React-Router Vs TanStack-Router

Description: This is a basic overview of the differences between React Router and TanStack Router. It is not a detailed blog. If you are already familiar with React Router, you can also try TanStack Router once—it is very useful if you are starting with TypeScript. One thing to note: I wrote this article not in pure English but in Hinglish (Hindi + English mix). Let's begin...

Topic that covers in this blog :

1. What is React-Router ?

2. What is TanStack Router ?

3. Short difference table

4. Some important things

React Applications:
React is typically used to build Single Page Applications (SPAs). When we say "page changes" in an SPA, it means only the content gets replaced - not the entire page. This is what makes it a Single Page Application.

How Routing Works:
The router handles:

• URL changes (e.g., /about, /contact)

• Content swapping without full page reloads

---

React Router Explained

What is React Router?
It's a routing library that enables navigation between different components/content in React without page reloads.

Analogy:
Think of React Router like a school bus:

• Bahut purana aur famous hai (since 2014)

• Simple <Route> tag laga ke pages banate hai.

Basic Usage:

1. Installed: npm i react-router-dom

import { BrowserRouter, Routes, Route } from "react-router-dom";

function App() {
  return (
    <BrowserRouter>
      <Routes>
        <Route path="/" element={<Home />} />
        <Route path="/about" element={<About />} />
      </Routes>
    </BrowserRouter>
  );
}

Fayda:

1. Easy to learn and use

2. Bahot saare tutorilas available hai YouTube pe

3. Very stable and widely supported

4. Works everywhere (great compatibility)

Nuksan:

1. Limited TypeScript support (basic type checking only)

2. Manual handling required for:

   • Search/query parameters

   • Route state management

3. No built-in:

   • Data caching

   • Data loading patterns

   • Route pre-fetching

TanStack Router

Modern and scalable routing for React and Solid applications. A fully type-safe router with built-in data fetching, stale-while revalidate caching and first-class search-param APIs.

Analogy: socho smart electric bus

• Naya hai, lekin bohot modern features.

• Ye TypeScript pe focus karta hai → agar aap galat route likh do, compile time pe error aayega.

• Search params, data fetching, caching sab built-in deta hai.

• Example:

import { createRouter, createRouteConfig, RouterProvider } from "@tanstack/react-router";

const root = createRouteConfig();
const homeRoute = root.createRoute({ path: "/", component: Home });
const aboutRoute = root.createRoute({ path: "/about", component: About });

const router = createRouter({ routeConfig: root.addChildren([homeRoute, aboutRoute]) });

<RouterProvider router={router} />

• Fayda:

  • Galat route path ya params pe turant error.

  • Search params ka API bohot easy.

  • Data fetch & cache karne ka built-in support.

• Nuksan:

  • Syntax shuru me thoda complex lagta hai

    

    .

Short Difference Table

Why TanStack is better than react-router

1. Type-checking

2. Search params handle karna

3. Caching kya hoti hai

1. TypeScript me zyada smart type-checking nahi deta

Socho aap React Router me ek route banate ho:

<Route path="/user/:id" element={<UserPage />} />

Aur baad me aap navigate karte ho:

<Link to="/user/abc" />

Yaha agar aap galti se likh do:

<Link to="/usr/abc" /> // route me spelling galat

React Router compile time pe error nahi dega.
Error sirf browser me aayega ki page nahi mila.

TanStack Router me agar aap galat path likhoge to TypeScript compile time pe bolega:

"Bhai, ye path tumhare routes me exist hi nahi karta."

---

2. Search params handle karna manually hota hai

Search params ka matlab hota hai URL me ?key=value wala part.
Example:

/products?category=shoes&page=2

React Router me aapko search params handle karne ke liye khud ka hook lena padta hai:

import { useSearchParams } from "react-router-dom";

const [params] = useSearchParams();
console.log(params.get("category")); // shoes

Type safety yaha nahi hoti — agar aap"categroy" galat likh doge to koi error nahi aayega, bas value null aayegi.

