DEV Community: Shadcn Space

Daisy UI vs Shadcn UI

Mihir Koshti — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:58:51 +0000

Choosing the right UI approach in a Tailwind-based project is not just about picking a component library. It directly affects how you structure your code, how much control you have over styling, and how easily your project can scale.

Many developers compare DaisyUI and shadcn/ui because both aim to simplify UI development with Tailwind, but they take completely different approaches. DaisyUI provides prebuilt class-based components so you can build interfaces quickly. shadcn/ui gives you reusable component code that lives inside your project, giving you full control.

This difference often creates confusion. Developers either pick speed and later struggle with customization, or pick flexibility and slow down initial development.

What will you learn from this blog?

By reading this blog, you will understand how DaisyUI and shadcn/ui work in real development scenarios, how their approaches differ, and what trade-offs come with each. You will also learn when to use each tool based on your project requirements, instead of relying on generic recommendations.

Who should read this?

This blog is for developers working with Tailwind CSS, especially those using React or Next.js, who are deciding between a faster development workflow and a more flexible, scalable UI architecture. It is also useful if you are starting a new project or rethinking your current frontend setup.

What is DaisyUI?

DaisyUI is a Tailwind CSS plugin that provides prebuilt UI components using semantic class names. Instead of writing multiple utility classes, you use simple class names like btn, card, or alert to build UI faster. It works by extending Tailwind with component classes and design tokens, so you still stay within the Tailwind ecosystem while reducing repetitive code.

One of the main advantages of DaisyUI is its theme system. It comes with multiple predefined themes and allows you to switch or customize them using configuration. This makes it useful when you need consistent styling across your application without spending time on design decisions.

How it works

DaisyUI is installed as a Tailwind plugin and automatically adds component classes to your project. You use these classes directly in your HTML or JSX without creating separate component files.

npm i -D daisyui@latest

// app.css
@import "tailwindcss";
@plugin "daisyui";

Once installed, you can start using components immediately:

<button class="btn btn-primary">Click me</button>

<div class="card bg-base-100 shadow-xl p-4">
<h2 class="card-title">Card Title</h2>
<p>This is a simple card using DaisyUI</p>
</div>

Key features

Prebuilt component classes on top of Tailwind
Built-in theme system with multiple themes
Works with any framework (React, Vue, HTML, etc.)
Reduces the need to write repetitive utility classes

When developers use it

DaisyUI is commonly used when speed is important. It works well for dashboards, admin panels, prototypes, and projects where you want a clean UI without spending much time on styling decisions.

What is shadcn/ui?

shadcn/ui is not a traditional component library. It is a collection of reusable Shadcn UI components that you copy into your project and own completely. Instead of installing a package and using predefined classes, you generate components as actual code files, which you can edit, extend, or restructure based on your needs.

This approach gives you full control over styling and behavior. The components are built using Tailwind CSS and follow accessible patterns, but nothing is locked. You are free to modify everything, from structure to design tokens, without depending on external updates.

How it works

shadcn/ui uses a CLI to add components directly into your project. Each component becomes part of your codebase, which means you can customize it like any other React component.

npx shadcn@latest init -t [framework]

Supported templates: next, vite, start, react-router, and astro.

For Laravel, create the app first with laravel new, then run npx shadcn@latest init.

npx shadcn@latest add button

This will generate a component inside your project:

// components/ui/button.tsx
export function Button({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
return (
  <button className="px-4 py-2 bg-primary text-white rounded-md">
    {children}
  </button>
);
}

You can now modify this component as needed:

<Button>Click me</Button>

Key features

Full ownership of component code
Built with Tailwind CSS and modern React patterns
Easy to customize and extend
No dependency on external UI library updates

When developers use it

shadcn/ui is commonly used in React and Next.js projects where flexibility and long-term maintainability are important. It is a good choice when you want to build a scalable design system or need full control over how components behave and look.

Core Differences Between DaisyUI and shadcn/ui

DaisyUI and shadcn/ui may look similar at a glance because both work with Tailwind CSS, but their core approach is completely different. The difference is not just in features, it is in how you build and manage your UI.

Approach

DaisyUI uses a plugin-based approach. It provides predefined component classes so you can build UI quickly without worrying much about structure or styling. The focus is on reducing development time.

shadcn/ui uses a component-based approach where you add actual code into your project. You control how each component is built and maintained, which makes it more flexible.

Styling approach

DaisyUI abstracts Tailwind into semantic class names. Instead of writing multiple utility classes, you use simple class names like btn btn-primary.

<button class="btn btn-primary">Button</button>

shadcn/ui uses Tailwind utilities directly inside component code. You write or modify the styles yourself, which gives more flexibility but requires more effort.

<button className="px-4 py-2 bg-blue-600 text-white rounded-md">
Button
</button>

Component ownership

With DaisyUI, components are not part of your codebase. You rely on the plugin and its predefined classes. Customization is mostly done through configuration, theme variables, or by overriding styles using Tailwind utilities. This works well for standard UI needs, but if you want to change the internal structure of a component, you have limited control.

