Agent Skills: TanStack Router

TanStack Router

100% type-safe router for React with file-based routing, loaders, search params validation, and deep TanStack Query integration.

Agent Workflow (MANDATORY)

Before ANY implementation, use TeamCreate to spawn 3 agents:

1. fuse-ai-pilot:explore-codebase - Analyze existing routes and navigation patterns
2. fuse-ai-pilot:research-expert - Verify latest TanStack Router docs via Context7/Exa
3. mcp__context7__query-docs - Check file-based routing and type-safe patterns

After implementation, run fuse-ai-pilot:sniper for validation.

Overview

Why TanStack Router?

TanStack Router is the recommended choice for React SPAs requiring type-safe routing with search params validation.

| Feature | TanStack Router | React Router v7 | |---------|----------------|-----------------| | Type Safety | Full inference | Auto-generated | | File-based Routing | Built-in | Framework mode | | Search Params Validation | Zod, Valibot | Manual | | Preloading | Intent, render | Limited | | TanStack Query Integration | Native | Manual |

When to Use

• React SPA with Vite, Webpack, or Rspack → See installation.md
• Type-safe routing required → See typescript.md
• Search params validation needed → See search-params.md
• TanStack Query for data fetching → See tanstack-query.md
• NOT Next.js (use App Router instead)

Critical Rules

1. ALWAYS use file-based routing - Auto-generated type safety → file-based-routing.md
2. ALWAYS validate search params - Use Zod schemas with zodValidator → search-params.md
3. ALWAYS use Route.useLoaderData() - Not global useLoaderData → hooks.md
4. ALWAYS register router types - declare module '@tanstack/react-router' → typescript.md
5. PREFER loaders over useEffect - Data fetching before render → loaders.md
6. INTEGRATE TanStack Query - For caching, mutations, optimistic updates → tanstack-query.md
7. FOLLOW SOLID architecture - Modules, interfaces, file size limits → solid-react skill

Quick Reference: What to Read

Starting a new project

1. Read installation.md for configuration
2. Copy template basic-setup.md as base

Creating a feature module (posts, users, etc.)

1. Follow architecture in templates/feature-module.md
2. Use patterns from tanstack-query.md for queries

Implementing authentication

1. Read auth-guards.md for concepts
2. Copy template auth-protected-routes.md

Creating a page with filters/search

1. Read search-params.md for Zod validation
2. Copy template search-filters.md

Creating a dashboard with nested layouts

1. Read nested-routes.md for concepts
2. Copy template dashboard-layout.md

Project Structure (SOLID Architecture)

Recommended structure following SOLID principles from solid-react skill.

src/
├── modules/
│   ├── cores/                      # Shared between features
│   │   ├── lib/
│   │   │   ├── router/router.ts    # Router configuration
│   │   │   └── query/client.ts     # QueryClient configuration
│   │   ├── components/layouts/     # Shared layouts
│   │   └── interfaces/             # Shared types
│   └── [feature]/                  # Feature module
│       ├── src/
│       │   ├── interfaces/         # Module types
│       │   ├── queries/            # TanStack Query options
│       │   └── components/         # Module components
│       └── index.ts                # Public exports
├── routes/                         # Route definitions ONLY
│   ├── __root.tsx
│   └── [feature]/
└── routeTree.gen.ts               # Auto-generated (DO NOT MODIFY)

Full template: templates/basic-setup.md

Reference Guide

Concepts (references/) - Conceptual Documentation

| Topic | Reference | When to consult | |-------|-----------|-----------------| | Setup | installation.md | Vite/Webpack config, React Router migration | | File Routing | file-based-routing.md | Naming conventions, routes/ structure | | URL Params | route-params.md | Dynamic routes $postId, parsing | | Search Params | search-params.md | Zod validation, URL filters, pagination | | Data Loading | loaders.md | Loaders, prefetch, TanStack Query integration | | Navigation | navigation.md | Link, useNavigate, redirects | | Context | route-context.md | Dependency injection, QueryClient, user | | Layouts | nested-routes.md | Nested layouts, Outlet, pathless routes | | Errors | error-handling.md | Error boundaries, 404, pending states | | Lazy Loading | code-splitting.md | Code splitting, bundle optimization | | Preloading | preloading.md | Preload intent/render, prefetch | | Auth | auth-guards.md | Protected routes, RBAC, login redirect | | TanStack Query | tanstack-query.md | queryOptions, mutations, cache | | SSR | ssr.md | Server-side rendering, TanStack Start | | TypeScript | typescript.md | Type registration, inference, type safety | | DevTools | devtools.md | Router DevTools setup | | Hooks API | hooks.md | useParams, useSearch, useNavigate, etc. | | Components | components.md | Link, Outlet, Navigate, RouterProvider |

