Custom Link

While repeating yourself can be acceptable in many situations, you might find that you do it too often. At times, you may want to create cross-cutting components with additional behavior or styles. You might also consider using third-party libraries in combination with TanStack Router’s type safety.

createLink for cross-cutting concerns

createLink creates a custom Link component with the same type parameters as Link. This means you can create your own component which provides the same type safety and typescript performance as Link.

Basic example

If you want to create a basic custom link component, you can do so with the following:

tsx

import * as React from 'react'
import { createLink, LinkComponent } from '@tanstack/react-router'

interface BasicLinkProps extends React.AnchorHTMLAttributes<HTMLAnchorElement> {
  // Add any additional props you want to pass to the anchor element
}

const BasicLinkComponent = React.forwardRef<HTMLAnchorElement, BasicLinkProps>(
  (props, ref) => {
    return (
      <a ref={ref} {...props} className={'block px-3 py-2 text-blue-700'} />
    )
  },
)

const CreatedLinkComponent = createLink(BasicLinkComponent)

export const CustomLink: LinkComponent<typeof BasicLinkComponent> = (props) => {
  return <CreatedLinkComponent preload={'intent'} {...props} />
}

import * as React from 'react'
import { createLink, LinkComponent } from '@tanstack/react-router'

interface BasicLinkProps extends React.AnchorHTMLAttributes<HTMLAnchorElement> {
  // Add any additional props you want to pass to the anchor element
}

const BasicLinkComponent = React.forwardRef<HTMLAnchorElement, BasicLinkProps>(
  (props, ref) => {
    return (
      <a ref={ref} {...props} className={'block px-3 py-2 text-blue-700'} />
    )
  },
)

const CreatedLinkComponent = createLink(BasicLinkComponent)

export const CustomLink: LinkComponent<typeof BasicLinkComponent> = (props) => {
  return <CreatedLinkComponent preload={'intent'} {...props} />
}

You can then use your newly created Link component as any other Link

tsx

<CustomLink to={'/dashboard/invoices/$invoiceId'} params={{ invoiceId: 0 }} />

<CustomLink to={'/dashboard/invoices/$invoiceId'} params={{ invoiceId: 0 }} />

createLink with third party libraries

Here are some examples of how you can use createLink with third-party libraries.

React Aria Components example

React Aria Components’ Link component does not support the standard onMouseEnter and onMouseLeave events. Therefore, you cannot use it directly with TanStack Router’s preload (intent) prop.

Explanation for this can be found here:

It is possible to work around this by using the useLink hook from React Aria Hooks with a standard anchor element.

tsx

import * as React from 'react'
import { createLink, LinkComponent } from '@tanstack/react-router'
import {
  mergeProps,
  useFocusRing,
  useHover,
  useLink,
  useObjectRef,
} from 'react-aria'
import type { AriaLinkOptions } from 'react-aria'

interface RACLinkProps extends Omit<AriaLinkOptions, 'href'> {
  children?: React.ReactNode
}

const RACLinkComponent = React.forwardRef<HTMLAnchorElement, RACLinkProps>(
  (props, forwardedRef) => {
    const ref = useObjectRef(forwardedRef)

    const { isPressed, linkProps } = useLink(props, ref)
    const { isHovered, hoverProps } = useHover(props)
    const { isFocusVisible, isFocused, focusProps } = useFocusRing(props)

    return (
      <a
        {...mergeProps(linkProps, hoverProps, focusProps, props)}
        ref={ref}
        data-hovered={isHovered || undefined}
        data-pressed={isPressed || undefined}
        data-focus-visible={isFocusVisible || undefined}
        data-focused={isFocused || undefined}
      />
    )
  },
)

const CreatedLinkComponent = createLink(RACLinkComponent)

export const CustomLink: LinkComponent<typeof RACLinkComponent> = (props) => {
  return <CreatedLinkComponent preload={'intent'} {...props} />
}

import * as React from 'react'
import { createLink, LinkComponent } from '@tanstack/react-router'
import {
  mergeProps,
  useFocusRing,
  useHover,
  useLink,
  useObjectRef,
} from 'react-aria'
import type { AriaLinkOptions } from 'react-aria'