For example, modifying a button’s spacing or colors is easy, but changing how a complex component like a modal or dropdown behaves may require workarounds or custom implementation.

With shadcn/ui, components are part of your project. You can edit the structure, logic, and styling without any limitations. Since the code is inside your repository, you can refactor components, split them, or integrate custom logic like state management, animations, or API handling directly into them.

This also means:

No dependency on external updates
No risk of breaking changes from a library update
Full control over component behavior and structure

The trade-off is that you are responsible for maintaining the components as your project grows.

Development trade-off

DaisyUI gives faster initial development because you can build UI with minimal setup and fewer decisions. You can quickly assemble pages using predefined classes without thinking about component structure or styling patterns. This is useful when you are building MVPs, internal tools, or projects with tight deadlines.

However, as the project grows, you may start facing limitations when you need more control. Overriding styles or creating custom variants can increase complexity, especially if the UI requirements become more specific.

shadcn/ui requires more setup and understanding at the beginning. You need to generate components, understand their structure, and manage styling yourself. This can slow down early development compared to DaisyUI.

But in the long run, it provides better flexibility. You can:

Create reusable patterns tailored to your project
Maintain consistent design at scale
Avoid dependency-related issues
Optimize components for performance and specific use cases

In simple terms:

DaisyUI optimizes for speed in the beginning
shadcn/ui optimizes for control and scalability over time

Installation and Setup (Step-by-Step)

The setup process is one of the biggest practical differences between DaisyUI and shadcn/ui. One focuses on quick integration, while the other requires a bit more setup but gives you control from the start.

DaisyUI setup

DaisyUI is installed as a Tailwind plugin, so if you already have Tailwind configured, the setup is very quick.

npm i -D daisyui@latest

Add it to global CSS:

// global.css
@import "tailwindcss";
@plugin "daisyui";

Add it to your Tailwind config:

// tailwind.config.js
module.exports = {
content: ["./src/**/*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}"],
plugins: [require("daisyui")],
};

That’s it. You can start using components immediately:

<button class="btn btn-primary">Click me</button>

There is no need to create component files or manage imports. Everything works through class names.

Official installation guide: https://daisyui.com/docs/install/

shadcn/ui setup

shadcn/ui requires a bit more setup because it integrates directly into your project structure. It is commonly used with React and Next.js.

Initialize shadcn/ui:

npx shadcn@latest init -t [framework]

Supported templates: next, vite, start, react-router, and astro.

For Laravel, create the app first with laravel new, then run npx shadcn@latest init.

During setup, you will configure:

Tailwind CSS
TypeScript support
Component directory
Styling preferences

Add a component:

npx shadcn@latest add button

This generates a component inside your project:

// components/ui/button.tsx
export function Button({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
return (
  <button className="px-4 py-2 bg-primary text-white rounded-md">
    {children}
  </button>
);
}

Use it like a normal React component:

<Button>Click me</Button>

Official installation guide: https://ui.shadcn.com/docs/installation

Setup comparison

DaisyUI setup is faster and requires fewer steps. You install a plugin and start using classes immediately.

shadcn/ui setup takes more time because it configures your project and adds components as code. However, this setup ensures that everything is aligned with your project structure from the beginning.

In practical terms:

DaisyUI is quicker to start
shadcn/ui is more structured and customizable from day one

Component Architecture Comparison

The way you build components in DaisyUI and shadcn/ui is fundamentally different, and this directly impacts how your codebase evolves as your project grows. This difference is not only about syntax, but it also affects how you reuse UI, maintain consistency, and manage changes over time.

Class-based approach in DaisyUI

DaisyUI follows a class-based approach where UI is built using predefined class names directly in your markup. Instead of creating separate component files, you compose UI using Tailwind utilities along with DaisyUI component classes.

<div class="card bg-base-100 shadow-xl p-4">
<h2 class="card-title">Card Title</h2>
<p>Card content</p>
<div class="card-actions">
  <button class="btn btn-primary">Action</button>
</div>
</div>

This approach makes development faster because everything stays in one place, and you do not need to think about component structure in the early stages. It works well when building simple interfaces or prototypes where speed is more important than long-term structure.

As the project grows, the same approach can introduce challenges. Repeating similar UI across multiple files can make updates harder, especially when the same pattern is used in many places. Maintaining consistency also becomes difficult because small variations in class usage can lead to inconsistent UI. To handle this, developers often start creating their own reusable components on top of DaisyUI, which adds an extra layer to manage.

Component-based approach in shadcn/ui

shadcn/ui follows a component-based approach where each UI element is created as a reusable React component inside your project. These components are part of your codebase, which means you can modify them without any external dependency.

import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";

export function Card() {
return (
  <div className="p-4 border rounded-lg">
    <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold">Card Title</h2>
    <p>Card content</p>
    <Button>Action</Button>
  </div>
);
}

This structure makes it easier to manage UI as your application grows. Since components are modular, changes can be made in one place and applied everywhere. It also allows you to integrate logic, handle different states, and extend components based on your needs without rewriting UI in multiple places.

