Interactive router only option

docs/cli-reference.md

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ tanstack create [project-name] [options]
 | `--package-manager <pm>` | `npm`, `pnpm`, `yarn`, `bun`, `deno` |
 | `--framework <name>` | `React`, `Solid` |
 | `--router-only` | Create file-based Router-only app without TanStack Start (add-ons/deployment/template disabled) |
+| `--router-and-start` | Use TanStack Start explicitly (skips the interactive router-only prompt) |
 | `--toolchain <id>` | Toolchain add-on (use `--list-add-ons` to see options) |
 | `--deployment <id>` | Deployment add-on (use `--list-add-ons` to see options) |
 | `--examples` / `--no-examples` | Include or exclude demo/example pages |

packages/cli/src/cli.ts

@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ function getCreateTelemetryProperties(projectName: string, options: CliOptions)
     package_manager: options.packageManager,
     project_name_provided: Boolean(projectName),
     router_only: !!options.routerOnly,
+    router_and_start: !!options.routerAndStart,
     target_dir_flag: Boolean(options.targetDir),
     toolchain:
       typeof options.toolchain === 'string' ? sanitizeId(options.toolchain) : undefined,
@@ -229,6 +230,7 @@ function getResolvedCreateTelemetryProperties(
     intent: finalOptions.intent,
     package_manager: finalOptions.packageManager,
     router_only: !!cliOptions.routerOnly,
+    router_and_start: !!cliOptions.routerAndStart,
     toolchain: toolchain ? sanitizeId(toolchain.id) : undefined,
   }
 }
@@ -810,6 +812,28 @@ export function cli({
             ...options,
           } as CliOptions
 
+          if (cliOptions.routerAndStart) {
+            if (cliOptions.routerOnly) {
+              throw new Error(
+                'Cannot combine --router-only with --router-and-start.',
+              )
+            }
+            if (
+              cliOptions.template &&
+              ['typescript', 'tsx', 'javascript', 'js', 'jsx'].includes(
+                cliOptions.template.toLowerCase(),
+              )
+            ) {
+              console.warn(
+                chalk.yellow(
+                  'Ignoring --template in favor of --router-and-start (TanStack Start).',
+                ),
+              )
+              cliOptions.template = undefined
+            }
+            cliOptions.routerOnly = false
+          }
+
           if (defaultRouterOnly && cliOptions.routerOnly === undefined) {
             cliOptions.routerOnly = true
           }
@@ -992,6 +1016,10 @@ export function cli({
         '--router-only',
         'Use router-only compatibility mode (file-based routing without TanStack Start)',
       )
+      .option(
+        '--router-and-start',
+        'Use TanStack Start explicitly (skips the interactive router-only prompt)',
+      )
       .option(
         '--blank',
         'Create a minimal one-route app without default starter UI, Tailwind, devtools, or tests',

packages/cli/src/options.ts

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import {
   selectGit,
   selectInstall,
   selectPackageManager,
+  selectRouterOnly,
   selectTemplate,
   selectToolchain,
 } from './ui-prompts.js'
@@ -95,9 +96,17 @@ export async function promptForCreateOptions(
     ['file-router', 'typescript', 'tsx', 'javascript', 'js', 'jsx'].includes(
       template,
     )
+  const hasTemplateIntent = !!cliOptions.template || !!cliOptions.starter
   const routerOnly =
     !!cliOptions.routerOnly ||
-    (isLegacyTemplate ? template !== 'file-router' : false)
+    (isLegacyTemplate ? template !== 'file-router' : false) ||
+    (cliOptions.routerOnly === undefined &&
+      !isLegacyTemplate &&
+      !hasTemplateIntent &&
+      (await selectRouterOnly()))
+  if (routerOnly) {
+    cliOptions.routerOnly = true
+  }
 
   if (!cliOptions.starter) {
     if (cliOptions.template && !isLegacyTemplate) {

packages/cli/src/types.ts

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ export interface CliOptions {
   addOnConfig?: string
   force?: boolean
   routerOnly?: boolean
+  routerAndStart?: boolean
   blank?: boolean
   template?: string
   tailwind?: boolean

packages/cli/src/ui-prompts.ts

@@ -53,6 +53,18 @@ export async function selectFramework(
   return framework
 }
 
+export async function selectRouterOnly(): Promise<boolean> {
+  const routerOnly = await confirm({
+    message: 'Use Tanstack Router without Start?',
+    initialValue: false,
+  })
+  if (isCancel(routerOnly)) {
+    cancel('Operation cancelled.')
+    process.exit(0)
+  }
+  return routerOnly
+}
+
 export async function selectInstall(): Promise<boolean> {
   const install = await confirm({
     message: 'Would you like to install dependencies now?',