---
name: vue-start
description: >-
Vue bindings for TanStack Start: useServerFn hook, tanstackStart
Vite plugin, StartClient, StartServer, Vue-specific setup,
re-exports from @tanstack/start-client-core. Full project setup
with Vue.
type: framework
library: tanstack-start
library_version: '1.166.2'
framework: vue
requires:
- start-core
sources:
- TanStack/router:packages/vue-start/src
---
# Vue Start (`@tanstack/vue-start`)
This skill builds on start-core. Read [start-core](../../../start-client-core/skills/start-core/SKILL.md) first for foundational concepts.
This skill covers the Vue-specific bindings, setup, and patterns for TanStack Start.
> **CRITICAL**: All code is ISOMORPHIC by default. Loaders run on BOTH server and client. Use `createServerFn` for server-only logic.
> **CRITICAL**: Do not confuse `@tanstack/vue-start` with Nuxt. They are completely different frameworks with different APIs.
> **CRITICAL**: Types are FULLY INFERRED. Never cast, never annotate inferred values.
## Package API Surface
`@tanstack/vue-start` re-exports everything from `@tanstack/start-client-core` plus:
- `useServerFn` — Vue composable for calling server functions from components
All core APIs (`createServerFn`, `createMiddleware`, `createStart`, `createIsomorphicFn`, `createServerOnlyFn`, `createClientOnlyFn`) are available from `@tanstack/vue-start`.
Server utilities (`getRequest`, `getRequestHeader`, `setResponseHeader`, `setCookie`, `getCookie`, `useSession`) are imported from `@tanstack/vue-start/server`.
## Full Project Setup
### 1. Install Dependencies
```bash
npm i @tanstack/vue-start @tanstack/vue-router vue
npm i -D vite @vitejs/plugin-vue @vitejs/plugin-vue-jsx typescript
```
### 2. package.json
```json
{
"type": "module",
"scripts": {
"dev": "vite dev",
"build": "vite build",
"start": "node .output/server/index.mjs"
}
}
```
### 3. tsconfig.json
```json
{
"compilerOptions": {
"jsx": "preserve",
"jsxImportSource": "vue",
"moduleResolution": "Bundler",
"module": "ESNext",
"target": "ES2022",
"skipLibCheck": true,
"strictNullChecks": true
}
}
```
### 4. vite.config.ts
```ts
import { defineConfig } from 'vite'
import { tanstackStart } from '@tanstack/vue-start/plugin/vite'
import vuePlugin from '@vitejs/plugin-vue'
import vueJsx from '@vitejs/plugin-vue-jsx'
export default defineConfig({
plugins: [
tanstackStart(), // MUST come before vue plugin
vuePlugin(),
vueJsx(), // Required for JSX/TSX route files
],
})
```
### 5. Router Factory (src/router.tsx)
```tsx
import { createRouter } from '@tanstack/vue-router'
import { routeTree } from './routeTree.gen'
export function getRouter() {
const router = createRouter({
routeTree,
scrollRestoration: true,
})
return router
}
```
### 6. Root Route (src/routes/\_\_root.tsx)
```tsx
import {
Outlet,
createRootRoute,
HeadContent,
Scripts,
Html,
Body,
} from '@tanstack/vue-router'
export const Route = createRootRoute({
head: () => ({
meta: [
{ charSet: 'utf-8' },
{ name: 'viewport', content: 'width=device-width, initial-scale=1' },
{ title: 'My TanStack Start App' },
],
}),
component: RootComponent,
})
function RootComponent() {
return (
)
}
```
### 7. Index Route (src/routes/index.tsx)
```tsx
import { createFileRoute } from '@tanstack/vue-router'
import { createServerFn } from '@tanstack/vue-start'
const getGreeting = createServerFn({ method: 'GET' }).handler(async () => {
return 'Hello from TanStack Start!'
})
export const Route = createFileRoute('/')({
loader: () => getGreeting(),
component: HomePage,
})
function HomePage() {
const greeting = Route.useLoaderData()
return
{greeting.value}
}
```
## useServerFn Composable
Use `useServerFn` to call server functions from Vue components with automatic redirect handling:
```tsx
import { createServerFn, useServerFn } from '@tanstack/vue-start'
import { ref } from 'vue'
const updatePost = createServerFn({ method: 'POST' })
.inputValidator((data: { id: string; title: string }) => data)
.handler(async ({ data }) => {
await db.posts.update(data.id, { title: data.title })
return { success: true }
})
// In a component setup:
const updatePostFn = useServerFn(updatePost)
const title = ref('')
async function handleSubmit(postId: string) {
await updatePostFn({ data: { id: postId, title: title.value } })
}
```
Unlike the React version, `useServerFn` does NOT wrap the returned function in `useCallback` — Vue's `setup()` runs once per component instance, so no memoization is needed.
## Vue-Specific Components
All routing components from `@tanstack/vue-router` work in Start:
- `` — renders matched child route
- `` — type-safe navigation with scoped slots
- `` — declarative redirect
- `` — renders head tags (must be in ``)
- `` — renders body scripts (must be in ``)
- `` — renders deferred data with Vue ``
- `` — renders children only after `onMounted`
- `` — error boundary via `onErrorCaptured`
- `` — SSR shell `` wrapper
- `` — SSR shell `` wrapper
## Composables Reference
All composables from `@tanstack/vue-router` work in Start. Most return `Ref` — access via `.value`:
- `useRouter()` — router instance (NOT a Ref)
- `useRouterState()` — `Ref`, subscribe to router state
- `useNavigate()` — navigation function (NOT a Ref)
- `useSearch({ from })` — `Ref`, validated search params
- `useParams({ from })` — `Ref`, path params
- `useLoaderData({ from })` — `Ref`, loader data
- `useMatch({ from })` — `Ref`, full route match
- `useRouteContext({ from })` — `Ref`, route context
- `Route.useLoaderData()` — `Ref`, typed loader data (preferred in route files)
- `Route.useSearch()` — `Ref`, typed search params (preferred in route files)
## Common Mistakes
### 1. CRITICAL: Importing from wrong package
```tsx
// WRONG — this is the SPA router, NOT Start
import { createServerFn } from '@tanstack/vue-router'
// CORRECT — server functions come from vue-start
import { createServerFn } from '@tanstack/vue-start'
// CORRECT — routing APIs come from vue-router
import { createFileRoute, Link } from '@tanstack/vue-router'
```
### 2. CRITICAL: Forgetting .value in script blocks
Most composables return `Ref`. In `