At the same time, this approach requires more upfront effort. You need to understand the component structure, manage files, and think about reusability early in development. This can slow down initial progress compared to DaisyUI, especially for smaller projects.

Trade-offs in real projects

In smaller projects, DaisyUI allows you to move quickly because you can focus on building UI without worrying about structure. It reduces the number of decisions you need to make in the beginning and helps you ship faster.

In larger applications, the lack of structure can become a limitation. Managing repeated UI patterns and making global changes requires more effort. This is where shadcn/ui provides an advantage. Its component-based approach creates a more organized codebase, making it easier to maintain and scale over time.

In practice, the choice depends on how long your project is expected to grow. DaisyUI works well when speed is the priority, while shadcn/ui becomes more valuable when maintainability and scalability start to matter.

Customization and Theming

Customization and theming in DaisyUI and shadcn/ui are fundamentally different. DaisyUI provides a ready-to-use theme system out of the box, while shadcn/ui gives you low-level control using CSS variables and Tailwind configuration.

DaisyUI theming approach

DaisyUI provides a built-in theme system where you can enable predefined themes and apply them using a simple attribute. Unlike shadcn/ui, you do not define tokens manually. Themes are already configured and applied globally.

You enable themes directly in your CSS configuration:

.dark {
--background: oklch(0.145 0 0);
--foreground: oklch(0.985 0 0);
}

In this setup:

Light is the default theme
Dark follows system preference
Cupcake is an additional enabled theme

To apply a theme, you use the data-theme attribute:

<html data-theme="cupcake"></html>

Once applied, all DaisyUI components automatically adapt to the selected theme without any changes in component code.

Theme switching in real projects

In real applications, themes are usually switched dynamically. A common approach is to use the theme-change utility, which allows users to switch themes and stores the selected theme in local storage.

This makes it easy to:

Toggle between light and dark mode
Persist user preference
Apply themes without manually handling state logic

Since DaisyUI handles themes internally using CSS variables, switching themes updates the entire UI instantly.

Explore all available themes and configuration options in the official DaisyUI theme documentation. It covers built-in themes, custom themes, and advanced setup.

shadcn/ui theming approach

shadcn/ui uses CSS variables with semantic theme tokens instead of predefined themes. Instead of switching between ready-made themes, you define design tokens like background, foreground, and primary, and components automatically use those values.

The core idea is simple. Components do not hardcode colors. They rely on tokens.

<div className="bg-background text-foreground">
Content
</div>

These tokens are mapped using CSS variables in your global styles:

/* globals.css */
:root {
--background: oklch(1 0 0);
--foreground: oklch(0.145 0 0);

--primary: oklch(0.205 0 0);
--primary-foreground: oklch(0.985 0 0);
}

Tailwind then maps these variables into utility classes like bg-background, text-foreground, bg-primary, and text-primary-foreground.

This setup is enabled by default in components.json:

{
"tailwind": {
  "cssVariables": true
}
}

Predefined style presets

In addition to custom tokens, shadcn/ui also provides predefined style presets that you can configure in your components.json. These presets define the base styling, spacing, and overall design defaults for your components.

{
"style": "base-nova",
"rsc": true,
"tailwind": {
  "config": "",
  "css": "app/globals.css",
  "baseColor": "neutral",
  "cssVariables": true
}
}

The style field controls the preset you are using. Some commonly used options include base-nova, radix-nova, base-vega, and radix-vega.

The baseColor defines the default color system, while cssVariables: true enables the token-based theming system using CSS variables.

These presets are not full themes like DaisyUI. Instead, they act as a structured starting point for your design system. You still control all tokens and styling, but you begin with a consistent base instead of building everything from scratch.

Token system and pairing

shadcn/ui follows a semantic token convention where each color has a paired foreground value. The base token controls the background, and the foreground token controls the text or icon color on top of it.

--primary: oklch(0.205 0 0);
--primary-foreground: oklch(0.985 0 0);

Used like this:

<div className="bg-primary text-primary-foreground">
Hello
</div>

This ensures proper contrast and consistency across components without manually adjusting text colors.

Dark mode handling

Dark mode in shadcn/ui works by overriding the same tokens inside a .dark class instead of switching themes.

.dark {
--background: oklch(0.145 0 0);
--foreground: oklch(0.985 0 0);
}

When the .dark class is applied, all components automatically adapt because they are using the same tokens.

Refer to the official shadcn/ui theming documentation to understand how CSS variables and design tokens are structured and used across components.

Practical difference

DaisyUI and shadcn/ui take completely different approaches to theming, and this difference becomes clear when you start working on real projects. DaisyUI handles theming at the framework level. You enable themes, apply them using a data-theme attribute, and all components automatically adapt without modifying component code. This makes it faster to implement features like dark mode or multiple themes with minimal effort.

shadcn/ui handles theming at the design system level. Instead of switching themes, you define and manage CSS variables that control the entire UI. Components rely on these tokens, so any change in variables reflects across the application. This approach requires more setup, but it gives you precise control over colors, spacing, and overall design consistency.

In practical use, DaisyUI is more suitable when you want quick theme switching and predefined design options. shadcn/ui is better when you want to build a custom design system where every token is defined based on your product requirements.

