actually did very well.

## Tailwind JIT

The JIT engine got added to the core which means that you don't have to install a separate package and do some PostCSS changes. Initially the JIT engine had some issues with some CSS classes and properties, but most of them already got ironed out.

### Using JIT engine in TailwindCSS 2.1

Using the JIT engine in TailwindCSS 2.0.4 required to set the PostCSS config to include another package called `@tailwindcss/jit` as seen below:

```js
// postcss.config.js

module.exports = {
  plugins: [require("@tailwindcss/jit"), require("autoprefixer")],
};
```

Where you now only need the following line `mode: 'jit'` in your `tailwind.config.js`

```js
// tailwind.config.js

module.exports = {
  mode: "jit",
  purge: {
    enabled: true,
    content: [
      //...
    ],
  },
  darkMode: "class",
  theme: {
    //...
  },
};
```

You can even remove the `@tailwindcss/jit` package completely from your project.

### using it with the @nuxtjs/tailwindcss module

[The TailwindCSS module for NuxtJS](https://tailwindcss.nuxtjs.org/) supported JIT mode since v4.0.1, but now you don't even have to set the mode.

Previously we set it by adding this to our `nuxt.config.js` file:

```js
// nuxt.confug.js

tailwindcss: {
  // other @nuxtjs/tailwindcss
  jit: true // or false
},
```

Now we don't have to include it here anymore, but instead add it as `mode: 'JIT'` in the `tailwind.config.js` file:

```js
// tailwind.config.js

module.exports = {
  mode: "jit",
  // other TailwindCSS options
};
```

## Support for CSS filters, blending modes & isolation utilities

This is a CSS feature I haven't quite used that much, but it's nice to see TailwindCSS become a very complete and sophisticated CSS framework.

To read more about those check out [the official TailwindCSS blogpost about v2.1](https://blog.tailwindcss.com/tailwindcss-2-1#new-filter-and-backdrop-filter-utilities)

## Upgrading from 2.0.4 to 2.1

Upgrading is nothing more then `yarn upgrade` or `yarn add tailwindcss@latest`