Templates (references/templates/) - Complete Copy-Paste Ready Code

| Template | When to use | |----------|-------------| | basic-setup.md | Start a new project with SOLID architecture | | feature-module.md | Create a complete feature module (interfaces, queries, components) | | auth-protected-routes.md | Implement login, protected routes, RBAC | | search-filters.md | Page with URL filters, pagination, sorting | | dashboard-layout.md | Dashboard with sidebar, tabs, nested layouts |

Core Patterns

1. Root Route with Context

Router context configuration for dependency injection.

// src/routes/__root.tsx
export const Route = createRootRouteWithContext<RouterContext>()({
  component: RootComponent,
})

Details: route-context.md Template: templates/basic-setup.md

2. File Route with Loader and TanStack Query

Recommended pattern for data loading with cache.

// src/routes/posts/$postId.tsx
export const Route = createFileRoute('/posts/$postId')({
  loader: ({ context: { queryClient }, params }) =>
    queryClient.ensureQueryData(postQueryOptions(params.postId)),
  component: PostPage,
})

Details: loaders.md, tanstack-query.md Template: templates/feature-module.md

3. Search Params with Zod Validation

Type-safe filters and pagination via URL.

// src/routes/posts/index.tsx
const searchSchema = z.object({
  page: z.number().min(1).default(1),
  sort: z.enum(['newest', 'oldest']).default('newest'),
})

export const Route = createFileRoute('/posts/')({
  validateSearch: zodValidator(searchSchema),
})

Details: search-params.md Template: templates/search-filters.md

4. Protected Routes

Authentication guard with redirect.

// src/routes/_authenticated/_authenticated.tsx
export const Route = createFileRoute('/_authenticated')({
  beforeLoad: ({ context, location }) => {
    if (!context.user) {
      throw redirect({ to: '/login', search: { redirect: location.href } })
    }
  },
})

Details: auth-guards.md Template: templates/auth-protected-routes.md

5. Nested Layouts with Outlet

Nested layouts for dashboards.

// src/routes/_dashboard/_dashboard.tsx
export const Route = createFileRoute('/_dashboard')({
  component: () => (
    <DashboardLayout>
      <Outlet />
    </DashboardLayout>
  ),
})

Details: nested-routes.md Template: templates/dashboard-layout.md

Best Practices

Do's

| Pattern | Reference | |---------|-----------| | Use Route API (Route.useParams()) | hooks.md | | Validate search params with Zod | search-params.md | | Use ensureQueryData in loaders | tanstack-query.md | | Preload on intent for links | preloading.md | | Separate interfaces in interfaces/ | solid-react skill |

Don'ts

| Anti-pattern | Why | Alternative | |--------------|-----|-------------| | useLoaderData() without from | Not type-safe | Route.useLoaderData() | | useEffect for fetch | Not optimal | Use loaders | | Mutate search params | Immutability | navigate({ search: {...} }) | | Skip error boundaries | Degraded UX | Add errorComponent | | Interfaces in components | Coupling | interfaces/ folder |

Migration from React Router

See installation.md for complete migration guide.

| React Router | TanStack Router | |--------------|-----------------| | useParams() | Route.useParams() | | useSearchParams() | Route.useSearch() | | useLoaderData() | Route.useLoaderData() | | loader function | loader option | | action function | TanStack Query mutations |

Version History

• v1.x - Frequent releases (incremental versioning)
• Key milestones: Head/meta tags, Search params middlewares, Zod adapter