Developer Experience and Performance

Developer experience and performance are closely connected when working with UI libraries. The way a library is structured affects how quickly you can build features, debug issues, and optimize your application.

Developer experience

DaisyUI provides a smoother initial experience because it reduces the number of decisions you need to make. You install the plugin and start using predefined classes. There is no need to create components, manage imports, or think about structure in the beginning. This makes it easy to onboard and useful when you want to build UI quickly.

However, as the project grows, the same simplicity can create friction. Since most of the UI is written directly in markup, managing large components or maintaining consistency across files can become harder. Debugging styles may also require checking multiple class combinations and overrides.

shadcn/ui has a slightly slower start because it requires setup and understanding of its structure. You need to generate components and work within a component-based system. This adds some initial overhead, especially for beginners.

Over time, this structure improves developer experience. Components are organized, reusable, and easier to maintain. Debugging becomes simpler because styles and logic are contained within components instead of being spread across multiple files.

Performance

DaisyUI adds styles through a plugin, which means all component styles are included as part of your CSS bundle. Since it is built on Tailwind, unused styles are generally removed during production builds, but you are still relying on a predefined set of styles.

For most applications, this does not create a noticeable performance issue. However, if you are only using a small subset of components, you may still include more CSS than necessary.

shadcn/ui does not include any runtime library or global component styles. Since components are added directly into your codebase, only the code you use is included in your final bundle. This gives you more control over what gets shipped.

This approach can lead to better optimization, especially in larger applications where reducing unused code is important. You can also fine-tune components for specific use cases without carrying extra styles.

Practical impact

In real development, DaisyUI helps you move faster in the early stages because it minimizes setup and decisions. It is easier to prototype and build UI quickly.

shadcn/ui improves long-term development experience by providing structure and control. It makes large applications easier to manage and optimize over time.

In simple terms, DaisyUI focuses on reducing effort at the start, while shadcn/ui focuses on improving control and maintainability as your project grows.

Pros and Cons

Understanding the strengths and limitations of DaisyUI and shadcn/ui helps you make a more practical decision. Both tools solve UI problems effectively, but they come with different trade-offs depending on your project needs.

DaisyUI

Pros:

Faster development with predefined component classes
Minimal setup required
Built-in theme system with easy switching
Works across multiple frameworks

Cons:

Limited control over component structure
Customization can become complex for advanced UI
Reusability needs manual abstraction in larger projects
Can lead to inconsistent patterns if not managed properly

shadcn/ui

Pros:

Full control over component code
Highly customizable and flexible
Better suited for scalable applications
No dependency on external UI libraries

Cons:

Slower initial setup
Requires understanding of component structure
More responsibility for maintaining the design system
Not ideal for very quick prototypes

Common Mistakes Developers Make

When choosing between DaisyUI and shadcn/ui, many developers make decisions based on surface-level comparisons instead of real project needs. This often leads to issues later when the project grows or requirements change.

One common mistake is choosing DaisyUI only for its speed without considering long-term requirements. It works well for quick builds, but if your project later requires heavy customization or a structured design system, you may end up rewriting components or adding extra layers to manage consistency.

Another mistake is choosing shadcn/ui too early for simple projects. While it provides flexibility, it also requires more setup and planning. For small projects or prototypes, this can slow down development without adding much value.

Developers also tend to underestimate the importance of component structure. With DaisyUI, skipping the creation of reusable components can lead to repeated code and harder maintenance. With shadcn/ui, over-engineering components too early can make the codebase unnecessarily complex.

A related issue is not planning for scalability. Some projects start small but grow over time. Choosing a tool without considering future requirements can lead to refactoring effort later.

Finally, many developers focus only on UI appearance instead of the development workflow. The real difference between these tools is not how they look, but how they affect your code, customization, and long-term maintenance.

Quick Comparison Table

This table gives a side-by-side view of DaisyUI and shadcn/ui based on practical development factors. It helps you quickly understand where each one fits without going through all sections again.

Final Verdict

Choosing between DaisyUI and shadcn/ui is not about which one is better, but about which one fits your workflow and project requirements.

If you need to build something quickly and want a ready-to-use design system, DaisyUI helps you move faster without adding complexity. On the other hand, if you are building a product that will grow over time and require custom UI patterns, shadcn/ui provides the flexibility needed to manage that growth.

In real-world development, both can even be used together in different parts of a project, depending on the requirements. The key is to understand the trade-offs and choose the approach that aligns with your goals.

Last Updated

This blog was last updated on April 2, 2026.

The content reflects the current approaches used in DaisyUI and shadcn/ui, including the latest theming system, component structure, and setup practices. Make sure to check official documentation for updates as both tools continue to evolve.

Why I Built This Open Source Shadcn Tool After 15 Years of Building Templates

Sunil Joshi — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:01:45 +0000

For the past 15 years, I’ve built web templates, dashboards, components, and figma ui kits. Through products like Wrappixel, AdminMart, Tailwindadmin, and Get Nextjs Templates, we’ve worked on hundreds of layouts across famous frameworks and UI libraries.

