Make --theme(…) return CSS variables

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - Fix `border-[12px_4px]` being interpreted as a `border-color` instead of a `border-width` ([#17248](https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/pull/17248))
 - Use the `oklab(…)` function when applying opacity to `currentColor` to work around a crash in Safari 16.4 and 16.5 ([#17247](https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/pull/17247))
 - Pre-process `<template lang="…">` in Vue files ([#17252](https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/pull/17252))
+- Ensure that all CSS variables used by preflight are prefixed ([#17036](https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/pull/17036))
+
+### Changed
+
+- The `--theme(…)` function now returns CSS variables from your theme variables unless used inside positions where CSS variables are invalid (e.g. inside `@media` queries) ([#17036](https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/pull/17036))
 
 ## [4.0.14] - 2025-03-13
 

packages/@tailwindcss-postcss/src/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap

@@ -10,11 +10,7 @@ exports[`\`@import 'tailwindcss'\` is replaced with the generated CSS 1`] = `
     --text-2xl--line-height: calc(2 / 1.5);
     --font-weight-bold: 700;
     --default-font-family: var(--font-sans);
-    --default-font-feature-settings: var(--font-sans--font-feature-settings);
-    --default-font-variation-settings: var(--font-sans--font-variation-settings);
     --default-mono-font-family: var(--font-mono);
-    --default-mono-font-feature-settings: var(--font-mono--font-feature-settings);
-    --default-mono-font-variation-settings: var(--font-mono--font-variation-settings);
   }
 }
 

packages/@tailwindcss-upgrade/src/codemods/migrate-media-screen.ts

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export function migrateMediaScreen({
     let screens = resolvedConfig?.theme?.screens || {}
 
     let mediaQueries = new DefaultMap<string, string | null>((name) => {
-      let value = designSystem?.resolveThemeValue(`--breakpoint-${name}`) ?? screens?.[name]
+      let value = designSystem?.resolveThemeValue(`--breakpoint-${name}`, true) ?? screens?.[name]
       if (typeof value === 'string') return `(width >= theme(--breakpoint-${name}))`
       return value ? buildMediaQuery(value) : null
     })

packages/@tailwindcss-upgrade/src/template/codemods/legacy-classes.ts

@@ -139,9 +139,9 @@ export async function legacyClasses(
 
     if (fromThemeKey && toThemeKey) {
       // Migrating something that resolves to a value in the theme.
-      let customFrom = designSystem.resolveThemeValue(fromThemeKey)
-      let defaultFrom = defaultDesignSystem.resolveThemeValue(fromThemeKey)
-      let customTo = designSystem.resolveThemeValue(toThemeKey)
+      let customFrom = designSystem.resolveThemeValue(fromThemeKey, true)
+      let defaultFrom = defaultDesignSystem.resolveThemeValue(fromThemeKey, true)
+      let customTo = designSystem.resolveThemeValue(toThemeKey, true)
       let defaultTo = defaultDesignSystem.resolveThemeValue(toThemeKey)
 
       // The new theme value is not defined, which means we can't safely

packages/tailwindcss/preflight.css

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ html,
   line-height: 1.5; /* 1 */
   -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; /* 2 */
   tab-size: 4; /* 3 */
-  font-family: var(
+  font-family: --theme(
     --default-font-family,
     ui-sans-serif,
     system-ui,
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ html,
     'Segoe UI Symbol',
     'Noto Color Emoji'
   ); /* 4 */
-  font-feature-settings: var(--default-font-feature-settings, normal); /* 5 */
-  font-variation-settings: var(--default-font-variation-settings, normal); /* 6 */
+  font-feature-settings: --theme(--default-font-feature-settings, normal); /* 5 */
+  font-variation-settings: --theme(--default-font-variation-settings, normal); /* 6 */
   -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; /* 7 */
 }
 
