Vue :to vs :prefer

Here’s a breakdown:

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### `:to`
– Used in “ to define the target route.
– Accepts a string (path) or an object (named route, params, etc).
– It’s equivalent to `v-bind:to`.

<router-link :to="'/about'">About</router-link>

<!-- or with named route -->
<router-link :to="{ name: 'about' }">About</router-link>

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### `:prefer`
– **Not** a standard Vue or Vue Router prop.
– It might be a **custom prop** used in a specific component in your project.
– Example: You might see something like this if a developer created a custom component that uses `prefer` for logic:

<MyCustomLink :to="'/page'" :prefer="true" />

In that case, `prefer` could mean “prefer client-side navigation” or something else defined inside that component’s logic.

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**Summary:**

| Prop | Standard? | Purpose |
|———–|———–|————————————————|
| `:to` | Yes | Defines the route target for navigation |
| `:prefer` | No | Custom prop (meaning depends on the component) |

If you're seeing `:prefer` in a component, check the component's definition to understand what it does.

Want help looking into a specific case where you're seeing `:prefer` used?

Here’s a clean breakdown:

—

### `:to`
– **Used with “** (from Vue Router).
– Tells Vue Router where to navigate **using client-side routing** (no full page reload).
– Accepts string or object for named routes, dynamic params, etc.

<router-link :to="'/about'">About</router-link>
<router-link :to="{ name: 'user', params: { id: 1 } }">User</router-link>

—

### `:href`
– **Used with regular “ tags**.
– It’s shorthand for `v-bind:href` to bind dynamic URLs.
– Causes a **full page reload** when clicked unless intercepted by JS (not Vue Router-based).

<a :href="'https://example.com'">External Link</a>
<a :href="'/contact'">Internal Page (reloads)</a>

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### Summary:

| Prop | Used With | Navigation Type | SPA Friendly? | Notes |
|———-|——————|———————|—————-|————————————|
| `:to` | “ | Vue Router (client-side) | Yes | No page reload |
| `:href` | “ | Standard link (browser) | No | Page reload unless prevented |

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So, if you're building a Vue SPA and want fast, smooth routing without page reloads — use “. Use “ for external links or when not using Vue Router.

Need an example where both are used in the same project?