clerk-tanstack-patterns Skill: What It Does and How to Install It

Makes your coding agent add Clerk sign-in to a TanStack React Start app: middleware, server functions and route guards.

Installs: 15.8K; on skills.sh
Stars: 89; on GitHub
Files: 12; besides SKILL.md
Updated: Oct 2026; last repo commit

The SKILL.md tells the agent to use @clerk/tanstack-react-start. It registers CSRF protection before clerkMiddleware() in src/start.ts, wraps the root in ClerkProvider, and checks auth with createServerFn plus auth() and with beforeLoad guards that throw a redirect.

It loads on TanStack auth, createServerFn Clerk and beforeLoad protection questions. You need a Clerk publishable key and secret key.

Good for

TanStack Start developers adding Clerk
Teams guarding routes with beforeLoad
Anyone calling auth() inside createServerFn

Install clerk-tanstack-patterns

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the clerk-tanstack-patterns skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

/plugin marketplace add clerk/skills
/plugin install clerk@clerk-skills

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Pick one route. The plugin installs all 20 skills in the Clerk repo (counted from the repo tree) and adds the Clerk MCP server from the repo's .mcp.json, which points at https://mcp.clerk.com/mcp. The skills-only routes install just this skill and no MCP server config. The README says to open /plugin, go to Marketplaces, select clerk-skills and enable auto-update if you want updates.

From the project README. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

TanStack React Start auth patterns with @clerk/tanstack-react-start - createServerFn, beforeLoad guards, loaders, Vite plugin, server middleware. Triggers on: TanStack auth, createServerFn clerk, beforeLoad protection, TanStack Start middleware.

Sections in SKILL.md

What Do You Need?
References
Setup
Mental Model
Minimal Pattern
Common Pitfalls
See Also
Docs

Key facts

Author: Clerk (the skill is in Clerk's own clerk/skills repo)
License: MIT (README, plugin.json and SKILL.md frontmatter; the repo has no LICENSE file)
Installs on skills.sh: 15,784 (Nov 2, 2026)
GitHub stars: 89 for the whole clerk/skills repo (Nov 2, 2026)
Last repo commit: Oct 30, 2026
What it includes: 13 files including SKILL.md: 4 reference files, an evals/evals.json file and 7 files in a TanStack Start starter template
Needs: `@clerk/tanstack-react-start`, plus VITE_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY and CLERK_SECRET_KEY in .env (SKILL.md setup)
Works in: Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and GitHub Copilot CLI through the plugin; any agent through npx skills

What it includes

Add clerkMiddleware to src/start.ts and ClerkProvider to __root.tsx.
The SKILL.md shows an npm install, the two env variables, CSRF middleware before clerkMiddleware, and the provider in the root document.
Try: “Add Clerk to my TanStack Start app”
Runs code · Start and root setup
Protect routes with beforeLoad and a thrown redirect.
Covers a beforeLoad auth guard, passing auth to the loader, layout route guards and redirect after sign-in. Source: references/router-guards.md.
Try: “Protect /dashboard with a beforeLoad guard”
Write · Router guards
Check auth() inside createServerFn.
Covers createServerFn with auth(), the import path, the redirect pattern and organization-scoped functions. Source: references/server-functions.md.
Write · Server functions
Use the auth context in route loaders.
Covers auth in loaders, organization-aware loaders, useLoaderData and server versus client data. Source: references/loaders.md.
Write · Loaders
Configure the Vite plugin and request middleware.
Covers the Vite plugin, ClerkProvider in root, environment variables and server routes. Source: references/server-setup.md.
Write · Server setup
Fix auth() errors and missing redirects.
Lists symptoms such as auth() throwing without the middleware, and return versus throw redirect.
Read · Pitfalls table

From the official docs

Permissions

Low risk

The skill makes an agent change code in your project and add Clerk keys to your env file, so a wrong edit lands in your own app. Review the diff before you commit it and keep the secret key out of git.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

It edits files in your project
The SKILL.md setup runs an npm install of `@clerk/tanstack-react-start`, edits `src/start.ts` and `src/routes/__root.tsx`, and puts a publishable key and a secret key in `.env`. Review the diff and keep CLERK_SECRET_KEY out of version control. github.com
The plugin route also adds the Clerk MCP server
The plugin's .mcp.json registers https://mcp.clerk.com/mcp. Use the skills CLI route if you only want this skill. github.com

Security advisories

No published security advisories as of Nov 2, 2026.

Technical details

Turning on read-only	No read-only mode.
Talks to	WebFetch tool (the frontmatter allows it; the SKILL.md links point at clerk.com/docs)
Sign-in and keys	The SKILL.md shows Clerk keys going into your project's env file.
Scopes	Your project files Clerk keys in your env file

Questions

What does clerk-tanstack-patterns do?

It makes your coding agent write Clerk sign-in code for TanStack React Start: request middleware, createServerFn auth checks, beforeLoad guards and loaders.

How do I install clerk-tanstack-patterns?

Use the install box above. The Claude Code plugin route installs every Clerk skill and the Clerk MCP server, and the skills CLI route installs only this skill. Pick one route, not both, or you get the skills twice.

Is clerk-tanstack-patterns official?

Yes. It is published in Clerk's own clerk/skills repository, and the plugin.json in that repo lists Clerk as the author.

Does clerk-tanstack-patterns work in the Claude app or Codex?

Codex, Cursor and GitHub Copilot CLI each have a plugin install in the README. The README does not document uploading Clerk skills to the Claude app, and this skill's job is to change code in a local project, so the install box has no Claude app tab.

Does it need a Clerk account or API key?

You need a Clerk publishable key and secret key for the app you are building. The SKILL.md puts them in .env as VITE_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY and CLERK_SECRET_KEY.

Is clerk-tanstack-patterns safe to install?

Its SKILL.md makes the agent change files in your project and use Clerk keys from your env file, and its frontmatter allows the WebFetch tool. Our advice: read each change before you commit it, and keep the secret key out of git.

clerk-tanstack-patterns vs clerk-react-patterns?

Use clerk-tanstack-patterns for TanStack React Start. The React skill's SKILL.md covers only Vite or CRA single-page apps and says "For TanStack Start use clerk-tanstack-patterns."

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: clerk/skills
Folder: skills/clerk-tanstack-patterns

clerk/skills skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 4

clerk-tanstack-patterns SKILL.md · github.com
clerk/skills README · github.com
clerk plugin.json · github.com
clerk .mcp.json · github.com