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If you’re using a framework or routing solution that doesn’t have a built-in nuqs adapter, you can create your own custom adapter using the unstable adapter API.
The custom adapter API is marked as unstable and may change in future versions. Use the unstable_ prefix when importing types and functions.

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Prerequisites

Before creating a custom adapter, ensure:
  1. Your framework provides access to URL search parameters
  2. Your framework has a way to programmatically update the URL
  3. You can detect when the URL changes (for synchronization)

​
Installation

First, install nuqs: 
npm install nuqs

pnpm add nuqs

yarn add nuqs

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Creating a Custom Adapter

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Step 1: Import the Adapter Utilities

Import the necessary types and functions from nuqs/adapters/custom: 
import {
  unstable_createAdapterProvider,
  type unstable_AdapterInterface,
  type unstable_AdapterOptions,
  renderQueryString
} from 'nuqs/adapters/custom'

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Step 2: Define Your Adapter Hook

Create a hook that implements the unstable_AdapterInterface: 
function useMyCustomAdapter(watchKeys: string[]): unstable_AdapterInterface {
  // 1. Get current search params from your router
  const searchParams = useMemo(() => {
    // Return URLSearchParams object with current search params
    // filtered by watchKeys if your router supports it
    return new URLSearchParams(/* ... */)
  }, [/* dependencies */])

  // 2. Create an update function
  const updateUrl = useCallback(
    (search: URLSearchParams, options: unstable_AdapterOptions) => {
      // Convert search params to string
      const queryString = renderQueryString(search)
      
      // Update your router's URL
      // Use options.history ('push' | 'replace') to determine the navigation method
      // Use options.scroll (boolean) to control scroll behavior
      // Use options.shallow (boolean) for framework-specific shallow updates
      
      if (options.history === 'push') {
        // Push new history entry
      } else {
        // Replace current history entry
      }
      
      if (options.scroll) {
        window.scrollTo({ top: 0 })
      }
    },
    [/* dependencies */]
  )

  return {
    searchParams,
    updateUrl
  }
}

​
Step 3: Create the Adapter Provider

Use unstable_createAdapterProvider to create your adapter component: 
export const MyCustomAdapter = unstable_createAdapterProvider(
  useMyCustomAdapter
)

​
Step 4: Use Your Adapter

Wrap your application with your custom adapter: 
import { MyCustomAdapter } from './my-custom-adapter'

function App() {
  return (
    <MyCustomAdapter>
      {/* Your app components */}
    </MyCustomAdapter>
  )
}

​
Complete Example

Here’s a complete example of a custom adapter for a hypothetical router:
my-custom-adapter.tsx
import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
import {
  unstable_createAdapterProvider,
  type unstable_AdapterInterface,
  type unstable_AdapterOptions,
  renderQueryString
} from 'nuqs/adapters/custom'
import { useMyRouter, useMyRouterSearchParams } from './my-router'

function useMyCustomAdapter(watchKeys: string[]): unstable_AdapterInterface {
  // Get router instance
  const router = useMyRouter()
  
  // Get current search params from your router
  const routerSearchParams = useMyRouterSearchParams()
  
  // Filter to only watched keys
  const searchParams = useMemo(() => {
    const params = new URLSearchParams()
    for (const key of watchKeys) {
      const value = routerSearchParams.get(key)
      if (value !== null) {
        params.set(key, value)
      }
    }
    return params
  }, [routerSearchParams, watchKeys.join(',')])

  // Create update function
  const updateUrl = useCallback(
    (search: URLSearchParams, options: unstable_AdapterOptions) => {
      const queryString = renderQueryString(search)
      const newUrl = window.location.pathname + queryString + window.location.hash
      
      if (options.history === 'push') {
        router.push(newUrl, { scroll: options.scroll })
      } else {
        router.replace(newUrl, { scroll: options.scroll })
      }
    },
    [router]
  )

  return {
    searchParams,
    updateUrl
  }
}

export const MyCustomAdapter = unstable_createAdapterProvider(
  useMyCustomAdapter
)

​
Advanced: Optimistic Updates

For better UX, you can implement optimistic updates using useOptimistic or local state: 
import { useOptimistic } from 'react'

function useMyCustomAdapter(watchKeys: string[]): unstable_AdapterInterface {
  const routerSearchParams = useMyRouterSearchParams()
  const router = useMyRouter()
  
  const [optimisticSearchParams, setOptimisticSearchParams] = 
    useOptimistic<URLSearchParams>(routerSearchParams)

  const updateUrl = useCallback(
    (search: URLSearchParams, options: unstable_AdapterOptions) => {
      // Update optimistically
      setOptimisticSearchParams(search)
      
