Answer to your question:
The main issue isn’t Tailwind itself, it’s that responsive logic (`sm:/md:/lg:`) is hard-coded in every component. That couples breakpoints directly to JSX and makes global updates painful. The scalable fix is to introduce a thin abstraction layer:
Layout primitives (`Grid`, `Stack`, `Container`) → take props like cols/gap and generate the responsive classes.
Variants (`tailwind-variants`/`cva`) → define reusable styles and states (tone, density, padding) instead of repeating class strings.
Shared Tailwind preset → centralize screens, colors, spacing; change them once, all apps update.
Container queries → when layout depends on parent width instead of global viewport.
Design tokens in CSS variables → theming and density modes without JSX refactors.
This way you keep Tailwind’s power but gain central control, consistency, and scalability.
Additional improvements worth adding:
- **DX & consistency:** eslint-plugin-tailwindcss, Prettier Tailwind plugin, `twMerge` + `clsx` for programmatic classes.
- **Theming:** tokens in `:root` and `[data-theme]`, dark mode via attributes, plan RTL support.
- **Primitives API:** keep them small and predictable (Grid: cols/gap; Stack: direction/gap).
- **Variants system:** use semantic prop names (`tone`, `density`) not raw class names.
- **Accessibility:** focus-visible styles, respect prefers-reduced-motion.
- **Performance:** safelist minimal, audit arbitrary values, tree-shake icons.
- **Testing:** Storybook + viewport addon, visual regression tests for breakpoints/themes.
- **Docs:** usage recipes + “do/don’t” examples; not encyclopedias.
- **Migration plan:** 1) add preset & primitives, 2) migrate worst offenders, 3) enforce lint rules to block new raw utility soups.
- **Monorepo ops:** publish `@org/tw-preset` + `@org/ui`; version them and document breaking changes.
- **Ergonomics:** ship default responsive presets (e.g. `cols={presets.twoUpToThree}`), global density modes.
- **Edge cases:** SSR determinism, iframe/microfrontend theming via CSS vars, always expose `className` escape hatch.
Bottom line:
Stop scattering `sm:/md:/lg:` everywhere. Move them into controlled wrappers, centralize tokens, and let Tailwind do the heavy lifting behind clean APIs. That’s how you keep responsive design flexible and scalable without drowning in utility chains.