TanStack Router me search params ka type aap route banate waqt define kar sakte ho, aur galat likhne pe turant compile time error milta hai.

---

3. Caching built-in nahi hoti

Caching ka matlab: agar aap ek page ka data server se fetch karte ho, aur phir wapas usi page pe aate ho, to data dobara fetch na ho — pehle se store kiya hua data dikhe (fast load).

React Router me ye kaam aapko khud ya React Query jaisi library se karna padta hai.
TanStack Router me basic caching behavior built-in hota hai — aap loader se data fetch karo, wo data memory me store ho jata hai, aur aap dobara us page pe jao to instantly dikhta hai.

---

Visual Explanation

                ┌──────────────────────────────────────┐
                │              React Router            │
                └──────────────────────────────────────┘
                1️⃣ Easy to start — bas <Route> likho
                2️⃣ TypeScript me galat path likh do → ❌ No error
                3️⃣ Search params manually handle
                4️⃣ Data caching → ❌ Aapko khud karni padegi
                5️⃣ Community → ✅ Bohot badi

    Example:
       "/user/:id"  ✅
       "/usr/:id"   ❌ but error sirf run time pe

------------------------------------------------------------

                ┌──────────────────────────────────────┐
                │             TanStack Router           │
                └──────────────────────────────────────┘
                1️⃣ Start thoda tough — route instance banani padti
                2️⃣ TypeScript → galat path likhoge → ✅ Compile time error
                3️⃣ Search params types ke sath — galat key → error
                4️⃣ Data caching → ✅ Built-in
                5️⃣ Community → Abhi chhoti, grow ho rahi

    Example:
       "/user/:id"  ✅
       "/usr/:id"   ❌ Compile time pe bolega "galat path"

Chaliye ab ak game-style explanation se samjhate hai — app passenger ho, aur aapke paas do buses ka option hai:

🎮 Game: Choose Your Bus

---

Bus 1: React Router Bus

• 🚌 Driver: Experienced, har route jaanta hai

• 🎯 Goal: aapko quickly destination tak pahuchana

• ✅ Pros:

  • Ticket lena easy (code likhna simple)

  • Har jagah ye bus chalti hai (community badi)

• ❌ Cons:

  • Agar aap wrong stop ka naam ticket pe likh do, driver notice nahi karega — aap galat jagah pohonch jaoge (TypeScript check nahi karega)

  • Aapko apna luggage (data caching) khud sambhalna padega

  • Agar aapko stop pe extra instruction (search params) dena ho, to manually dena padega

---

Bus 2: TanStack Router Bus

• ⚡ Driver: New, super strict, AI navigation use karta hai

• 🎯 Goal: Aapko exact correct stop pe safely pahuchana

• ✅ Pros:

  • Agar aap ticket me galat stop likhoge, driver bolega “Bhai ye stop exist hi nahi karta” (Compile time error)

  • Luggage (data) bus ke andar safe store hota hai — next time turant milta hai (built-in caching)

  • Extra instruction (search params) typed form me dene padenge, galti pe turant warning

• ❌ Cons:

  • Ticket lena thoda complex hai (syntax shuru me tough)

  • Ye bus abhi har jagah nahi chalti (community chhoti)

---

🎯 Your Mission:

Aapko "About City" jaana hai.

• React Router Bus → Aap "/about" likhte ho → chal padti hai.
  Agar aap "aboutt" likh do → Bus chalti hai par tum wrong place pe land kar jaoge (runtime error).

• TanStack Router Bus → Aap "aboutt" likhoge → Driver bolega "Stop not found!" aur bus chalne se pehle hi aapko warning dega (compile time).

---

💡 Moral of the Game:

• Jaldi shuru karna hai, easy chahiye → React Router Bus lo

• Beginner ho ya sirf normal project bana rahe ho → React Router (easy, zyada resources).

• Zyada safety (type checking) chahiye, future-ready ho, aur shuru me thoda extra effort kar sakte ho → TanStack Router Bus lo

• TypeScript use kar rahe ho, project me data fetching + caching important hai, aur future-ready code chahiye → TanStack Router.