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TanStack Query Best Practices

You are an expert in TanStack Query (formerly React Query), TypeScript, and React development. TanStack Query handles caching, background updates, and stale data out of the box with zero configuration.

Core Principles

• Use TanStack Query for all server state management and data fetching
• Minimize the use of useEffect and useState for server data; favor TanStack Query's built-in state management
• Implement proper error handling with user-friendly messages
• Use TypeScript for full type safety with query responses

Project Structure

src/
  api/
    client.ts             # API client configuration
    endpoints/
      users.ts            # User-related API calls
      posts.ts            # Post-related API calls
  hooks/
    queries/
      useUsers.ts         # User query hooks
      usePosts.ts         # Post query hooks
    mutations/
      useCreateUser.ts    # User mutation hooks
  providers/
    QueryProvider.tsx     # Query client provider setup
  types/
    api.ts                # API response types

Setup and Configuration

Query Client Configuration

// providers/QueryProvider.tsx
import { QueryClient, QueryClientProvider } from '@tanstack/react-query';
import { ReactQueryDevtools } from '@tanstack/react-query-devtools';

const queryClient = new QueryClient({
  defaultOptions: {
    queries: {
      staleTime: 1000 * 60 * 5, // 5 minutes
      gcTime: 1000 * 60 * 30,   // 30 minutes (formerly cacheTime)
      retry: 3,
      refetchOnWindowFocus: true,
      refetchOnReconnect: true,
    },
    mutations: {
      retry: 1,
    },
  },
});

export function QueryProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
  return (
    <QueryClientProvider client={queryClient}>
      {children}
      <ReactQueryDevtools initialIsOpen={false} />
    </QueryClientProvider>
  );
}

Query Best Practices

1. Query Key Organization

Use consistent, hierarchical query keys for efficient cache management:

// Query key factory pattern
export const userKeys = {
  all: ['users'] as const,
  lists: () => [...userKeys.all, 'list'] as const,
  list: (filters: UserFilters) => [...userKeys.lists(), filters] as const,
  details: () => [...userKeys.all, 'detail'] as const,
  detail: (id: string) => [...userKeys.details(), id] as const,
};

2. Custom Query Hooks

Create reusable, typed query hooks:

// hooks/queries/useUser.ts
import { useQuery, UseQueryOptions } from '@tanstack/react-query';
import { userKeys } from '@/api/queryKeys';
import { getUser, User } from '@/api/endpoints/users';

export function useUser(
  userId: string,
  options?: Omit<UseQueryOptions<User, Error>, 'queryKey' | 'queryFn'>
) {
  return useQuery({
    queryKey: userKeys.detail(userId),
    queryFn: () => getUser(userId),
    enabled: !!userId,
    ...options,
  });
}

3. Dependent Queries

Handle queries that depend on other data:

function useUserPosts(userId: string) {
  const { data: user } = useUser(userId);

  return useQuery({
    queryKey: ['posts', { userId }],
    queryFn: () => fetchUserPosts(userId),
    enabled: !!user, // Only run when user data is available
  });
}

4. Parallel Queries

Fetch multiple resources simultaneously:

import { useQueries } from '@tanstack/react-query';

function useMultipleUsers(userIds: string[]) {
  return useQueries({
    queries: userIds.map((id) => ({
      queryKey: userKeys.detail(id),
      queryFn: () => getUser(id),
    })),
  });
}

Mutation Best Practices

1. Optimistic Updates

Provide instant feedback while mutations are in flight:

import { useMutation, useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';

function useUpdateUser() {
  const queryClient = useQueryClient();

  return useMutation({
    mutationFn: updateUser,
    onMutate: async (newUser) => {
      // Cancel outgoing refetches
      await queryClient.cancelQueries({ queryKey: userKeys.detail(newUser.id) });

      // Snapshot previous value
      const previousUser = queryClient.getQueryData(userKeys.detail(newUser.id));

      // Optimistically update
      queryClient.setQueryData(userKeys.detail(newUser.id), newUser);

      return { previousUser };
    },
    onError: (err, newUser, context) => {
      // Rollback on error
      queryClient.setQueryData(
        userKeys.detail(newUser.id),
        context?.previousUser
      );
    },
    onSettled: (data, error, variables) => {
      // Refetch after error or success
      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: userKeys.detail(variables.id) });
    },
  });
}

2. Cache Invalidation

Properly invalidate related queries after mutations:

function useDeleteUser() {
  const queryClient = useQueryClient();

  return useMutation({
    mutationFn: deleteUser,
    onSuccess: () => {
      // Invalidate all user-related queries
      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: userKeys.all });
    },
  });
}

Error Handling

1. Global Error Handler

const queryClient = new QueryClient({
  defaultOptions: {
    queries: {
      throwOnError: false,
    },
    mutations: {
      onError: (error) => {
        // Global error handling (e.g., toast notification)
        toast.error(error.message);
      },
    },
  },
});

2. Component-Level Error Handling

function UserProfile({ userId }: { userId: string }) {
  const { data, error, isLoading, isError } = useUser(userId);

  if (isLoading) return <Skeleton />;
  if (isError) return <ErrorMessage error={error} />;

  return <UserCard user={data} />;
}

3. Error Boundaries with Suspense

import { ErrorBoundary } from 'react-error-boundary';
import { Suspense } from 'react';

function App() {
  return (
    <ErrorBoundary fallback={<ErrorFallback />}>
      <Suspense fallback={<Loading />}>
        <UserProfile userId="123" />
      </Suspense>
    </ErrorBoundary>
  );
}

Performance Optimization

1. Select and Transform Data

Only subscribe to the data you need:

function useUserName(userId: string) {
  return useUser(userId, {
    select: (user) => user.name,
  });
}

2. Prefetching

Prefetch data before it's needed:

function UserList() {
  const queryClient = useQueryClient();

  const prefetchUser = (userId: string) => {
    queryClient.prefetchQuery({
      queryKey: userKeys.detail(userId),
      queryFn: () => getUser(userId),
      staleTime: 1000 * 60 * 5,
    });
  };

  return (
    <ul>
      {users.map((user) => (
        <li key={user.id} onMouseEnter={() => prefetchUser(user.id)}>
          {user.name}
        </li>
      ))}
    </ul>
  );
}

3. Infinite Queries

Handle paginated data efficiently:

import { useInfiniteQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query';

function useInfinitePosts() {
  return useInfiniteQuery({
    queryKey: ['posts'],
    queryFn: ({ pageParam }) => fetchPosts(pageParam),
    initialPageParam: 0,
    getNextPageParam: (lastPage) => lastPage.nextCursor,
    getPreviousPageParam: (firstPage) => firstPage.prevCursor,
  });
}

Key Conventions

1. Feature-based organization : Group query hooks within feature-specific directories
2. Consistent query keys : Use factory functions for type-safe, organized keys
3. Type safety : Define TypeScript interfaces for all API responses
4. DevTools : Always include React Query DevTools in development
5. Avoid deeply nested queries : Flatten query structures when possible
6. Fetch only needed data : Use API parameters to limit response size
7. Handle loading and error states : Always provide appropriate UI feedback

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

• Do not use useEffect to fetch data - use queries instead
• Do not store server state in local state (useState)
• Do not forget to handle loading and error states
• Do not create overly specific query keys that prevent cache reuse
• Do not skip cache invalidation after mutations
• Do not ignore the enabled option for conditional queries

Weekly Installs

93

Repository

mindrally/skills

GitHub Stars

43

First Seen

Jan 25, 2026

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