One thing has always stayed the same:

Every project begins with the same UI foundation work.

Menu.
Sidebar layout.
Dashboard structure.
Landing page sections.
Forms.
Tables.

No matter how modern the tools become, the starting work repeats itself.

In recent years, UI blocks have become more popular. Developers don’t want heavy frameworks anymore. They want flexible building blocks that work with the tools they already use.

That’s when we started paying close attention to shadcn/ui.

It became widely adopted by React and Next.js developers because it gives control back to the developer. Clean components. Editable code. No hidden layers.

So we decided to build on top of that ecosystem.

That’s how Shadcn Space started.

What I Wanted to Fix

When building products, most of the early time goes into layout work.

Spacing.
Structure.
Responsive behavior.
Empty states.
Page flow.

It’s important work; But it’s also repetitive.

I didn’t want another framework.

I didn’t want something that hides the code.

I didn’t want a system that forces design decisions.

I wanted a clean starting point that I could fully edit.

From Open Source to a Larger Shadcn Library

Shadcn Space began as an open-source collection of useful UI library built around shadcn/ui.

While building real products, we kept creating new layouts and reusable patterns internally. Instead of keeping them private, we decided to organize them properly.

Recently, we crossed 300+ stars on GitHub, which has been encouraging to see. It tells us developers find this useful in real projects.

If you’re using it or find it helpful, you can support us
giving it a star here ⭐ https://github.com/shadcnspace/shadcnspace

Community support helps us continue improving and maintaining it.

What’s Inside Shadcn Space Pro

Today, it includes:

180+ Shadcn Blocks
8 Shadcn Templates
130+ Shadcn Components

Let me explain what that really means.

Not because we wanted a large number, but because real projects require real patterns.

Why Shadcn Blocks Matter

Blocks solve a practical problem.

Instead of designing and structuring the same hero section or pricing layout again, you start with something already structured.

Shadcn Blocks include:

Landing page sections
Feature layouts
Pricing tables
Testimonials
Navigation patterns
Dashboard sections

They are written in clean React and Tailwind.

You copy the code. You adjust it. You move forward.

This removes the repetitive setup phase that slows down many web projects.

Components That Stay Editable

Shadcn Components inside Space are simple and readable.

Buttons.
Badges.
Cards.
Tables.
Sidebars.

Everything remains fully editable.

We’ve spent years working with developers who dislike locked systems. So keeping code ownership was important to us.

If your product grows or changes direction, you’re not forced to rebuild everything.

Templates for Real Products

Our Shadcn Templates are different from other shadcn resources.

They provide a full layout structure something you can build on immediately.

These are helpful when building:

Agency Websites
Real Estate Sites
Crypto Landing Pages

Instead of thinking about layout decisions from scratch, you begin with a solid template and focus on your actual product logic.

What We’re Trying to Do Long Term

We don’t see Shadcn Space as just another templates collection.

We see it as part of the growing Shadcn ecosystem.

As more developers adopt shadcn/ui, there’s a need for structured blocks, layouts, and real-world patterns that stay flexible.

Our goal is to continue contributing to that ecosystem both open source and premium in a way that respects developer control.

Final Thoughts

After 15 years of building admin dashboards and website templates, one thing is clear:

Developers don’t want more complexity.

They want a better starting point.

Shadcn Space exists to provide that structured UI foundations built around tools developers already trust.

If you’re already using shadcn/ui with React or Next.js, this simply helps you move forward without rebuilding the same blocks & components again.

That’s the intention behind it.

How to Create Modern Websites Faster with Shadcn Space

Sunil Joshi — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 06:30:17 +0000

Shadcn Space offers high-quality, production-ready components, blocks, templates, and pages built using shadcn/ui, Tailwind CSS, and modern React practices.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to use Shadcn Space blocks and templates to build real projects faster.

How Shadcn Space fits into the shadcn/ui ecosystem

shadcn/ui introduced a powerful idea: UI components should be copied directly into your project, not installed as locked dependencies. Once you add them, the code is fully yours—you can customize, extend, or refactor it anytime.

Shadcn Space follows this same philosophy.

While shadcn/ui focuses on individual UI components, Shadcn Space goes one step further by providing complete sections, layouts, dashboards, and templates. These are built using shadcn/ui components and Tailwind CSS.

Shadcn Space does not replace shadcn/ui or add new abstractions.

Instead, it helps you move faster by giving you a production-ready structure while keeping the same copy-paste workflow.

In short:

shadcn/ui provides the components
Shadcn Space provides the structure
You keep full control of the code

What you can build with Shadcn Space

Shadcn Space helps you quickly build frontend UI pages and layouts using shadcn/ui and Tailwind CSS.

You can create:

Marketing pages like landing pages, hero sections, feature sections, pricing pages, and footers
Dashboard UI pages with sidebars, headers, stats sections, charts, and content layouts
Admin and internal tools such as tables, forms, filters, and management pages
Reusable layout pages including navigation systems and page wrappers

Everything is frontend-only, copy-paste ready, and fully customizable.

