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Code-Based Routing

Code-based routing gives you complete programmatic control over your route tree. While file-based routing is recommended for most applications, code-based routing is useful for dynamic route generation, migration from other routers, or specific architectural requirements.

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Overview

With code-based routing, you manually define routes using the createRoute and createRootRoute functions, then compose them into a route tree.

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Basic Setup

1

Install TanStack Router

npm install @tanstack/react-router
2

Create the Root Route

Every router needs a root route:
import { createRootRoute, Outlet } from '@tanstack/react-router'

const rootRoute = createRootRoute({
  component: () => (
    <>
      <div>Navigation here</div>
      <hr />
      <Outlet />
    </>
  ),
})
3

Create Child Routes

Define your application routes:
import { createRoute } from '@tanstack/react-router'

const indexRoute = createRoute({
  getParentRoute: () => rootRoute,
  path: '/',
  component: () => <div>Welcome Home!</div>,
})

const aboutRoute = createRoute({
  getParentRoute: () => rootRoute,
  path: '/about',
  component: () => <div>About Page</div>,
})
4

Build the Route Tree

Compose routes into a tree:
const routeTree = rootRoute.addChildren([
  indexRoute,
  aboutRoute,
])
5

Create and Register the Router

import { createRouter, RouterProvider } from '@tanstack/react-router'

const router = createRouter({ routeTree })

declare module '@tanstack/react-router' {
  interface Register {
    router: typeof router
  }
}

function App() {
  return <RouterProvider router={router} />
}

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Complete Example

Here’s a full example from the TanStack Router source:
src/main.tsx
import ReactDOM from 'react-dom/client'
import {
  Link,
  Outlet,
  RouterProvider,
  createRootRoute,
  createRoute,
  createRouter,
} from '@tanstack/react-router'
import { TanStackRouterDevtools } from '@tanstack/react-router-devtools'

// Root route
const rootRoute = createRootRoute({
  component: RootComponent,
})

function RootComponent() {
  return (
    <>
      <div className="p-2 flex gap-2 text-lg">
        <Link to="/" className="[&.active]:font-bold">
          Home
        </Link>
        <Link to="/posts" className="[&.active]:font-bold">
          Posts
        </Link>
      </div>
      <hr />
      <Outlet />
      <TanStackRouterDevtools />
    </>
  )
}

// Index route
const indexRoute = createRoute({
  getParentRoute: () => rootRoute,
  path: '/',
  component: () => <div className="p-2">Welcome Home!</div>,
})

// Posts layout route
const postsRoute = createRoute({
  getParentRoute: () => rootRoute,
  path: 'posts',
  loader: () => fetchPosts(),
  component: PostsComponent,
})

function PostsComponent() {
  const posts = postsRoute.useLoaderData()
  return (
    <div className="p-2 flex gap-2">
      <ul className="list-disc pl-4">
        {posts.map((post) => (
          <li key={post.id}>
            <Link
              to="/posts/$postId"
              params={{ postId: post.id }}
              className="hover:underline"
            >
              {post.title}
            </Link>
          </li>
        ))}
      </ul>
      <hr />
      <Outlet />
    </div>
  )
}

// Posts index route
const postsIndexRoute = createRoute({
  getParentRoute: () => postsRoute,
  path: '/',
  component: () => <div>Select a post</div>,
})

// Post detail route
const postRoute = createRoute({
  getParentRoute: () => postsRoute,
  path: '$postId',
  loader: ({ params }) => fetchPost(params.postId),
  component: PostComponent,
})

function PostComponent() {
  const post = postRoute.useLoaderData()
  return (
    <div className="space-y-2">
      <h4 className="text-xl font-bold">{post.title}</h4>
      <div>{post.body}</div>
    </div>
  )
}

// Build the route tree
const routeTree = rootRoute.addChildren([
  indexRoute,
  postsRoute.addChildren([
    postsIndexRoute,
    postRoute,
  ]),
])

// Create the router
const router = createRouter({
  routeTree,
  defaultPreload: 'intent',
})

declare module '@tanstack/react-router' {
  interface Register {
    router: typeof router
  }
}

// Render
const rootElement = document.getElementById('app')!
if (!rootElement.innerHTML) {
  const root = ReactDOM.createRoot(rootElement)
  root.render(<RouterProvider router={router} />)
}

