You know that moment when something you’ve relied on for years suddenly feels fragile? That’s happening right now in the open-source world, and most of us haven’t even noticed.
Adam Wathan from Tailwind CSS just dropped a reality bomb: they’ve had to lay off 75% of their engineering team. And here’s the kicker—it’s not because Tailwind CSS is failing. It’s because it’s succeeding too well in a world where AI is rewriting the rules of the game.
Here’s What Went Wrong (And Right)
Tailwind CSS is everywhere. Seriously everywhere. Developers love it because it’s fast, intuitive, and just works. But there’s a dark side to that success that nobody talks about.
Remember when developers would search for CSS solutions, land on Tailwind’s documentation, and often end up subscribing to their premium services? That was the lifeblood. Not anymore.
The numbers tell a brutal story:
📉 40% drop in documentation traffic. Developers aren’t reading docs anymore—they’re asking Claude or ChatGPT. “Hey, how do I center a div with Tailwind?” used to lead people to the official docs. Now, AI answers in 2 seconds flat.
💸 80% revenue collapse. When traffic dies, subscriptions die. And without that revenue? You can’t pay engineers. It’s that simple.
😤 “Bitter pill” doesn’t even begin to cover it. Adam’s own words. A framework loved by millions, but the business that sustains it is hemorrhaging.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Tailwind CSS is still free. The innovation isn’t.
Every time you ask an AI for a Tailwind solution instead of checking the docs, you’re not saving time—you’re potentially starving the team that maintains the framework you depend on. And eventually, when there’s no team left, you get “unmaintained abandonware.” That’s developer speak for: “it works until it doesn’t, and nobody’s fixing it.”
Think about it: Would you use a tool if you knew it might disappear in two years? That’s the risk we’re facing here.
What Happens Next (If We Do Nothing)
The nightmare scenario is real:
v4.0 stalls. Bugs don’t get fixed. New features die in limbo.
Community suffers. All those amazing Tailwind-based projects suddenly become tech debt.
The lesson spreads. If even the most loved open-source tools can’t survive, why would new creators bother?
You don’t need to feel guilty—you need to take action. And it’s not as painful as you might think:
1. Subscribe to Tailwind Plus (If your company uses Tailwind at scale)
It’s not just UI blocks and templates. It’s voting with your wallet that you want this tool to stick around. Plus, the professional components actually save your team time.
2. Become a Sponsor
Even small sponsorships from studios, agencies, and companies add up. The Tailwind team has sponsorship options at every budget level.
3. Spread the Word
Share this. Seriously. Most developers have no idea that circumventing documentation through AI has real consequences. A conversation in your team chat, a Slack message, a post—it matters.
This isn’t just about Tailwind. This is about what we, as a developer community, are willing to let happen to the tools that power our work.
AI is amazing. But it’s also reshaping the economics of open source in ways we’re only starting to understand. If we keep taking from the well without giving back, we shouldn’t be surprised when it runs dry.
The creators we love deserve to eat. Their teams deserve to exist. And the tools we depend on deserve to evolve.
If you build with Tailwind. If it’s saved you hours. If you’ve recommended it to someone. Now’s the time to return the favor.
Subscribe. Sponsor. Spread the word.
Let’s not watch another incredible tool fade into abandonware.
Adam Wathan’s Original Post (X/Twitter):
https://x.com/adamwathan/status/2008909129591443925
Podcast Episode – Adam’s Morning Walk:
https://adams-morning-walk.transistor.fm/episodes/we-had-six-months-left
Official Tailwind CSS Website:
https://tailwindcss.com/