Since everything is built with shadcn/ui and Tailwind CSS, the UI is:

Responsive by default
Easy to customize
Visually consistent
Ready to connect to any backend later

Shadcn Space lets you build polished UI pages first, so you can focus on functionality when needed.

Prerequisites before getting started

Before using Shadcn Space, make sure your project includes:

Node.js 18 or higher
A React framework (Next.js recommended)
Tailwind CSS set up
shadcn/ui initialized
Base UI (used internally by shadcn/ui)

Shadcn Space is built on top of shadcn/ui, which uses Base UI for accessibility and composition. This setup ensures everything works correctly.

You don’t need a backend or API for this tutorial. We’ll focus only on frontend UI.

Once your setup is ready, you can start adding Shadcn Space components using the CLI or MCP Server.

Creating a new web project with shadcn/ui and Base UI

Before adding Shadcn Space, you need a frontend project that’s already set up with shadcn/ui powered by Base UI. This ensures all components and blocks work correctly and follow the same accessibility and styling conventions.

Instead of manually creating a Next.js app and configuring shadcn/ui step by step, you can use the shadcn create command to scaffold everything in one command.

This setup gives you:

A Next.js project (App Router)
shadcn/ui pre-installed
Base UI enabled for core primitives
Tailwind CSS configured
Icons (Lucide), fonts, and theme defaults are ready to use

Create the project

Choose the package manager you prefer and run one of the following commands:

pnpm

pnpm dlx shadcn@latest create --preset "https://ui.shadcn.com/init?base=base&style=vega&baseColor=neutral&theme=neutral&iconLibrary=lucide&font=inter&menuAccent=subtle&menuColor=default&radius=default&template=next" --template next

npm

npx shadcn@latest create --preset "https://ui.shadcn.com/init?base=base&style=vega&baseColor=neutral&theme=neutral&iconLibrary=lucide&font=inter&menuAccent=subtle&menuColor=default&radius=default&template=next" --template next

yarn

yarn dlx shadcn@latest create --preset "https://ui.shadcn.com/init?base=base&style=vega&baseColor=neutral&theme=neutral&iconLibrary=lucide&font=inter&menuAccent=subtle&menuColor=default&radius=default&template=next" --template next

bun

bunx --bun shadcn@latest create --preset "https://ui.shadcn.com/init?base=base&style=vega&baseColor=neutral&theme=neutral&iconLibrary=lucide&font=inter&menuAccent=subtle&menuColor=default&radius=default&template=next" --template next

Once the command finishes, you’ll have a fully working Next.js frontend project with shadcn/ui and Base UI already configured.

At this point:

You don’t need to run shadcn init
You don’t need to set up Tailwind manually
You’re ready to start adding Shadcn Space Components via CLI or MCP Server

Installing and Using Shadcn Space via CLI (v3)

With Shadcn CLI v3, you manage components and blocks through components.json. This workflow gives you control over which components are included and lets you integrate external registries like Shadcn Space.

1. Add the Shadcn Space Registry

Open your components.json and add the following registry configuration:

{  
"registries": {  
  "@shadcn-space": {  
    "url": "https://shadcnspace.com/r/{name}.json",  
    "params": {  
      "email": "${EMAIL}",  
      "license_key": "${LICENSE_KEY}"  
    }  
  }  
 }  
}

Note: Replace ${EMAIL} and ${LICENSE_KEY} with your registered Shadcn Space credentials.

This tells the CLI where to fetch components and blocks from Shadcn Space.

For more information about how to use it in your project

2. Copy the CLI command for a block

Visit Shadcn Space
Browse the available blocks for your project. (e.g., hero section, feature section, pricing)
Click “Copy CLI Command” for the block you want

It will look like:

npx shadcn@latest add @shadcn-space/hero-01

3. Run the CLI command in your project

Paste the copied command in your terminal:

npx shadcn@latest add @shadcn-space/hero-01

The block is now added to your project, ready to use and fully editable.

4. Customize the block

Since the block is copied into your project, you can now:

Update text, images, or layout
Adjust Tailwind CSS classes
Combine multiple blocks to build your landing page

Example:

import { HeroSection } from "@/components/hero-section";  

export default function HomePage() {  
return (  
  <main>  
    <HeroSection />  
    {/* Add more blocks like feature or pricing sections */}  
  </main>  
  );  
}

Now you have a production-ready block in your project, fully under your control, and can continue building the frontend of your landing page.

Example: Building a saas landing page with Shadcn Space blocks using CLI (v3)

With Shadcn CLI v3, blocks are not abstracted away or locked behind a builder. Instead, you browse blocks on the Shadcn Space website, add the ones you need via CLI, and customize them directly in your codebase.

In this example, we’ll show how to assemble a complete SaaS landing page using pre-built Shadcn Space blocks.

Blocks used in this example

For our SaaS landing page, we’ll use the following blocks from Shadcn Space:

hero-01 — Hero section
feature-01 — Product features
about-us-section-01 — About the product/company
pricing-02 — Pricing plans
testimonial-02 — Customer testimonials
cta-01 — Call to action
blog-01 — Blog or resources section
footer-01 — Footer

Each block is added individually, giving you full control over structure and styling.