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Route Configuration Options

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Path Parameters

Define dynamic route segments with $ prefix: 
const userRoute = createRoute({
  getParentRoute: () => rootRoute,
  path: '/users/$userId',
  loader: ({ params }) => fetchUser(params.userId),
  component: UserComponent,
})

​
Pathless Routes

Create layout routes without adding path segments: 
const authLayoutRoute = createRoute({
  getParentRoute: () => rootRoute,
  id: '_auth', // Use 'id' instead of 'path'
  component: AuthLayout,
})

const dashboardRoute = createRoute({
  getParentRoute: () => authLayoutRoute,
  path: '/dashboard',
  component: Dashboard,
})

// Results in /dashboard with AuthLayout wrapping

​
Data Loading

Load data before rendering: 
const postRoute = createRoute({
  getParentRoute: () => rootRoute,
  path: '/posts/$postId',
  loader: async ({ params, context }) => {
    const post = await fetchPost(params.postId)
    return { post }
  },
  component: PostComponent,
})

​
Error Handling

Customize error and not found components: 
import { ErrorComponent } from '@tanstack/react-router'

const postRoute = createRoute({
  getParentRoute: () => rootRoute,
  path: '/posts/$postId',
  loader: ({ params }) => fetchPost(params.postId),
  errorComponent: ({ error }) => <ErrorComponent error={error} />,
  notFoundComponent: () => <div>Post not found</div>,
  component: PostComponent,
})

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Advanced Patterns

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Nested Route Trees

Build complex hierarchies: 
const routeTree = rootRoute.addChildren([
  indexRoute,
  authLayoutRoute.addChildren([
    dashboardRoute,
    settingsRoute.addChildren([
      profileRoute,
      securityRoute,
    ]),
  ]),
  publicRoute,
])

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Route Guards

Protect routes with beforeLoad: 
const protectedRoute = createRoute({
  getParentRoute: () => rootRoute,
  path: '/dashboard',
  beforeLoad: ({ context, location }) => {
    if (!context.auth.isAuthenticated) {
      throw redirect({
        to: '/login',
        search: { redirect: location.href },
      })
    }
  },
  component: Dashboard,
})

​
Lazy Loading Routes

Split code with .lazy(): 
// posts.tsx
export const postsRoute = createRoute({
  getParentRoute: () => rootRoute,
  path: 'posts',
  loader: () => fetchPosts(),
}).lazy(() => import('./posts.lazy').then((d) => d.Route))

// posts.lazy.tsx
import { createLazyRoute } from '@tanstack/react-router'

export const Route = createLazyRoute('/posts')({
  component: PostsComponent,
})

function PostsComponent() {
  const posts = Route.useLoaderData()
  return <div>...</div>
}

​
Router Configuration

Customize router behavior: 
const router = createRouter({
  routeTree,
  
  // Default preload behavior
  defaultPreload: 'intent', // 'intent' | 'viewport' | false
  
  // Preload delay
  defaultPreloadDelay: 50,
  
  // Data staleness
  defaultStaleTime: 5000,
  
  // Scroll restoration
  scrollRestoration: true,
  
  // Context passed to all routes
  context: {
    auth: authService,
    queryClient,
  },
  
  // Not found handling
  defaultNotFoundComponent: () => <div>404 Not Found</div>,
})

​
Type Safety

Register your router for full type safety: 
declare module '@tanstack/react-router' {
  interface Register {
    router: typeof router
  }
}
This enables:
  • Type-safe route paths in Link and navigate
  • Type-safe params and search params
  • Type-safe loader data
  • Autocomplete for routes throughout your app

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When to Use Code-Based Routing

Dynamic Routes

Generate routes programmatically based on configuration or API data

Migration

Easier migration path from other routers like React Router or Next.js

Monorepos

Share routes across multiple applications in a monorepo

Fine Control

Need precise control over route composition and organization
Recommendation: For most applications, file-based routing provides better DX and is easier to maintain. Use code-based routing when you have specific requirements that file-based routing can’t satisfy.

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Next Steps

File-Based Routing

Learn about the recommended file-based approach

Code Splitting

Optimize your bundle with lazy loading

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