Typed Pre-Configured Options

You have a chat() (or generateImage(), generateSpeech(), …) configuration you want to reuse — across multiple routes, between a server function and its caller, or simply factored out of a handler for clarity. By the end of this guide, you'll have a single typed options object that infers the adapter's model, modalities, and provider options, and that you can spread into any call site without losing type safety.

The pattern

Every activity in @tanstack/ai ships a paired createXxxOptions helper that takes the exact same options object as the activity itself and returns it unchanged — at runtime it's the identity function. The point is type inference: the returned object carries the adapter's full type, so when you spread it into the activity, TypeScript still narrows modelOptions, content modalities, and outputSchema to the adapter you chose.

typescript

import { chat, createChatOptions } from '@tanstack/ai'
import { openaiText } from '@tanstack/ai-openai'

const chatOptions = createChatOptions({
  adapter: openaiText('gpt-5.2'),
  // modelOptions, temperature, systemPrompts, tools — all type-checked
  // against the adapter+model pair above.
  modelOptions: {
    reasoning: { effort: 'medium' },
  },
})

// Later, anywhere in your codebase:
const stream = chat({ ...chatOptions, messages })

import { chat, createChatOptions } from '@tanstack/ai'
import { openaiText } from '@tanstack/ai-openai'

const chatOptions = createChatOptions({
  adapter: openaiText('gpt-5.2'),
  // modelOptions, temperature, systemPrompts, tools — all type-checked
  // against the adapter+model pair above.
  modelOptions: {
    reasoning: { effort: 'medium' },
  },
})

// Later, anywhere in your codebase:
const stream = chat({ ...chatOptions, messages })

Without the helper you'd have to either inline the configuration at every call site, or type the object yourself with TextActivityOptions<...> and resolve the generics manually — createChatOptions does that for you.

When to reach for it

Sharing a configuration across multiple routes — define once, spread into each handler.
Passing options through a layer (a server function, a wrapper, a test fixture) without erasing the adapter's model-specific types.
Branching on a runtime value while keeping types intact — build different options objects and choose between them, instead of weaving conditionals into a single chat({...}) call.
Co-locating tools, system prompts, and middleware with the adapter they target.

If you only call an activity once at one site, you don't need this helper. Inline the options.

Available helpers

Each helper mirrors the activity it pairs with. Same options, same return type.

Helper	Activity	Adapter
createChatOptions	chat()	text adapter (e.g. openaiText, anthropicText)
createSummarizeOptions	summarize()	summarize adapter (e.g. openaiSummarize)
createImageOptions	generateImage()	image adapter (e.g. openaiImage, falImage)
createAudioOptions	generateAudio()	audio adapter (e.g. falAudio, geminiAudio)
createVideoOptions	generateVideo() / getVideoJobStatus()	video adapter (e.g. falVideo, openaiVideo)
createSpeechOptions	generateSpeech()	speech adapter (e.g. openaiSpeech, elevenlabsSpeech)
createTranscriptionOptions	generateTranscription()	transcription adapter (e.g. openaiTranscription, falTranscription)

All helpers are exported from @tanstack/ai.

Example: shared chat configuration across routes

Suppose you have several routes that all hit the same model with the same provider options and tool set. Factor the configuration out once:

typescript

// lib/ai/chat-options.ts
import { createChatOptions, toolDefinition } from '@tanstack/ai'
import { openaiText } from '@tanstack/ai-openai'
import { z } from 'zod'

const lookupOrderDef = toolDefinition({
  name: 'lookupOrder',
  inputSchema: z.object({ orderId: z.string() }),
})

const lookupOrder = lookupOrderDef.server(async ({ orderId }) => {
  return db.orders.findUnique({ where: { id: orderId } })
})

export const supportChatOptions = createChatOptions({
  adapter: openaiText('gpt-5.2'),
  systemPrompts: ['You are a customer-support assistant for Acme Corp.'],
  tools: [lookupOrder],
  modelOptions: {
    reasoning: { effort: 'medium' },
  },
})