Step 1: Add blocks using the CLI

Visit shadcnspace.com, open the block you want, and copy the CLI command provided for that block.

Run the following commands in your project:

npx shadcn@latest add @shadcn-space/hero-01  
npx shadcn@latest add @shadcn-space/feature-01  
npx shadcn@latest add @shadcn-space/about-us-section-01  
npx shadcn@latest add @shadcn-space/pricing-02  
npx shadcn@latest add @shadcn-space/testimonial-02  
npx shadcn@latest add @shadcn-space/cta-01  
npx shadcn@latest add @shadcn-space/blog-01  
npx shadcn@latest add @shadcn-space/footer-01

Each command downloads the block and places it directly into your project (typically inside the components/ directory).

There’s no magic here — just clean, readable React components.

Step 2: Compose the landing page

Once the blocks are added, you simply import and arrange them on your page.

For a Next.js app, this could be your app/page.tsx file:

import AboutAndStats01 from "@/components/shadcn-space/blocks/about-us-01";  
import Blog from "@/components/shadcn-space/blocks/blog-01/blog";  
import CTA from "@/components/shadcn-space/blocks/cta-01/cta";  
import Feature01 from "@/components/shadcn-space/blocks/feature-01";  
import Footer from "@/components/shadcn-space/blocks/footer-01/footer";  
import AgencyHeroSection from "@/components/shadcn-space/blocks/hero-01";  
import Pricing from "@/components/shadcn-space/blocks/pricing-02/pricing";  
import Testimonial01 from "@/components/shadcn-space/blocks/testimonial-02";  
export default function Page()   
{    
return (     
  <>       
    <AgencyHeroSection />       
    <Feature01 />        
    <AboutAndStats01 />       
    <Pricing />       
    <Testimonial01 />       
    <CTA />        
    <Blog />        
    <Footer />      
  </>    
 );  
}

This structure mirrors a real-world SaaS landing page layout.

Step 3: Customize everything (because It’s your code)

One of the biggest advantages of Shadcn Space is ownership:

Update copy to match your SaaS messaging
Modify layouts and spacing
Change Tailwind styles
Add animations, analytics, or business logic
Remove or reorder sections as needed

Since the blocks live in your codebase, there are no constraints on how far you can customize them.

Why this workflow works well for SaaS teams

Faster than building from scratch
No vendor lock-in
Production-ready React + Tailwind code
Easy to scale and iterate

You choose the blocks, add them via CLI, and shape them into a landing page that fits your product — not the other way around.

Customizing Shadcn Space blocks

Once a block is added to your project, it becomes your code.

You can easily:

Update text and content (headings, descriptions, CTAs, links)
Modify the layout (reorder sections, remove parts, change spacing)
Adjust colors, typography, and styles using Tailwind CSS
Extend or simplify the block based on your product needs

All blocks are built with shadcn/ui and Base UI, so customization follows the same patterns you already use in your project with no extra configuration or learning curve.

This makes Shadcn Space ideal for building and iterating on real-world SaaS landing pages quickly, while keeping full control over the UI.

Installing and Using Shadcn Space via MCP Server

For developers who prefer a more integrated workflow inside their editor, Shadcn Space also supports usage via the MCP (Model Context Protocol) Server.

The MCP Server allows tools like Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, Claude, and others to directly access Shadcn Space blocks and components without manually browsing or copying code.

What the MCP server does

The Shadcn Space MCP server:

Exposes Shadcn Space components and blocks to MCP-enabled editors
Let’s you discover and add blocks directly from your IDE
Uses the same registry-based approach as the CLI
Keeps everything aligned with your local shadcn/ui setup

You still get copy-paste ownership — the code is added to your project and fully editable.

Setting up the MCP server

To use Shadcn Space with MCP, install the MCP server using the official CLI:

npx shadcnspace-cli install <client>

Supported clients include:

Cursor
Windsurf
Claude
Cline
Antigravity

Alternatively, you can manually add it to your MCP configuration:

{  
 "mcpServers": {  
  "shadcnspace-mcp": {  
    "command": "npx",  
    "args": ["-y", "shadcnspace-mcp@latest"]  
  }  
 }  
}

Once configured, your editor can query Shadcn Space blocks contextually.

For more information, visit How to use the MCP server

Adding blocks using MCP

With MCP enabled:

Browse available Shadcn Space blocks inside your editor
Select the block you want (hero, pricing, features, etc.)
Insert it directly into your project
Customize the code like any other local component

There’s no difference in output compared to the CLI — MCP simply improves discovery and workflow speed.

Example: Creating a landing page using Shadcn Space MCP (Editor workflow)

With the Shadcn Space MCP server, you don’t need to remember block names or run CLI commands manually.

You can create pages directly from your editor using natural commands.