interface RACLinkProps extends Omit<AriaLinkOptions, 'href'> {
  children?: React.ReactNode
}

const RACLinkComponent = React.forwardRef<HTMLAnchorElement, RACLinkProps>(
  (props, forwardedRef) => {
    const ref = useObjectRef(forwardedRef)

    const { isPressed, linkProps } = useLink(props, ref)
    const { isHovered, hoverProps } = useHover(props)
    const { isFocusVisible, isFocused, focusProps } = useFocusRing(props)

    return (
      <a
        {...mergeProps(linkProps, hoverProps, focusProps, props)}
        ref={ref}
        data-hovered={isHovered || undefined}
        data-pressed={isPressed || undefined}
        data-focus-visible={isFocusVisible || undefined}
        data-focused={isFocused || undefined}
      />
    )
  },
)

const CreatedLinkComponent = createLink(RACLinkComponent)

export const CustomLink: LinkComponent<typeof RACLinkComponent> = (props) => {
  return <CreatedLinkComponent preload={'intent'} {...props} />
}

Chakra UI example

tsx

import * as React from 'react'
import { createLink, LinkComponent } from '@tanstack/react-router'
import { Link } from '@chakra-ui/react'

interface ChakraLinkProps
  extends Omit<React.ComponentPropsWithoutRef<typeof Link>, 'href'> {
  // Add any additional props you want to pass to the link
}

const ChakraLinkComponent = React.forwardRef<
  HTMLAnchorElement,
  ChakraLinkProps
>((props, ref) => {
  return <Link ref={ref} {...props} />
})

const CreatedLinkComponent = createLink(ChakraLinkComponent)

export const CustomLink: LinkComponent<typeof ChakraLinkComponent> = (
  props,
) => {
  return (
    <CreatedLinkComponent
      textDecoration={'underline'}
      _hover={{ textDecoration: 'none' }}
      _focus={{ textDecoration: 'none' }}
      preload={'intent'}
      {...props}
    />
  )
}

import * as React from 'react'
import { createLink, LinkComponent } from '@tanstack/react-router'
import { Link } from '@chakra-ui/react'

interface ChakraLinkProps
  extends Omit<React.ComponentPropsWithoutRef<typeof Link>, 'href'> {
  // Add any additional props you want to pass to the link
}

const ChakraLinkComponent = React.forwardRef<
  HTMLAnchorElement,
  ChakraLinkProps
>((props, ref) => {
  return <Link ref={ref} {...props} />
})

const CreatedLinkComponent = createLink(ChakraLinkComponent)

export const CustomLink: LinkComponent<typeof ChakraLinkComponent> = (
  props,
) => {
  return (
    <CreatedLinkComponent
      textDecoration={'underline'}
      _hover={{ textDecoration: 'none' }}
      _focus={{ textDecoration: 'none' }}
      preload={'intent'}
      {...props}
    />
  )
}

MUI example

There is an example available which uses these patterns.

Link

If the MUI Link should simply behave like the router Link, it can be just wrapped with createLink:

tsx

import { createLink } from '@tanstack/react-router'
import { Link } from '@mui/material'

export const CustomLink = createLink(Link)

import { createLink } from '@tanstack/react-router'
import { Link } from '@mui/material'

export const CustomLink = createLink(Link)

If the Link should be customized this approach can be used:

tsx

import React from 'react'
import { createLink } from '@tanstack/react-router'
import { Link } from '@mui/material'
import type { LinkProps } from '@mui/material'
import type { LinkComponent } from '@tanstack/react-router'

interface MUILinkProps extends LinkProps {
  // Add any additional props you want to pass to the Link
}

const MUILinkComponent = React.forwardRef<HTMLAnchorElement, MUILinkProps>(
  (props, ref) => <Link ref={ref} {...props} />,
)

const CreatedLinkComponent = createLink(MUILinkComponent)

export const CustomLink: LinkComponent<typeof MUILinkComponent> = (props) => {
  return <CreatedLinkComponent preload={'intent'} {...props} />
}