// lib/ai/chat-options.ts
import { createChatOptions, toolDefinition } from '@tanstack/ai'
import { openaiText } from '@tanstack/ai-openai'
import { z } from 'zod'

const lookupOrderDef = toolDefinition({
  name: 'lookupOrder',
  inputSchema: z.object({ orderId: z.string() }),
})

const lookupOrder = lookupOrderDef.server(async ({ orderId }) => {
  return db.orders.findUnique({ where: { id: orderId } })
})

export const supportChatOptions = createChatOptions({
  adapter: openaiText('gpt-5.2'),
  systemPrompts: ['You are a customer-support assistant for Acme Corp.'],
  tools: [lookupOrder],
  modelOptions: {
    reasoning: { effort: 'medium' },
  },
})

typescript

// routes/api/support/chat.ts
import { chat, toServerSentEventsResponse } from '@tanstack/ai'
import { supportChatOptions } from '@/lib/ai/chat-options'

export async function POST(request: Request) {
  const { messages } = await request.json()
  const stream = chat({ ...supportChatOptions, messages })
  return toServerSentEventsResponse(stream)
}

// routes/api/support/chat.ts
import { chat, toServerSentEventsResponse } from '@tanstack/ai'
import { supportChatOptions } from '@/lib/ai/chat-options'

export async function POST(request: Request) {
  const { messages } = await request.json()
  const stream = chat({ ...supportChatOptions, messages })
  return toServerSentEventsResponse(stream)
}

typescript

// routes/api/support/draft-reply.ts — same adapter+tools, different schema
import { chat } from '@tanstack/ai'
import { supportChatOptions } from '@/lib/ai/chat-options'
import { z } from 'zod'

export async function POST(request: Request) {
  const { ticket } = await request.json()
  const draft = await chat({
    ...supportChatOptions,
    messages: [{ role: 'user', content: `Draft a reply to: ${ticket}` }],
    outputSchema: z.object({ subject: z.string(), body: z.string() }),
    stream: false,
  })
  return Response.json(draft)
}

// routes/api/support/draft-reply.ts — same adapter+tools, different schema
import { chat } from '@tanstack/ai'
import { supportChatOptions } from '@/lib/ai/chat-options'
import { z } from 'zod'

export async function POST(request: Request) {
  const { ticket } = await request.json()
  const draft = await chat({
    ...supportChatOptions,
    messages: [{ role: 'user', content: `Draft a reply to: ${ticket}` }],
    outputSchema: z.object({ subject: z.string(), body: z.string() }),
    stream: false,
  })
  return Response.json(draft)
}

Both routes share the adapter, system prompt, tools, and reasoning settings; each adds what it needs. Override or omit any field at the call site — the spread wins on the right.

Example: typed pre-configured image generation

typescript

import { createImageOptions, generateImage } from '@tanstack/ai'
import { openaiImage } from '@tanstack/ai-openai'

const heroImageOptions = createImageOptions({
  adapter: openaiImage('gpt-image-1'),
  size: '1792x1024',
  numberOfImages: 1,
})

const result = await generateImage({
  ...heroImageOptions,
  prompt: 'A glass sphere refracting a sunset over a calm sea',
})

import { createImageOptions, generateImage } from '@tanstack/ai'
import { openaiImage } from '@tanstack/ai-openai'

const heroImageOptions = createImageOptions({
  adapter: openaiImage('gpt-image-1'),
  size: '1792x1024',
  numberOfImages: 1,
})

const result = await generateImage({
  ...heroImageOptions,
  prompt: 'A glass sphere refracting a sunset over a calm sea',
})

The same pattern works for createVideoOptions, createSpeechOptions, createTranscriptionOptions, createAudioOptions, and createSummarizeOptions — the adapter is captured in the typed options object and every downstream call is narrowed to it.

What the helper does NOT do

No runtime behavior. createChatOptions(opts) is opts. There is no validation, freezing, cloning, or memoization. If you mutate the returned object after creation, the next call sees the mutation. Treat the result as immutable by convention.
No partial typing. The helper expects the full options shape it'll be spread into. If you need to build options up incrementally, type the intermediate state yourself (Partial<TextActivityOptions<...>>) and only call the helper at the boundary where the shape is complete.
No request execution. The helper does not call the model. Only the activity function (chat, generateImage, …) makes the request.

Per-Model Type Safety — how the adapter+model pair drives modelOptions inference.
Tree-Shaking — why each adapter is exported separately, and how the typed-options pattern keeps your bundle small.
Extend Adapter — when you need to add custom models to an adapter without losing the same typed-options ergonomics.

The pattern

When to reach for it

Available helpers

Example: shared chat configuration across routes

Example: typed pre-configured image generation

What the helper does NOT do

Related