Top 10 How-To Guides for TanStack Router

Based on analysis of GitHub issues, existing documentation, repository structure, and common developer pain points, here are the top 10 how-to guides that would most increase developer and AI productivity:

✅ 1. How to Deploy TanStack Router to Production Hosting Platforms - COMPLETED

Status: ✅ Complete - Available at docs/router/framework/react/how-to/deploy-to-production.md

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2. How to Set Up Server-Side Rendering (SSR)

Priority: Critical - Major feature with complex setup

Key Pain Points:

• React import errors in SSR (Issue #3159)
• SSR compatibility with different frameworks
• Bun runtime SSR issues (Issue #2180)

Content Should Cover:

• Setting up SSR with Vite
• Configuring entry-client.tsx and entry-server.tsx
• Handling hydration mismatches
• SSR with different deployment targets (Node.js, Bun, Edge)
• Server context setup and data loading

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3. How to Migrate from React Router v6

Priority: High - Large user base needs migration path

Key Pain Points:

• API differences between routers
• Breaking changes in routing patterns
• Component refactoring requirements

Content Should Cover:

• Step-by-step migration checklist
• Converting Route components to file-based routing
• Updating Link and Navigate usage
• Search params migration
• Loader/action pattern conversions
• Common gotchas and troubleshooting

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4. How to Fix Common Build and Bundler Issues

Priority: High - Blocking developer productivity

Key Pain Points:

• Webpack/Vite plugin configuration
• Type generation failures
• Build optimization problems
• Module resolution errors

Content Should Cover:

• Plugin setup for different bundlers (Vite, Webpack, ESBuild, Rspack)
• Fixing TypeScript route generation
• Resolving import/export errors
• Optimizing bundle size
• Development vs production build differences

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5. How to Integrate with Popular UI Libraries

Priority: High - Common integration challenges

Key Pain Points:

• Shadcn/ui animation conflicts (Issue #939)
• CSS-in-JS library compatibility
• Animation framework integration

Content Should Cover:

• Shadcn/ui integration and animation fixes
• Material-UI/MUI setup
• Chakra UI integration
• Framer Motion compatibility
• CSS modules and styled-components

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6. How to Set Up Authentication and Protected Routes

Priority: High - Security-critical feature

Key Pain Points:

• Auth state management
• Route protection patterns
• Login redirects and state persistence

Content Should Cover:

• 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)

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7. How to Debug Common Router Issues

Priority: High - Improves developer experience

Key Pain Points:

• Route matching problems
• Type errors with parameters
• Navigation not working as expected
• Performance debugging

Content Should Cover:

• Using TanStack Router DevTools effectively
• Debugging route matching failures
• Troubleshooting navigation issues
• Performance profiling and optimization
• Common error patterns and solutions

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8. How to Set Up Testing with TanStack Router

Priority: Medium-High - Critical for production apps

Key Pain Points:

• Mocking router context in tests
• Testing navigation behavior
• Integration test setup

Content Should Cover:

• Unit testing components with router
• Mocking navigation and router state
• E2E testing with router navigation
• Testing search params and route data
• Jest/Vitest configuration for router

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9. How to Set Up Development Environment and Tooling

Priority: Medium-High - Onboarding efficiency

Key Pain Points:

• Initial project setup complexity
• TypeScript configuration
• Development workflow optimization

Content Should Cover:

• Setting up a new project from scratch
• Configuring TypeScript for optimal DX
• Setting up ESLint rules for router
• Development workflow best practices
• IDE configuration and extensions

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10. How to Handle Search Parameters and URL State

Priority: Medium-High - Common developer confusion

Key Pain Points:

• Search param type safety confusion
• URL state synchronization issues
• Complex search param validation
• Performance issues with search param updates

Content Should Cover:

• Setting up type-safe search params
• Validation with Zod/Valibot adapters
• URL state management patterns
• Search param performance optimization
• Complex search param scenarios (arrays, objects)

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11. How to Implement Advanced Routing Patterns

Priority: Medium - Advanced use cases

Key Pain Points:

• Complex nested routing
• Dynamic route generation
• Route-based code splitting
• Search param validation

Content Should Cover:

• Nested route architectures
• Dynamic route generation patterns
• Advanced search param handling
• Code splitting strategies
• Route-based data loading patterns

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Implementation Notes

For Each Guide:

1. Start with a working example - Provide complete, copy-paste ready code
2. Include common variations - Cover different frameworks (React/Solid), bundlers, etc.
3. Add troubleshooting section - Address the most common issues
4. Link to related guides - Create a connected documentation experience
5. Include next steps - Point to related advanced topics

AI/Developer Productivity Focus:

• Each guide should be scannable - use clear headings and bullet points
• Include minimal working examples that can be quickly copied
• Provide error message → solution mappings for common issues
• Use consistent patterns across guides for predictability

Priority Implementation Order:

1. Start with deployment guide (#1) - highest GitHub issue frequency
2. Follow with SSR setup (#2) - complex but high-impact
3. Migration guide (#3) - large user base need
4. Continue in priority order based on issue frequency and impact

These guides would significantly reduce the most common support requests and improve both developer and AI assistant effectiveness when working with TanStack Router.