How-To Guides Implementation Plan

This document outlines the multi-PR process for implementing the remaining how-to guides for TanStack Router.

Progress Tracking

✅ Guide #1: Deploy to Production - COMPLETED in docs/router/framework/react/how-to/deploy-to-production.md
✅ Guide #2: Setup SSR - COMPLETED in docs/router/framework/react/how-to/setup-ssr.md
✅ Guide #3: Migrate from React Router v7 - COMPLETED in docs/router/framework/react/how-to/migrate-from-react-router.md
⏳ Guide #4: Fix Build Issues - MOVED TO DEBUGGING DIRECTORY
✅ Guide #5: Integrate UI Libraries - COMPLETED (split into individual guides)
✅ Guide #6: Setup Authentication - COMPLETED (split into three focused guides)
✅ Guide #7: Debug Router Issues - COMPLETED
✅ Guide #8: Setup Testing - COMPLETED
✅ Environment Variables: TanStack Router - COMPLETED in docs/router/framework/react/how-to/use-environment-variables.md
✅ Environment Variables: TanStack Start - COMPLETED in docs/start/framework/react/how-to/use-environment-variables.md
🔄 Progressive Search Params Series - IN PROGRESS

🔄 Progressive Search Params How-To Series (Replaces Guide #10)

Status: Ready for implementation with test verification

Foundation Level (Start Here):

✅ Search #1: Setup Basic Search Parameters (setup-basic-search-params.md) - COMPLETED with comprehensive validation library support
✅ Search #2: Navigate with Search Parameters (navigate-with-search-params.md) - COMPLETED with comprehensive Link patterns and programmatic navigation

Intermediate Level (Common Patterns):

✅ Search #3: Validate Search Parameters with Schemas (validate-search-params.md) - COMPLETED with comprehensive validation library support
✅ Search #4: Work with Arrays, Objects, and Dates (arrays-objects-dates-search-params.md) - COMPLETED with comprehensive coverage of arrays, objects, dates, and nested structures
✅ Search #5: Share Search Parameters Across Routes (share-search-params-across-routes.md) - COMPLETED with comprehensive sharing patterns and middleware examples

Advanced Level (Power User Patterns):

⏳ Search #6: Build Advanced Search Parameter Middleware (advanced-search-param-middleware.md) - Test Coverage: Good (existing middleware tests)
⏳ Search #7: Optimize Search Parameter Performance (optimize-search-param-performance.md) - Test Gap: Performance patterns, selectors
⏳ Search #8: Customize Search Parameter Serialization (customize-search-param-serialization.md) - Test Gap: Custom serializers

Specialized Use Cases:

⏳ Search #9: Build Search-Based Filtering Systems (build-search-filtering-systems.md) - Test Gap: Complex filtering patterns
⏳ Search #10: Handle Search Parameters in Forms (search-params-in-forms.md) - Test Gap: Form integration patterns
⏳ Search #11: Debug Search Parameter Issues (debug-search-param-issues.md) - Test Coverage: Partial (debug tests exist)
⏳ Search #12: Use Search Parameters with Data Loading (search-params-with-data-loading.md) - Test Gap: Loader integration patterns
⏳ Guide #9: Setup Dev Environment - PENDING
⏳ Guide #11: Advanced Routing Patterns - PENDING

Implementation Process

For Each New How-To Guide:

Create the guide in docs/router/framework/react/how-to/[guide-name].md
Follow the established structure:
- Quick Start section
- Step-by-step platform/scenario-specific instructions
- Production checklist (if applicable)
- Common Problems section
- Common Next Steps (commented out until guides exist)
- Related Resources (specific links only)
Update the directory README to list the new guide
Update this tracking document to mark as completed
Uncomment relevant "Common Next Steps" in other guides that reference this one

Multi-PR Guidelines:

One guide per PR for focused reviews and easier iteration
Start with highest priority guides (#4, #5, #6...)
Cross-reference between guides as they become available
Update tracking status in each PR

Next Agent Tasks

Priority 1: Guide #4 - How to Fix Common Build and Bundler Issues

File: docs/router/framework/react/how-to/fix-build-issues.md

Context for Agent:

Check existing installation guides in docs/router/framework/react/routing/ for bundler setup
Focus on troubleshooting rather than initial setup
Address type generation failures and module resolution errors