Using MCP inside your editor

Once MCP is configured, open your editor (Cursor, Claude, etc.) and use a prompt like:

/create-ui create a SaaS landing page using shadcnspace blocks

Or more specifically:

/create-ui create a web-builder landing page using shadcnspace

The MCP server understands:

Your project context (shadcn/ui + Base UI)
Available Shadcn Space blocks
Where components should live in your codebase

What happens next

Using MCP, your editor will:

Suggest relevant Shadcn Space blocks (hero, features, pricing, CTA, etc.)
Add the selected blocks as local components
Insert them into your page file
Keep everything editable and framework-native

No templates. No lock-in. Just React components.

Customizing the generated page

After the page is created, you can:

Update text and content directly in the components
Change layout order or remove sections
Adjust colors, spacing, and typography with Tailwind
Extend blocks with your own logic if needed

The MCP server only helps with generation and discovery — the code is fully yours.

Why this feels powerful

This workflow is ideal when:

You want to build pages fast
You prefer describing UI instead of searching for blocks
You iterate visually while coding
You want AI-assisted UI without losing control

Think of it as designing pages through conversation, backed by real production-ready components.

CLI vs MCP: which workflow should you choose?

Both CLI and MCP server do the same core job:

They add Shadcn Space blocks as real, editable code inside your project.

The difference is how you interact with them.

Shadcn Space CLI Workflow

Think of the CLI as a command-driven approach.

You:

Decide which block you want
Run a CLI command
The block is added to your project

This works best when:

You already know the block name
You’re following a predefined layout or design
You prefer terminal-based workflows
You want repeatable, scriptable setups

CLI is great for project setup, consistency, and automation.

MCP server workflow

MCP is more like browsing UI blocks inside your editor.

You:

Explore available blocks in your IDE
Pick what fits your page
Insert it directly into your code

This works best when:

You’re exploring or experimenting with layouts
You want faster iteration without switching tabs
You’re designing pages while coding
You work heavily inside Cursor, Claude, or similar tools

MCP shines during UI exploration and rapid iteration.

Same output, different entry point

Regardless of which you use:

The generated code is identical
Blocks live locally in your project
You can modify text, layout, and styles freely
Nothing is locked or abstracted

Many teams use both:

CLI for initial setup
MCP for daily UI building and refinement

Quick rule of thumb

Know what you want? → Use CLI
Still exploring? → Use MCP

Both workflows are first-class citizens in Shadcn Space.

Conclusion

Shadcn Space is built to fit naturally into the shadcn/ui ecosystem, not replace it.

Whether you prefer a CLI-driven workflow or an editor-first MCP experience, the goal stays the same:

Add high-quality UI blocks fast
Keep everything as local, editable code
Customize freely without lock-in

You choose the blocks, bring them into your project, and shape them into real products — landing pages, marketing sites, or full SaaS frontends — using tools you already know.

If you’re building with shadcn/ui, Shadcn Space helps you move faster without giving up control.

Roadmap: What’s coming next

Shadcn Space is just getting started. Here’s what’s planned next:

Shadcn Builder A visual-first way to compose pages using Shadcn Space blocks.
Motion Utilities Reusable animation helpers designed to work seamlessly with shadcn/ui and Tailwind.
Pro Blocks & Templates Advanced, production-grade blocks and complete templates for SaaS, dashboards, and marketing sites.
Pro Figma UI Kit A deeper design system for teams that want a tighter design-to-development workflow.
Expanded MCP Capabilities Smarter editor integrations for faster discovery and page generation.

The focus remains the same: real components, real ownership, production-ready UI.

Shadcn Space Launching in January 2026

Sanjay Joshi — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 11:11:31 +0000

If you are a new developer, you might feel overwhelmed by how much work it takes to make a website look professional. You have the code, but making it look "expensive" and "clean" is hard.

That is why we are building Shadcn Space.

What is Shadcn Space?

Shadcn Space is a collection of high-quality (UI blocks & components) for your website web apps. Instead of building a button, a sidebar, or a dashboard from scratch, you can use our pre-made designs.

Built on the Best TechStacks

We didn't reinvent the wheel. We built Shadcn Space on top of the tools that modern developers love:

React & Next.js: The most popular "engines" for building fast websites today.
Tailwind CSS: A simple way to style your website using small, easy-to-understand labels (classes) like bg-blue-500 or rounded-lg.
Shadcn/ui: Our foundation. Shadcn is famous because it gives you the code directly. You own it, you can change it, and it never breaks your site because of an update.

Why do you need this?

Save Time: Don't spend 5 hours making a table. Use our blocks & templates and finish in 5 to 60 minutes.
Look Professional: Even if you aren't a designer, your apps will look like they were made by a big tech company.
Learn Faster: By looking at our clean code, you will learn how the pros build real-world projects.

The Big News: Beta Launch in Jan 2026!

We are officially opening the Shadcn Space Beta in January 2026. This is a big step, and we want you to be there.

🎁 Early Bird Gift: Free Premium!

We want to help the developer community grow. So, we have a special deal:

The first 100 people who sign up get our Premium version for FREE.

This means you get our best, most advanced designs forever without paying a cent. But hurry—these 100 spots will go very fast!

How to Join Shadcn Space Beta Launch

It’s simple. Go to our website, enter your email, and wait for the magic to happen in January 2026.

➡️ Visit ShadcnSpace.com Today!

Join Today to build something amazing together!