> CSS variable approach like Open Props or Pollen is, in my experience, better if you're not using a component-based system I see it the opposite way, Tailwind

> CSS variable approach like Open Props or Pollen is, in my experience, better if you're not using a component-based system I see it the opposite way, Tailwind is for when you don't care about design system and would like the freedom of ad-hoc styles, that is conveniently already written. When you do need to IMPLEMENT a design/component based system, you'd prefer css (for less indirection) and have the interface of the system be something like react props where it's more restricted, as opposed to classes like in Tailwind.