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ code,
 kbd,
 samp,
 pre {
-  font-family: var(
+  font-family: --theme(
     --default-mono-font-family,
     ui-monospace,
     SFMono-Regular,
@@ -129,8 +129,8 @@ pre {
     'Courier New',
     monospace
   ); /* 1 */
-  font-feature-settings: var(--default-mono-font-feature-settings, normal); /* 2 */
-  font-variation-settings: var(--default-mono-font-variation-settings, normal); /* 3 */
+  font-feature-settings: --theme(--default-mono-font-feature-settings, normal); /* 2 */
+  font-variation-settings: --theme(--default-mono-font-variation-settings, normal); /* 3 */
   font-size: 1em; /* 4 */
 }
 

packages/tailwindcss/src/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap

@@ -92,3 +92,252 @@ exports[`compiling CSS > \`@tailwind utilities\` is replaced by utilities using
   initial-value: 0 0 #0000;
 }"
 `;
+
+exports[`compiling CSS > prefix all CSS variables inside preflight 1`] = `
+"@layer theme {
+  :root, :host {
+    --tw-font-sans: ui-sans-serif, system-ui, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji";
+    --tw-font-mono: ui-monospace, SFMono-Regular, Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, "Liberation Mono", "Courier New", monospace;
+    --tw-default-font-family: var(--tw-font-sans);
+    --tw-default-mono-font-family: var(--tw-font-mono);
+  }
+}
+
+@layer base {
+  *, :after, :before, ::backdrop {
+    box-sizing: border-box;
+    border: 0 solid;
+    margin: 0;
+    padding: 0;
+  }
+
+  ::file-selector-button {
+    box-sizing: border-box;
+    border: 0 solid;
+    margin: 0;
+    padding: 0;
+  }
+
+  html, :host {
+    -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;
+    tab-size: 4;
+    line-height: 1.5;
+    font-family: var(--tw-default-font-family, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji");
+    font-feature-settings: var(--tw-default-font-feature-settings, normal);
+    font-variation-settings: var(--tw-default-font-variation-settings, normal);
+    -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;
+  }
+
+  body {
+    line-height: inherit;
+  }
+
+  hr {
+    height: 0;
+    color: inherit;
+    border-top-width: 1px;
+  }
+
+  abbr:where([title]) {
+    -webkit-text-decoration: underline dotted;
+    text-decoration: underline dotted;
+  }
+
+  h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 {
+    font-size: inherit;
+    font-weight: inherit;
+  }
+
+  a {
+    color: inherit;
+    -webkit-text-decoration: inherit;
+    -webkit-text-decoration: inherit;
+    -webkit-text-decoration: inherit;
+    text-decoration: inherit;
+  }
+
+  b, strong {
+    font-weight: bolder;
+  }
+
+  code, kbd, samp, pre {
+    font-family: var(--tw-default-mono-font-family, ui-monospace, SFMono-Regular, Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, "Liberation Mono", "Courier New", monospace);
+    font-feature-settings: var(--tw-default-mono-font-feature-settings, normal);
+    font-variation-settings: var(--tw-default-mono-font-variation-settings, normal);
+    font-size: 1em;
+  }
+
+  small {
+    font-size: 80%;
+  }
+
+  sub, sup {
+    vertical-align: baseline;
+    font-size: 75%;
+    line-height: 0;
+    position: relative;
+  }
+
+  sub {
+    bottom: -.25em;
+  }
+
+  sup {
+    top: -.5em;
+  }
+
+  table {
+    text-indent: 0;
+    border-color: inherit;
+    border-collapse: collapse;
+  }
+
+  :-moz-focusring {
+    outline: auto;
+  }
+
+  progress {
+    vertical-align: baseline;
+  }
+
+  summary {
+    display: list-item;
+  }
+
+  ol, ul, menu {
+    list-style: none;
+  }
+
+  img, svg, video, canvas, audio, iframe, embed, object {
+    vertical-align: middle;
+    display: block;
+  }
+
+  img, video {
+    max-width: 100%;
+    height: auto;
+  }
+
+  button, input, select, optgroup, textarea {
+    font: inherit;
+    font-feature-settings: inherit;
+    font-variation-settings: inherit;
+    letter-spacing: inherit;
+    color: inherit;
+    opacity: 1;
+    background-color: #0000;
+    border-radius: 0;
+  }
+
+  ::file-selector-button {
+    font: inherit;
+    font-feature-settings: inherit;
+    font-variation-settings: inherit;
+    letter-spacing: inherit;
+    color: inherit;
+    opacity: 1;
+    background-color: #0000;
+    border-radius: 0;
+  }
+
+  :where(select:is([multiple], [size])) optgroup {
+    font-weight: bolder;
+  }
+
+  :where(select:is([multiple], [size])) optgroup option {
+    padding-inline-start: 20px;
+  }
+
+  ::file-selector-button {
+    margin-inline-end: 4px;
+  }
+
+  ::placeholder {
+    opacity: 1;
+    color: oklab(from currentColor l a b / 50%);
+  }
+
+  textarea {
+    resize: vertical;
+  }
+
+  ::-webkit-search-decoration {
+    -webkit-appearance: none;
+  }
+
+  ::-webkit-date-and-time-value {
+    min-height: 1lh;
+    text-align: inherit;
+  }
+
+  ::-webkit-datetime-edit {
+    display: inline-flex;
+  }
+
+  ::-webkit-datetime-edit-fields-wrapper {
+    padding: 0;
+  }
+
+  ::-webkit-datetime-edit {
+    padding-block: 0;
+  }
+
+  ::-webkit-datetime-edit-year-field {
+    padding-block: 0;
+  }
+
+  ::-webkit-datetime-edit-month-field {
+    padding-block: 0;
+  }
+
+  ::-webkit-datetime-edit-day-field {
+    padding-block: 0;
+  }
+
+  ::-webkit-datetime-edit-hour-field {
+    padding-block: 0;
+  }
+
+  ::-webkit-datetime-edit-minute-field {
+    padding-block: 0;
+  }
+
+  ::-webkit-datetime-edit-second-field {
+    padding-block: 0;
+  }
+
+  ::-webkit-datetime-edit-millisecond-field {
+    padding-block: 0;
+  }
+
+  ::-webkit-datetime-edit-meridiem-field {
+    padding-block: 0;
+  }
+
+  :-moz-ui-invalid {
+    box-shadow: none;
+  }
+
+  button, input:where([type="button"], [type="reset"], [type="submit"]) {
+    appearance: button;
+  }
+
+  ::file-selector-button {
+    appearance: button;
+  }
+
+  ::-webkit-inner-spin-button {
+    height: auto;
+  }
+
+  ::-webkit-outer-spin-button {
+    height: auto;
+  }
+
+  [hidden]:where(:not([hidden="until-found"])) {
+    display: none !important;
+  }
+}
+
+@layer components, utilities;"
+`;