      // Then update the router
      const queryString = renderQueryString(search)
      const newUrl = window.location.pathname + queryString
      
      if (options.history === 'push') {
        router.push(newUrl)
      } else {
        router.replace(newUrl)
      }
    },
    [router, setOptimisticSearchParams]
  )

  return {
    searchParams: optimisticSearchParams,
    updateUrl
  }
}

​
Advanced: Rate Limiting

If your router has different rate limiting characteristics, you can specify a rateLimitFactor: 
function useMyCustomAdapter(watchKeys: string[]): unstable_AdapterInterface {
  // ... implementation ...
  
  return {
    searchParams,
    updateUrl,
    rateLimitFactor: 2 // Double the default throttle time
  }
}

​
Advanced: Auto Queue Reset

Some routers need automatic queue resets on navigation. Set autoResetQueueOnUpdate: 
function useMyCustomAdapter(watchKeys: string[]): unstable_AdapterInterface {
  // ... implementation ...
  
  return {
    searchParams,
    updateUrl,
    autoResetQueueOnUpdate: true
  }
}

​
Interface Reference

​
unstable_AdapterInterface

interface unstable_AdapterInterface {
  searchParams: URLSearchParams
  updateUrl: (search: URLSearchParams, options: unstable_AdapterOptions) => void
  rateLimitFactor?: number
  autoResetQueueOnUpdate?: boolean
}

​
unstable_AdapterOptions

interface unstable_AdapterOptions {
  history: 'push' | 'replace'
  scroll: boolean
  shallow: boolean
  throttleMs?: number
}

​
unstable_UseAdapterHook

type unstable_UseAdapterHook = (
  watchKeys: string[]
) => unstable_AdapterInterface

​
renderQueryString

Utility function to render URLSearchParams as a query string: 
function renderQueryString(search: URLSearchParams): string
// Returns: '?key=value&other=value2' or '' if empty

​
Examples from Built-in Adapters

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React Router Based Adapter Pattern

Many routers share similar patterns. Here’s a simplified version of how nuqs creates React Router adapters: 
import { useCallback, useMemo } from 'react'
import {
  unstable_createAdapterProvider,
  type unstable_AdapterInterface,
  renderQueryString
} from 'nuqs/adapters/custom'

function createReactRouterBasedAdapter({
  useNavigate,
  useSearchParams
}: {
  useNavigate: () => any
  useSearchParams: () => [URLSearchParams, any]
}) {
  function useAdapter(watchKeys: string[]): unstable_AdapterInterface {
    const navigate = useNavigate()
    const [searchParams] = useSearchParams()

    const filteredSearchParams = useMemo(() => {
      const filtered = new URLSearchParams()
      for (const key of watchKeys) {
        const value = searchParams.get(key)
        if (value !== null) {
          filtered.set(key, value)
        }
      }
      return filtered
    }, [searchParams, watchKeys.join(',')])

    const updateUrl = useCallback(
      (search: URLSearchParams, options: unstable_AdapterOptions) => {
        const queryString = renderQueryString(search)
        navigate(
          window.location.pathname + queryString + window.location.hash,
          {
            replace: options.history === 'replace',
            // ... other options
          }
        )
      },
      [navigate]
    )

    return {
      searchParams: filteredSearchParams,
      updateUrl
    }
  }

  return unstable_createAdapterProvider(useAdapter)
}

​
Testing Your Custom Adapter

You can use nuqs’s testing adapter as a reference: 
import { NuqsTestingAdapter } from 'nuqs/adapters/testing'
import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react'
import { useQueryState } from 'nuqs'

function TestComponent() {
  const [value, setValue] = useQueryState('test')
  return <div>{value}</div>
}

test('custom adapter', () => {
  render(
    <NuqsTestingAdapter searchParams="?test=hello">
      <TestComponent />
    </NuqsTestingAdapter>
  )
  
  expect(screen.getByText('hello')).toBeInTheDocument()
})

​
Troubleshooting

​
Type errors with unstable API

The unstable API requires using the unstable_ prefix. Make sure you’re importing correctly: 
// ✅ Correct
import { unstable_createAdapterProvider } from 'nuqs/adapters/custom'

// ❌ Wrong
import { createAdapterProvider } from 'nuqs/adapters/custom'

​
Infinite re-render loops

Make sure:
  1. Your searchParams are properly memoized
  2. Your updateUrl function is wrapped in useCallback
  3. Dependencies are correctly specified

​
Search params not syncing

Ensure:
  1. You’re filtering searchParams by watchKeys
  2. Your router’s search params changes trigger re-renders
  3. The updateUrl function correctly updates your router

​
Contributing Your Adapter

If you create an adapter for a popular framework, consider contributing it to nuqs! Open a pull request on the nuqs GitHub repository.

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