Shipping with TanStack Start
A short field note on route files, server handlers, and keeping the app surface understandable.
TanStack Start works best when routes stay explicit.
File routes give the app a visible map. Server handlers sit next to the routes that expose them. The generated route tree handles the wiring, so feature work can stay focused on the page, loader, and data dependencies.
Route files as product boundaries
Each route should answer a small set of questions:
- What data does this page need?
- Who is allowed to see it?
- What should render while it loads?
- What happens when the resource is missing?
When those answers live near the route, the app is easier to change later.
Keep the first version plain
The first version of a feature does not need every hook, cache policy, or wrapper it might eventually use. Start with the smallest route that works, then extract patterns after the second or third real use case proves they belong.
That keeps the codebase readable while the product is still moving.