TanStack Start Skill

When to use

• Creating or refactoring routes under src/routes/*.
• Implementing server functions (privileged reads/writes).
• Ensuring SSR + hydration correctness with TanStack Query.

Guardrails

• Keep secrets and privileged writes server-side only.
• Validate inputs at boundaries with Zod (params/search/server-function inputs).
• Prefer “thin routes”: UI composition + data wiring; move business logic into domain modules.

Workflow checklist

1. Identify route + data boundary (client vs server) and decide what must run server-side.
2. Define Zod schema(s) for inputs/params; parse early; return typed results.
3. Use SSR-friendly loading patterns (route-level loader + SSR Query integration).
4. Keep cache behavior explicit (staleTime, gcTime, invalidation) and predictable.
5. Add minimal tests for critical logic when behavior changes.

Tooling

• Use TanStack MCP for Start APIs, server function patterns, and SSR guidance.