Tailwind CSS joins Shopify; a day later, Shopify drops React Native

Tailwind CSS, a utility-first CSS framework, has joined forces with Shopify after 25 hours of anticipation. This partnership marks a significant shift as Shopify moves every app from React Native to Swift and Kotlin. The reason behind this change is rooted in AI-driven cost reduction, as the company's 2020 statement on React Native being the future of mobile at Shopify has now been updated to reflect the new approach.

The framework, which has been installed over 110 million times weekly, will continue to operate under an MIT license, while Tailwind Plus and ui.sh will no longer accept new sign-ups. This change affects existing customers, who will still have access to the services. The decision comes after Tailwind's engineering team experienced a 75% reduction in staff, largely due to AI's impact on their business.

Adam Wathan, one of the key engineers, had previously acknowledged the significant layoffs and the dwindling traffic to the framework's documentation, which was the primary source of income for the business. In response to this situation, Tailwind Labs has chosen to partner with Shopify, ensuring Tailwind CSS remains a stable and long-term option for developers.