Tanstack Start is now my Go-To Framework

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will explore how to use Tanstack Start, a modern and lightweight framework that has just reached its first release candidate. It's designed for building full-stack applications on Cloudflare, featuring server-side rendering, server functions, and middleware. By the end of this guide, you'll understand how to leverage Tanstack Start effectively in your projects.

Step 1: Setting Up Tanstack Start

To begin using Tanstack Start, you'll need to set up your development environment. Follow these steps:

1. Install Node.js: Ensure you have Node.js installed on your machine. You can download it from nodejs.org.

2. Create a New Project:

   • Open your terminal.
   • Run the following command to create a new project using the Tanstack Start template:

     npx create-tanstack-app my-app
     

   • Navigate to your project directory:

     cd my-app
     

3. Install Dependencies:

   • Use npm or yarn to install the required dependencies:

     npm install
     

   • This will set up all necessary packages, including the Tanstack Router.

Step 2: Configuring Your Project

Once your project is set up, you need to configure it for optimal use.

1. Update the Configuration File:

   • Open the vite.config.js file and ensure the Cloudflare Vite plugin is included. This allows for a smooth integration with Cloudflare services.

2. Define Routes:

   • Use the Tanstack Router to set up your application's routes. Create a routes.js file in your src directory and add the following example:

     import { createRouter } from '@tanstack/router';
     
     const router = createRouter({
       routes: [
         {
           path: '/',
           component: () => import('./pages/Home.vue'),
         },
         {
           path: '/about',
           component: () => import('./pages/About.vue'),
         },
       ],
     });
     
     export default router;
     

Step 3: Implementing Server-Side Rendering

With Tanstack Start, you can easily implement server-side rendering for better performance.

1. Create Server Functions:

   • In the src/functions directory, create a new file, for example, fetchData.js. Use this for data fetching:

     export async function fetchData() {
       const response = await fetch('https://api.example.com/data');
       return await response.json();
     }
     

2. Integrate Server Functions:

   • In your router configuration, call the server function to fetch data during the rendering process:

     {
       path: '/data',
       component: () => import('./pages/Data.vue'),
       loader: fetchData,
     }
     

Step 4: Utilizing Middleware

To enhance your application's capabilities, you can add middleware.

1. Create Middleware:

   • Create a middleware.js file in the src directory to handle requests and responses:

     export function myMiddleware(req, res, next) {
       // Perform some logic
       next();
     }
     

2. Apply Middleware:

   • Incorporate your middleware into the router configuration to handle specific routes.

Conclusion

Tanstack Start is a powerful framework that simplifies full-stack development on Cloudflare. By following these steps, you can easily set up your environment, configure routes, implement server-side rendering, and utilize middleware. For further exploration, visit the Tanstack documentation and consider joining the community on Discord. Start building your modern web applications today!