tanstack-start

File-based routing in TanStack Start automatically generates your route tree from the file structure in your routes directory. Place files like `index.tsx` for root routes, use dynamic segments with brackets (e.g., `[id].tsx`), and layout routes to wrap nested pages. TanStack Start compiles these into typed route definitions without manual configuration.

Yes. Use `@ai-sdk/react` on the client side for streaming chat UI and create a server API route with `streamText` from the AI SDK configured with OpenRouter as your provider. TanStack Start's file-based API routes handle the server handler pattern, and you set up OpenRouter credentials as environment variables for the provider singleton.

Register MCP tools by defining Zod schemas for tool parameters and creating handler functions in your server routes. TanStack Start integrates these through API routes and server handlers, enabling structured AI interactions where the AI can invoke your tools with validated inputs based on the schema definitions.

TypeScript is strongly recommended for TanStack Start. The framework provides automatic type inference for routes, API handlers, and server functions, catching routing errors at compile time and enabling full IDE autocomplete. While not strictly required, TypeScript support is a core design feature that reduces runtime errors.

Server handlers in TanStack Start are functions exported from route files that respond to HTTP requests. Define handlers like `export const POST = (event) => {}` in your API route files. TanStack Start maps these to HTTP methods, routes requests based on file structure, and provides type-safe access to request data and response control.

Yes. TanStack Start is designed for full-stack React development with file-based routing for dynamic navigation and built-in API routes for server-side logic. Combine route tree generation with server handlers to process data server-side, enabling patterns like customer support bots and interactive content generators without separate backend setup.