Tailwind CSS 4.1: text shadows, masks, and a sharper utility surface

Tailwind 4.1 is the kind of follow-up release that validates a major rewrite. Instead of just stabilizing 4.0, it starts cashing in on the new architecture with more expressive utilities.

The headline additions are text-shadow utilities, mask utilities, extra text-wrap controls, and a broader set of layout and visual refinements that fit naturally into the CSS-first model introduced in 4.0.

For teams building marketing sites and product surfaces, 4.1 is mostly about range. You can push further without immediately dropping into custom CSS, which keeps systems more coherent and easier to maintain.