Tanstack DB with Tanstack Table
TanStack Table + DB: Best pattern for EAV schema with dynamic columns?
Building an Airtable clone where users create custom tables with dynamic columns.
Schema:
tables → columns → rows → cells (EAV pattern) Problem: TanStack Table needs flat data, but DB is EAV
Current approach:
- Server pivots EAV → Flat (
getTableFlat())- Client uses
useSuspenseQuery (React Query) for reads- Use
useLiveQuery- Cell edits = direct mutation + full refetch (200-500ms lag)
Question: Should I:
1. Keep server-side pivot + accept lag with UX polish (toasts, loading)?
2. Migrate to client-side pivot with
useLiveQuery3. Use a different schema design entirely?
Is there a TanStack-recommended pattern for dynamic columns + EAV → flat transformation?
Stack: TanStack Start/Table/DB/Query, PostgreSQL, Drizzle ORM
