Setup
Install DataClientPlugin once with app.use(DataClientPlugin) (installation;
apply the skill "data-client-setup" to set it up). Composables only work inside <script setup> of components
below it. Awaiting composables (await useSuspense()) requires <script setup>: in a hand-written
async setup(), composables called after the first await lose the component instance.
Rendering
ts// GET https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/todos/5 const todo = await useSuspense(TodoResource.get, { id: 5 }); // GET https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/todos const todoList = await useSuspense(TodoResource.getList); // GET https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/todos?userId=1 const todoListByUser = await useSuspense(TodoResource.getList, { userId: 1 }); // subscriptions with polling, websockets or SSE const todo = await useLive(TodoResource.get, { id: 5 }); // without fetch (not awaited) const todo = useCache(TodoResource.get, { id: 5 }); const todo = useQuery(Todo, { id: 5 }); // fetch without Suspense - returns { data, loading, error } refs const { data, loading, error } = useDLE(TodoResource.get, { id: 5 }); // subscribe without Suspense (use with useSuspense or useDLE) useSubscription(TodoResource.get, { id: 5 }); // parallel fetches: start both, then await useFetch(PostResource.get, { id }); useFetch(CommentResource.getList, { postId: id }); const post = await useSuspense(PostResource.get, { id }); const comments = await useSuspense(CommentResource.getList, { postId: id }); // conditional: null skips fetching and binding const user = await useSuspense(UserResource.get, () => (userId.value ? { id: userId.value } : null));
For API definitions (like TodoResource), apply the skill "data-client-rest".
Return values are refs
useSuspense()anduseLive()return aPromiseof a readonlyComputedRef:awaitthem at the top level of<script setup>.useCache(),useQuery(), and each ofuseDLE()'sdata/loading/errorareComputedRefs.- Templates unwrap them (
{{ todo.title }}); in script read.value(todo.value.title).
Reactive arguments
A plain object like { id: props.id } is read once and won't follow prop or route changes. When an
argument can change, pass a getter (or a ref/computed) (arguments):
tsconst props = defineProps<{ id: number }>(); // refetches when props.id changes const todo = await useSuspense(TodoResource.get, () => ({ id: props.id }));
When arguments change, useSuspense() and useLive() keep the previous data until the new fetch resolves
(no v-if guard needed); a failed fetch for the new arguments reaches onErrorCaptured().
Mutations
tsconst ctrl = useController(); // PUT https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/todos/5 const updateTodo = todo => ctrl.fetch(TodoResource.update, { id }, todo); // PATCH https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/todos/5 const partialUpdateTodo = todo => ctrl.fetch(TodoResource.partialUpdate, { id }, todo); // POST https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/todos const addTodoToBeginning = todo => ctrl.fetch(TodoResource.getList.unshift, todo); // POST https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/todos?userId=1 const addTodoToEnd = todo => ctrl.fetch(TodoResource.getList.push, { userId: 1 }, todo); // DELETE https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/todos/5 const deleteTodo = id => ctrl.fetch(TodoResource.delete, { id }); // GET https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/todos?userId=1&page=2 const getNextPage = (page) => ctrl.fetch(TodoResource.getList.getPage, { userId: 1, page })
Read reactive values (props.todo.id, title.value) inside the handler so each call uses current state.
The Controller is also available as $dataClient in any template (and this.$dataClient in the Options API).
Helpful composables
tsconst ctrl = useController(); const [handleSubmit, loading, error] = useLoading(async (data: FormData) => { const post = await ctrl.fetch(PostResource.getList.push, data); router.push(`/posts/${post.id}`); }); // loading and error are refs
tsconst query = ref(''); // bound with v-model const [debouncedQuery, isPending] = useDebounce(query, 200); // pass debouncedQuery to the component that fetches, inside <Suspense>
Loading and error boundaries
There is no AsyncBoundary component in Vue. A component that awaits useSuspense() or useLive()
must render inside Vue's <Suspense>; its
#fallback slot is the loading state. Catch fetch errors in an ancestor with
onErrorCaptured().