Content Requirements:

Plugin setup for different bundlers (Vite, Webpack, ESBuild, Rspack)
Fixing TypeScript route generation
Resolving import/export errors
Optimizing bundle size
Common Problems: Type generation failures, build optimization, module resolution

Priority 2: Guide #5 - How to Integrate with Popular UI Libraries

File: docs/router/framework/react/how-to/integrate-ui-libraries.md

Context for Agent:

GitHub Issue #939 shows Shadcn/ui animation conflicts
Focus on most popular libraries with known integration challenges

Content Requirements:

Shadcn/ui integration and animation fixes
Material-UI/MUI setup
Chakra UI integration
Framer Motion compatibility
Common Problems: Animation conflicts, CSS-in-JS compatibility, styling issues

Priority 3: Guide #6 - How to Set Up Authentication and Protected Routes

File: docs/router/framework/react/how-to/setup-authentication.md

Context for Agent:

Reference existing guide: docs/router/framework/react/guide/authenticated-routes.md
Create practical, step-by-step version focused on implementation
Include popular auth provider integrations

Content Requirements:

Setting up route context for auth
Creating auth-protected route patterns
Implementing login redirects
Handling auth state persistence
Integration with popular auth providers (Auth0, Clerk, Supabase)
Common Problems: Auth state management, redirect loops, persistence issues

Remaining Guides (Priority 6-11):

Priority 6: Debug Common Router Issues (debug-router-issues.md) Priority 7: Set Up Testing (setup-testing.md)
Priority 8: Set Up Development Environment (setup-dev-environment.md) Priority 9: Handle Search Parameters and URL State (handle-search-parameters.md) Priority 10: Implement Advanced Routing Patterns (advanced-routing-patterns.md)

Agent Instructions Template

When implementing each guide, use this template for your agent task:

Create a comprehensive how-to guide for [GUIDE_TITLE] following the established pattern:

1. **Read the priority document** at how-to-guides-implementation-plan.md for context
2. **Check existing documentation** mentioned in the Context section
3. **Follow the structure** from deploy-to-production.md:
   - Quick Start
   - Platform/scenario-specific instructions
   - Production checklist (if applicable)
   - Common Problems
   - Common Next Steps (commented out)
   - Related Resources (specific only)
4. **Update the README** at docs/router/framework/react/how-to/README.md
5. **Update tracking** in how-to-guides-implementation-plan.md
6. **Cross-reference existing guides** by uncommenting relevant "Common Next Steps"

Focus on practical, copy-paste ready solutions that solve real developer pain points.

Quality Checklist

Before marking any guide as complete:

Follows established structure pattern
Includes working code examples
Addresses real GitHub issues/pain points
Common Problems section covers frequent issues
No broken links (all "Common Next Steps" commented out until guides exist)
Related Resources are specific and valuable
README updated with new guide
Cross-references added to other guides where appropriate

Completion Tracking

Update this section as guides are completed:

✅ Guide #1: Deploy to Production - COMPLETED
✅ Guide #2: Setup SSR - COMPLETED
✅ Guide #3: Migrate from React Router - COMPLETED
⏳ Guide #4: Fix Build Issues - MOVED TO DEBUGGING DIRECTORY
✅ Guide #5: Integrate UI Libraries - COMPLETED (split into individual guides)
  ✅ Shadcn/ui Integration - COMPLETED
  ✅ Material-UI Integration - COMPLETED
  ✅ Framer Motion Integration - COMPLETED
  ✅ Chakra UI Integration - COMPLETED
✅ Guide #6: Setup Authentication - COMPLETED (split into three focused guides)
  ✅ Basic Authentication Setup - COMPLETED
  ✅ Authentication Providers Integration - COMPLETED
  ✅ Role-Based Access Control - COMPLETED
✅ Guide #7: Debug Router Issues - COMPLETED
✅ Guide #8: Setup Testing - COMPLETED
⏳ Guide #9: Setup Dev Environment - PENDING
⏳ Guide #10: Handle Search Parameters - PENDING
⏳ Guide #11: Advanced Routing Patterns - PENDING

This systematic approach ensures consistent quality and enables incremental progress across multiple agent sessions.