packages/tailwindcss/src/ast.ts

@@ -282,6 +282,13 @@ export function optimizeAst(ast: AstNode[], designSystem: DesignSystem) {
 
       // Track variables defined in `@theme`
       if (context.theme && node.property[0] === '-' && node.property[1] === '-') {
+        // Variables that resolve to `initial` should never be emitted. This can happen because of
+        // the `--theme(…)` being used and evaluated lazily
+        if (node.value === 'initial') {
+          node.value = undefined
+          return
+        }
+
         if (!context.keyframes) {
           cssThemeVariables.get(parent).add(node)
         }

packages/tailwindcss/src/compat/apply-compat-hooks.ts

@@ -134,9 +134,9 @@ export async function applyCompatibilityHooks({
   // compatibility concerns localized to our compatibility layer.
   let resolveThemeVariableValue = designSystem.resolveThemeValue
 
-  designSystem.resolveThemeValue = function resolveThemeValue(path: string) {
+  designSystem.resolveThemeValue = function resolveThemeValue(path: string, forceInline?: boolean) {
     if (path.startsWith('--')) {
-      return resolveThemeVariableValue(path)
+      return resolveThemeVariableValue(path, forceInline)
     }
 
     // If the theme value is not found in the simple resolver, we upgrade to the full backward
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ export async function applyCompatibilityHooks({
       configs: [],
       pluginDetails: [],
     })
-    return designSystem.resolveThemeValue(path)
+    return designSystem.resolveThemeValue(path, forceInline)
   }
 
   // If there are no plugins or configs registered, we don't need to register
@@ -260,8 +260,8 @@ function upgradeToFullPluginSupport({
   // config files are actually being used. In the future we may want to optimize
   // this further by only doing this if plugins or config files _actually_
   // registered JS config objects.
-  designSystem.resolveThemeValue = function resolveThemeValue(path: string, defaultValue?: string) {
-    let resolvedValue = pluginApi.theme(path, defaultValue)
+  designSystem.resolveThemeValue = function resolveThemeValue(path: string, forceInline?: boolean) {
+    let resolvedValue = pluginApi.theme(path, forceInline)
 
     if (Array.isArray(resolvedValue) && resolvedValue.length === 2) {
       // When a tuple is returned, return the first element