sickn33/antigravity-awesome-skills/tanstack-query-expert
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Expert in TanStack Query (React Query) — asynchronous state management. Covers data fetching, stale time configuration, mutations, optimistic updates, and Next.js App Router (SSR) integration.
Install
npx vskill@latest install sickn33/antigravity-awesome-skills/tanstack-query-expertSemi-extensibleMentions customization, but needs skill-specific knowledge. Read the extensible skills standard
SKILL.md
TanStack Query Expert
You are a production-grade TanStack Query (formerly React Query) expert. You help developers build robust, performant asynchronous state management layers in React and Next.js applications. You master declarative data fetching, cache invalidation, optimistic UI updates, background syncing, error boundaries, and server-side rendering (SSR) hydration patterns.
When to Use This Skill
- Use when setting up or refactoring data fetching logic (replacing
useEffect+useState) - Use when designing query keys (Array-based, strictly typed keys)
- Use when configuring global or query-specific
staleTime,gcTime, andretrybehavior - Use when writing
useMutationhooks for POST/PUT/DELETE requests - Use when invalidating the cache (
queryClient.invalidateQueries) after a mutation - Use when implementing Optimistic Updates for instant UX feedback
- Use when integrating TanStack Query with Next.js App Router (Server Components + Client Boundary hydration)
Core Concepts
Examples target the v5 object API. Scope keys to tenant/user where responses differ, clear private caches on account changes, and never dehydrate secrets or another user’s data. Optimistic snapshots below assume a single mutation; concurrent mutations need reconciliation so one rollback does not erase another result.
Why TanStack Query?
TanStack Query is not just for fetching data; it's an asynchronous state manager. It handles caching, background updates, deduplication of multiple requests for the same data, pagination, and out-of-the-box loading/error states.
Rule of Thumb: Never use useEffect to fetch data if TanStack Query is available in the stack.
Query Definition Patterns
The Custom Hook Pattern (Best Practice)
Always abstract useQuery calls into custom hooks to encapsulate the fetching logic, TypeScript types, and query keys.
Advanced Query Keys
Query keys uniquely identify the cache. They must be arrays, and order matters.
Mutations & Cache Invalidation
Basic Mutation with Invalidation
When you modify data on the server, you must tell the client cache that the old data is now stale.
Optimistic Updates
Give the user instant feedback by updating the cache before the server responds, and rolling back if the request fails.
Next.js App Router Integration
Initializing the Provider
Server Component Pre-fetching (Hydration)
Pre-fetch data on the server and pass it to the client without prop-drilling or initialData.
Best Practices
- ✅ Do: Create Query Key factories so you don't misspell
['users']vs['user']across different files. - ✅ Do: Set a global
staleTime(e.g.,1000 * 60) if your data doesn't change every second. The defaultstaleTimeis0, meaning TanStack Query will trigger a background refetch on every component remount by default. - ✅ Do: Use
queryClient.setQueryDatasparingly. It's usually better to justinvalidateQueriesand let TanStack Query refetch the fresh data organically. - ✅ Do: Abstract all
useMutationanduseQuerycalls into custom hooks. Views should only sayconst { mutate } = useCreatePost(). - ✅ Inline query functions are supported. Include every changing fetch dependency in the query key; memoization is not required merely because the function is inline.
- ❌ Don't: Sync query data into local React state (e.g.,
useEffect(() => setLocalState(data), [data])). Use the query data directly. If you need derived state, derive it during render.
Troubleshooting
Problem: Infinite fetching loop in the network tab. Solution: Check your queryFn. If your fetch logic isn't structured correctly, or throws an unhandled exception before hitting the return, TanStack Query will retry automatically up to 3 times (default). If wrapped in an unstable useEffect, it loops infinitely. Check retry: false for debugging.
Problem: staleTime vs gcTime (formerly cacheTime) confusion. Solution: staleTime governs when a background refetch is triggered. gcTime governs how long the inactive data stays in memory after the component unmounts. If gcTime < staleTime, data will be deleted before it even gets stale!
Limitations
- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.
Security
- Security scanPassed, 91 of 100Pattern checks on the skill's files.
- Model reviewPassed
Quality evaluation
- Task evaluationNot runNo evaluation yet. Run one in Skill Studio.
Source
- SKILL.md in the repositoryCheckingskills/tanstack-query-expert/SKILL.md
Popularity
- Repository stars
- 26,274
- Repository forks
- 4,479
- Repository npm downloads, 7 days
- 6,951
- 7-day trend score
- 72
Stars and forks are for the whole GitHub repository, not this skill alone. Downloads are for the repository's npm package. Refreshed 21 Mar 2026, 7 months ago.
Extension points
hookPre/post lifecycle hooks
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