Reuse the codebase's existing boundary component if it has one; otherwise follow the
boundary example (onErrorCaptured stores the error and returns false;
the template shows it or renders <Suspense>). Place boundaries around route views or sections, not around
each data-bound component (boundaries).
Type-safe imperative actions
Controller is returned from useController(). It has:
ctrl.fetch(), ctrl.fetchIfStale(), ctrl.expireAll(), ctrl.invalidate(), ctrl.invalidateAll(), ctrl.setResponse(), ctrl.set(),
ctrl.setError(), ctrl.resetEntireStore(), ctrl.subscribe(), ctrl.unsubscribe().
Write many entities without a fetch with one ctrl.set([Entity], rows). Never loop ctrl.set(Entity, args, row) per row, and never add an endpoint or setResponse() just to batch.
Programmatic queries
tsconst queryRemainingTodos = new Query( TodoResource.getList.schema, entries => entries.filter(todo => !todo.completed).length, ); const allRemainingTodos = useQuery(queryRemainingTodos); const firstUserRemainingTodos = useQuery(queryRemainingTodos, { userId: 1 });
tsconst groupTodoByUser = new Query( TodoResource.getList.schema, todos => Object.groupBy(todos, todo => todo.userId), ); const todosByUser = useQuery(groupTodoByUser);
Browser Debugging (Chrome DevTools MCP)
To inspect store state, track dispatched actions, or invoke
Controller methods from a browser MCP (user-chrome-devtools),
see devtools-debugging. Uses globalThis.__DC_CONTROLLERS__
available in dev mode.
Managers
Custom Managers allow for global side effect handling.
This is useful for websockets, SSE, logging, etc. Pass them to DataClientPlugin with
getDefaultManagers. Always use the skill "data-client-manager" when writing managers.
Best Practices & Notes
- useDebounce(query, timeout) when rendering async data based on user field inputs
- [handleSubmit, loading, error] = useLoading() when tracking async mutations
- Prefer smaller Vue components that do one thing
- Co-locate data bindings: call useSuspense/useDLE/useCache/useQuery in the component that renders the data — don't prop drill
- Don't hide data bindings inside custom composables: wrapping them obfuscates a component's data dependencies and couples data logic to view code, causing drift. Put tightly coupled data transformations in a
Queryschema (with the data model, e.g.src/resources/) so they stay reusable and evolve independently of views - Don't copy results into
ref()/reactive()state; render the returned refs directly so updates flow through - For tests, apply the skill "data-client-vue-testing"
References
For detailed API documentation, see the references directory:
- useSuspense;_pagination.md - Fetch with Suspense
- _vueArgs - Plain, ref, computed, and getter arguments
- useFetch - Start fetches early for parallel loading
- useQuery - Read from cache without fetch
- useCache - Read from cache (nullable)
- useLive;_useLive.md - Fetch + subscribe to updates
- useDLE - Fetch without Suspense (returns data/loading/error)
- useSubscription - Subscribe to updates (polling/websocket/SSE)
- useController - Access Controller
- Controller - Imperative actions
- _AsyncBoundary.md - Suspense and onErrorCaptured boundaries
- useLoading;_useLoading.md - Track async mutation state
- useDebounce - Debounce values
- DataClientPlugin - Plugin options (managers, initialState, gcPolicy) and
$dataClient - installation - Install
DataClientPlugin - getDefaultManagers - Configure
DataClientPluginmanagers - data-dependency - Rendering guide
- mutations;_VoteDemo.md - Mutations guide
- Actions - Store action types (FETCH, SET, etc.)
- devtools-debugging - Debug with Chrome DevTools MCP
ALWAYS follow these patterns and refer to the official docs for edge cases. Prioritize code generation that is idiomatic, type-safe, and leverages automatic normalization/caching via skill "data-client-schema" definitions.


