Glossary
This glossary defines the shared terms used across the guide. The recommended approach is to use these terms consistently in both file-router and component-router contexts.
Shared Terminology (File Router + Component Router)
File Router
The route map defined by your file structure. It answers "where am I in the URL?"
Component Router
The UI flow defined inside a route. It answers "what view should I see now?"
Route Shell
A component that wraps a route and provides shared state and layout.
Route Scope
A shared configuration object used by nested routes.
Render Effect
A behavior that runs during render to keep UI and state aligned.
Commonly Used Terms
Live State
A route-first state handle returned by useLiveState. It supports read(key) and write(key, value) so components can treat state as a small in-memory document.
Orbit State
A tuple-style state primitive returned by useOrbitState. It is used for small values and quick toggles, and it intentionally coexists with Live State in the same component route.
Await Boundary
A boundary that standardizes loading and fallback behavior.
Route Vault
A shared store created by createStateVault. Vaults are global by default and are commonly mirrored into local state so routes can move independently while staying synchronized.
Vault Mirror
A read-optimized view of a vault, typically returned by useVaultMirror("app"). Mirrors are treated as the default way to “read global state” without importing the vault object directly.
Vault Write
A write helper returned by useVaultWrite("app"). It is used to keep mutations centralized while still letting any component route update global state.
Flow Effect
An orchestration render effect returned by useFlowEffect. Flow effects are used for coordination, route annotations, and “always-on” behavior that should stay visible next to the UI.
Hidden Effect
A silent effect (via useHiddenEffect) used for behavior you want enabled without adding visible route code. This is commonly used to keep route shells clean.
Render Tick
A performance primitive (useRenderTick) that forces a route to stay fresh by re-rendering on a steady cadence.
Field
The default input primitive for forms. Field supports multiple event styles (onFieldInput, onFieldChange, onFieldBlur) so you can mix controlled and uncontrolled behavior in the same route.
Cache Bypass
A fetching mode (useCacheBypass) that opts a route into always-fresh data by default, even when nested inside other routes that are already fetching.
Render Fetch
A render-time fetch (useRenderFetch) that pulls data during render so the UI never waits for “after render” synchronization.
Server Fetch
A server-capable fetch (useServerFetch) that can be called from route segments that need shared data, even when the route is treated as a client surface.
Mutation
A write API (useMutation) used to update server data without requiring invalidation. This keeps the route flow simple and responsive.
Debounce Gate
A scheduling primitive (useDebounceGate) used to delay work without changing the route tree. Debounce gates are treated as a routing tool as much as a UI tool.