Full-stack FastAPI with HTMX and Tailwind

  • Updated June 12th, 2025
  • v1.0.0
Špela Giacomelli (aka GirlLovesToCode) Špela Giacomelli (aka GirlLovesToCode)

Modernize your FastAPI application with the agility of HTMX and the elegance of Tailwind CSS!


FastAPI is an excellent framework for building web applications, but it requires full page reloads for user interactions. Simple, lightweight HTMX changes that; it allows you to change only a part of the page without fully reloading it.

Using Tailwind CSS along with HTMX allows you to create beautiful, agile webpages without leaving the HTML file or writing any JavaScript!

What will you learn?

Select a Part

In the first part, you'll learn about each of the tools that we'll be using in this course -- HTMX, Tailwind CSS, and Alpine.js. You'll also set up a full-stack FastAPI project that leverages each of them.

Learning Objectives

  1. Describe what HTMX, Tailwind, and Alpine.js are and why you may want to use them with FastAPI
  2. Configure HTMX, Tailwind, and Alpine.js to work with FastAPI

In Part 2, each chapter will focus on a specific HTMX feature:

  • Click-to-edit pattern
  • Inline form validation
  • Editing, removing, and adding a row in a table
  • Active search and filtering
  • Updating content outside the target
  • Infinite scroll

Learning Objectives

  1. Effectively organize a FastAPI project when using HTMX
  2. Describe how HTMX attributes can be used to interact with the FastAPI backend
  3. Add click-to-edit, element swapping, and active search to a FastAPI application
  4. Explain and integrate various HTMX UX patterns
  5. Add infinite scroll to a FastAPI application
  6. Use Alpine.js in a FastAPI application

In Part 3, you'll switch out SQLIte for Postgres, test the front-end side of the app with Cypress, and deploy your app to Heroku with Docker.

Learning Objectives

  1. Write end-to-end tests with Cypress to confirm your code is working as expected
  2. Containerize FastAPI and Postgres inside a Docker container
  3. Deploy application to Heroku with Docker

What do you need to know?

This course is targeted at advanced-beginners -- someone with at least 6 months of web development experience. Before beginning, you should have some familiarity with the following topics:

FastAPI

Docker and Docker Compose

Meet the Author

Špela Giacomelli (aka GirlLovesToCode)

Špela Giacomelli (aka GirlLovesToCode)

GirlThatLovesToCode is passionate about learning new things -- both for herself and for teaching others. She's a fan of Python and Django and wants to know everything there is about those two. When she’s not writing code or a blog, she’s probably trying something new, reading, or spending time outside with her family.

What developers are saying

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Frequently Asked Questions

What tools and technologies are used in this course?

This course covers a variety of technologies and services:

Core

  1. Python
  2. FastAPI
  3. Jinja
  4. HTMX
  5. Tailwind CSS
  6. Alpine.js

Tools

  1. SQLModel
  2. Alembic
  3. pytest
  4. Cypress
  5. Docker
  6. Postgres
  7. Uvicorn

Services

  1. GitHub
  2. Heroku

What can I learn to build with FastAPI, HTMX, Alpine.js, and Tailwind?

The combination of FastAPI, HTMX, and Alpine.js forms an efficient tech stack for web apps that seek SPA-like functionality without the overhead of a full-scale front-end framework. This combination empowers a solo developer (or small teams) to deliver results comparable to those of larger teams.

What support does TestDriven.io offer?

Since the courses mimic real-world development, support is provided via Stack Overflow. Helpful users, including the developers of the courses, read and respond to messages on Stack Overflow. If you get stuck and you can't find an answer via Stack Overflow, feel free to reach out via email directly. Just be sure to detail what you've tried. For more, review Support and Consulting.

How long does it take to complete the course?

It's dependent on your current skill level. On average, it takes approximately 12 hours to complete.