TanStack / TanStack/router

`SessionManager` type not exported from public API, causing type inference issues

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TypeScript
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Description

Description

When using useSession and wrapping it in a function (common pattern for creating a typed session helper), TypeScript cannot infer the return type without a reference to internal module paths.

Expected Behavior

The SessionManager type should be exported from @tanstack/react-start/server (and equivalent for solid/vue) so users can properly type their session helper functions.

Actual Behavior

Only SessionConfig is exported from the public API. SessionManager is defined in session.ts but not re-exported through index.ts.

This causes the following TypeScript error:

The inferred type of 'getAppSession' cannot be named without a reference to 
'../../../../../../node_modules/.pnpm/@tanstack+start-server-core@1.150.0/node_modules/@tanstack/start-server-core/dist/esm/session'. 
This is likely not portable. A type annotation is necessary.
Reproduction
// utils/session.ts
import { useSession } from '@tanstack/react-start/server'

type SessionData = {
  userId?: string
}

// ❌ This causes type error - cannot infer return type
export function useAppSession() {
  return useSession<SessionData>({
    password: process.env.SESSION_SECRET!,
  })
}
Workaround

Currently users must derive the type manually:

import { useSession } from '@tanstack/react-start/server'

type SessionData = { userId?: string }

// Derive SessionManager type since it's not exported
type AppSessionManager = Awaited<ReturnType<typeof useSession<SessionData>>>

export function useAppSession(): Promise<AppSessionManager> {
  return useSession<SessionData>({
    password: process.env.SESSION_SECRET!,
  })
}
Suggested Fix

Export SessionManager, Session, SessionData, and SessionUpdate types from @tanstack/start-server-core/src/index.tsx:

// packages/start-server-core/src/index.tsx

- export type { SessionConfig } from './session'
+ export type { SessionConfig, SessionManager, Session, SessionData, SessionUpdate } from './session'

These types are already defined and used internally in request-response.ts, they just need to be re-exported publicly.

Environment
  • @tanstack/react-start: 1.149.4 / 1.150.0
  • @tanstack/start-server-core: 1.150.0
  • TypeScript: 5.x
  • Node: 22.x
Additional Context

The official documentation shows the useAppSession() pattern but doesn't mention this typing issue:

The types exist in packages/start-server-core/src/session.ts:

  • SessionManager<T> (lines 42-47)
  • Session<T> (lines 33-37)
  • SessionData<T> (line 32)
  • SessionUpdate<T> (lines 39-40)

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with packages/start-server-core/src/session.ts to review the existing SessionManager, Session, SessionData, and SessionUpdate types, then inspect their exports in packages/start-server-core/src/index.tsx. Verify the public @tanstack/start-server-core exports and confirm the useAppSession reproduction no longer requires an internal module path or manual derived annotation.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
typescript
Domain
api, developer-experience
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
1/5
Estimated time
1-3 hours
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Clearly specified
Newbie friendliness
55/100

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