---
title: "Contract Patterns"
description: "- Intent - Minimal structure - Core workflow - Query usage decision rule - Mutation usage decision rule - Anti-patterns - Contract rules - Type export"
type: skill
canonical_url: https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/contract-patterns
source: "Claudary"
difficulty: intermediate
author: "Claude Code Knowledge Pack"
date: 2026-07-10T11:18:57.998Z
license: CC-BY-4.0
attribution: "Contract Patterns — Claudary (https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/contract-patterns)"
---

# Contract Patterns
- Intent - Minimal structure - Core workflow - Query usage decision rule - Mutation usage decision rule - Anti-patterns - Contract rules - Type export

## Overview

# Contract Patterns

## Table of Contents

- Intent
- Minimal structure
- Core workflow
- Query usage decision rule
- Mutation usage decision rule
- Anti-patterns
- Contract rules
- Type export

## Intent

- Keep contract as the single source of truth in `web/contract/*`.
- Default query usage to call-site `useQuery(consoleQuery|marketplaceQuery.xxx.queryOptions(...))` when endpoint behavior maps 1:1 to the contract.
- Keep abstractions minimal and preserve TypeScript inference.

## Minimal Structure

```text
web/contract/
├── base.ts
├── router.ts
├── marketplace.ts
└── console/
    ├── billing.ts
    └── ...other domains
web/service/client.ts
```

## Core Workflow

1. Define contract in `web/contract/console/{domain}.ts` or `web/contract/marketplace.ts`.
   - Use `base.route({...}).output(type<...>())` as the baseline.
   - Add `.input(type<...>())` only when the request has `params`, `query`, or `body`.
   - For `GET` without input, omit `.input(...)`; do not use `.input(type<unknown>())`.
2. Register contract in `web/contract/router.ts`.
   - Import directly from domain files and nest by API prefix.
3. Consume from UI call sites via oRPC query utilities.

```typescript
import { useQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query'
import { consoleQuery } from '@/service/client'

const invoiceQuery = useQuery(consoleQuery.billing.invoices.queryOptions({
  staleTime: 5 * 60 * 1000,
  throwOnError: true,
  select: invoice => invoice.url,
}))
```

## Query Usage Decision Rule

1. Default to direct `*.queryOptions(...)` usage at the call site.
2. If 3 or more call sites share the same extra options, extract a small query helper, not a `use-*` passthrough hook.
3. Create `web/service/use-{domain}.ts` only for orchestration.
   - Combine multiple queries or mutations.
   - Share domain-level derived state or invalidation helpers.

```typescript
const invoicesBaseQueryOptions = () =>
  consoleQuery.billing.invoices.queryOptions({ retry: false })

const invoiceQuery = useQuery({
  ...invoicesBaseQueryOptions(),
  throwOnError: true,
})
```

## Mutation Usage Decision Rule

1. Default to mutation helpers from `consoleQuery` or `marketplaceQuery`, for example `useMutation(consoleQuery.billing.bindPartnerStack.mutationOptions(...))`.
2. If the mutation flow is heavily custom, use oRPC clients as `mutationFn`, for example `consoleClient.xxx` or `marketplaceClient.xxx`, instead of handwritten non-oRPC mutation logic.

## Anti-Patterns

- Do not wrap `useQuery` with `options?: Partial<UseQueryOptions>`.
- Do not split local `queryKey` and `queryFn` when oRPC `queryOptions` already exists and fits the use case.
- Do not create thin `use-*` passthrough hooks for a single endpoint.
- These patterns can degrade inference, especially around `throwOnError` and `select`, and add unnecessary indirection.

## Contract Rules

- Input structure: always use `{ params, query?, body? }`.
- No-input `GET`: omit `.input(...)`; do not use `.input(type<unknown>())`.
- Path params: use `{paramName}` in the path and match it in the `params` object.
- Router nesting: group by API prefix, for example `/billing/*` becomes `billing: {}`.
- No barrel files: import directly from specific files.
- Types: import from `@/types/` and use the `type<T>()` helper.
- Mutations: prefer `mutationOptions`; use explicit `mutationKey` mainly for defaults, filtering, and devtools.

## Type Export

```typescript
export type ConsoleInputs = InferContractRouterInputs<typeof consoleRouterContract>
```

---

Source: [Claudary](https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/contract-patterns) · https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com