// Can also be styled

import React from 'react'
import { createLink } from '@tanstack/react-router'
import { Link } from '@mui/material'
import type { LinkProps } from '@mui/material'
import type { LinkComponent } from '@tanstack/react-router'

interface MUILinkProps extends LinkProps {
  // Add any additional props you want to pass to the Link
}

const MUILinkComponent = React.forwardRef<HTMLAnchorElement, MUILinkProps>(
  (props, ref) => <Link ref={ref} {...props} />,
)

const CreatedLinkComponent = createLink(MUILinkComponent)

export const CustomLink: LinkComponent<typeof MUILinkComponent> = (props) => {
  return <CreatedLinkComponent preload={'intent'} {...props} />
}

// Can also be styled

Button

If a Button should be used as a router Link, the component should be set as a:

tsx

import React from 'react'
import { createLink } from '@tanstack/react-router'
import { Button } from '@mui/material'
import type { ButtonProps } from '@mui/material'
import type { LinkComponent } from '@tanstack/react-router'

interface MUIButtonLinkProps extends ButtonProps<'a'> {
  // Add any additional props you want to pass to the Button
}

const MUIButtonLinkComponent = React.forwardRef<
  HTMLAnchorElement,
  MUIButtonLinkProps
>((props, ref) => <Button ref={ref} component="a" {...props} />)

const CreatedButtonLinkComponent = createLink(MUIButtonLinkComponent)

export const CustomButtonLink: LinkComponent<typeof MUIButtonLinkComponent> = (
  props,
) => {
  return <CreatedButtonLinkComponent preload={'intent'} {...props} />
}

import React from 'react'
import { createLink } from '@tanstack/react-router'
import { Button } from '@mui/material'
import type { ButtonProps } from '@mui/material'
import type { LinkComponent } from '@tanstack/react-router'

interface MUIButtonLinkProps extends ButtonProps<'a'> {
  // Add any additional props you want to pass to the Button
}

const MUIButtonLinkComponent = React.forwardRef<
  HTMLAnchorElement,
  MUIButtonLinkProps
>((props, ref) => <Button ref={ref} component="a" {...props} />)

const CreatedButtonLinkComponent = createLink(MUIButtonLinkComponent)

export const CustomButtonLink: LinkComponent<typeof MUIButtonLinkComponent> = (
  props,
) => {
  return <CreatedButtonLinkComponent preload={'intent'} {...props} />
}

Usage with styled

Any of these MUI approaches can then be used with styled:

tsx

import { css, styled } from '@mui/material'
import { CustomLink } from './CustomLink'

const StyledCustomLink = styled(CustomLink)(
  ({ theme }) => css`
    color: ${theme.palette.common.white};
  `,
)

import { css, styled } from '@mui/material'
import { CustomLink } from './CustomLink'

const StyledCustomLink = styled(CustomLink)(
  ({ theme }) => css`
    color: ${theme.palette.common.white};
  `,
)

Mantine example

tsx

import * as React from 'react'
import { createLink, LinkComponent } from '@tanstack/react-router'
import { Anchor, AnchorProps } from '@mantine/core'

interface MantineAnchorProps extends Omit<AnchorProps, 'href'> {
  // Add any additional props you want to pass to the anchor
}

const MantineLinkComponent = React.forwardRef<
  HTMLAnchorElement,
  MantineAnchorProps
>((props, ref) => {
  return <Anchor ref={ref} {...props} />
})

const CreatedLinkComponent = createLink(MantineLinkComponent)

export const CustomLink: LinkComponent<typeof MantineLinkComponent> = (
  props,
) => {
  return <CreatedLinkComponent preload="intent" {...props} />
}

import * as React from 'react'
import { createLink, LinkComponent } from '@tanstack/react-router'
import { Anchor, AnchorProps } from '@mantine/core'

interface MantineAnchorProps extends Omit<AnchorProps, 'href'> {
  // Add any additional props you want to pass to the anchor
}

const MantineLinkComponent = React.forwardRef<
  HTMLAnchorElement,
  MantineAnchorProps
>((props, ref) => {
  return <Anchor ref={ref} {...props} />
})

const CreatedLinkComponent = createLink(MantineLinkComponent)

export const CustomLink: LinkComponent<typeof MantineLinkComponent> = (
  props,
) => {
  return <CreatedLinkComponent preload="intent" {...props} />
}