React INTERMEDIATETanStack Query
Complete guide to TanStack Query (React Query) for powerful server state management in React applications
10 min read
tanstack-queryreact-queryreactdata-fetchingcacheserver-statemutations
Table of Contents
Setup & Configuration
Installing and configuring TanStack Query
Installation & Basic Setup
Setting up TanStack Query in your React application
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💡 DevTools are essential for debugging cache and queries
⚡ Configure default options to avoid repetition
📌 gcTime (garbage collection) was formerly called cacheTime
🟢 Start with default settings, optimize as needed
setupconfiguration
Queries
Fetching and caching server data
Basic Query
Using useQuery for data fetching
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💡 Query keys must be unique and serializable arrays
⚡ Use enabled option to conditionally fetch data
📌 isLoading vs isFetching: loading is initial, fetching includes refetch
🟢 Always handle loading and error states
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Dependent Queries
Queries that depend on other queries
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💡 Use enabled option to control query execution order
⚡ Each query maintains its own cache independently
📌 Handle loading states for each dependent query
🟢 Structure query keys hierarchically for clarity
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Parallel Queries
Running multiple queries simultaneously
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💡 useQueries for dynamic arrays, individual queries for fixed count
⚡ Parallel queries execute simultaneously for better performance
📌 combine option in v5 helps aggregate results
🟢 Promise.all in single query for tightly coupled data
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Mutations
Creating, updating, and deleting data
Basic Mutations
Using useMutation for data modifications
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💡 onMutate enables optimistic updates for instant UI feedback
⚡ mutateAsync returns a promise for async/await usage
📌 Always invalidate related queries after mutations
🟢 Use mutate for fire-and-forget, mutateAsync when you need the result
mutationscreateoptimistic
Update & Delete Mutations
Implementing update and delete operations
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💡 Update specific cache entries with setQueryData
⚡ Optimistic deletes provide instant feedback
📌 Always provide rollback logic in onError
🟢 Use removeQueries to clean up deleted item caches
mutationsupdatedeletecrud
Infinite Queries
Implementing pagination and infinite scroll
Infinite Scroll
Loading data progressively with useInfiniteQuery
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💡 Use intersection observer for automatic loading
⚡ getNextPageParam determines pagination logic
📌 pages array contains all loaded pages in order
🟢 Provide manual load button as fallback
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Cache Management
Managing and manipulating the query cache
Cache Operations
Working with the QueryClient cache
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💡 Invalidation marks data stale and triggers refetch
⚡ Prefetch data before users need it for instant loading
📌 setQueryData for optimistic updates without server call
🟢 Use exact: true for precise cache key matching
cacheinvalidationprefetch
Advanced Patterns
Advanced TanStack Query patterns and techniques
Suspense & Error Boundaries
Using React Suspense with TanStack Query
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💡 useSuspenseQuery guarantees data is always defined
⚡ Combine with ErrorBoundary for complete error handling
📌 QueryErrorResetBoundary resets queries on error recovery
🟢 Great for SSR and concurrent features
suspenseerror-boundaryadvanced
Custom Hooks & Patterns
Building reusable query hooks and patterns
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💡 Create custom hooks to encapsulate query logic
⚡ Generic CRUD hooks reduce boilerplate significantly
📌 Debounced queries prevent excessive API calls
🟢 Keep hooks focused on single responsibility
hookspatternsreusable