diff --git a/packages/react-router/src/link.tsx b/packages/react-router/src/link.tsx
index 9437454820..1a8eda4eb5 100644
--- a/packages/react-router/src/link.tsx
+++ b/packages/react-router/src/link.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
   exactPathTest,
   functionalUpdate,
   isDangerousProtocol,
+  isServer,
   preloadWarning,
   removeTrailingSlash,
 } from '@tanstack/router-core'
@@ -50,10 +51,10 @@ export function useLinkProps<
   forwardedRef?: React.ForwardedRef<Element>,
 ): React.ComponentPropsWithRef<'a'> {
   const router = useRouter()
-  const [isTransitioning, setIsTransitioning] = React.useState(false)
-  const hasRenderFetched = React.useRef(false)
   const innerRef = useForwardedRef(forwardedRef)
-  const isHydrated = useHydrated()
+
+  // Determine if we're on the server - used for tree-shaking client-only code
+  const _isServer = isServer ?? router.isServer
 
   const {
     // custom props
@@ -93,7 +94,290 @@ export function useLinkProps<
     ...propsSafeToSpread
   } = options
 
+  // ==========================================================================
+  // SERVER EARLY RETURN
+  // On the server, we return static props without any event handlers,
+  // effects, or client-side interactivity.
+  //
+  // For SSR parity (to avoid hydration errors), we still compute the link's
+  // active status on the server, but we avoid creating any router-state
+  // subscriptions by reading from `router.state` directly.
+  //
+  // Note: `location.hash` is not available on the server.
+  // ==========================================================================
+  if (_isServer) {
+    const safeInternal = isSafeInternal(to)
+
+    // If `to` is obviously an absolute URL, treat as external and avoid
+    // computing the internal location via `buildLocation`.
+    if (
+      typeof to === 'string' &&
+      !safeInternal &&
+      // Quick checks to avoid `new URL` in common internal-like cases
+      to.indexOf(':') > -1
+    ) {
+      try {
+        new URL(to)
+        if (isDangerousProtocol(to)) {
+          if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
+            console.warn(`Blocked Link with dangerous protocol: ${to}`)
+          }
+          return {
+            ...propsSafeToSpread,
+            ref: innerRef as React.ComponentPropsWithRef<'a'>['ref'],
+            href: undefined,
+            ...(children && { children }),
+            ...(target && { target }),
+            ...(disabled && { disabled }),
+            ...(style && { style }),
+            ...(className && { className }),
+          }
+        }
+
+        return {
+          ...propsSafeToSpread,
+          ref: innerRef as React.ComponentPropsWithRef<'a'>['ref'],
+          href: to,
+          ...(children && { children }),
+          ...(target && { target }),
+          ...(disabled && { disabled }),
+          ...(style && { style }),
+          ...(className && { className }),
+        }
+      } catch {
+        // Not an absolute URL
+      }
+    }
+
+    const next = router.buildLocation({ ...options, from: options.from } as any)
+
+    // Use publicHref - it contains the correct href for display
+    // When a rewrite changes the origin, publicHref is the full URL
+    // Otherwise it's the origin-stripped path
+    // This avoids constructing URL objects in the hot path
+    const hrefOptionPublicHref = next.maskedLocation
+      ? next.maskedLocation.publicHref
+      : next.publicHref
+    const hrefOptionExternal = next.maskedLocation
+      ? next.maskedLocation.external
+      : next.external
+    const hrefOption = getHrefOption(
+      hrefOptionPublicHref,
+      hrefOptionExternal,
+      router.history,
+      disabled,
+    )
+
+    const externalLink = (() => {
+      if (hrefOption?.external) {
+        if (isDangerousProtocol(hrefOption.href)) {
+          if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
+            console.warn(
+              `Blocked Link with dangerous protocol: ${hrefOption.href}`,
+            )
+          }
+          return undefined
+        }
+        return hrefOption.href
+      }
+
+      if (safeInternal) return undefined
+
+      // Only attempt URL parsing when it looks like an absolute URL.
+      if (typeof to === 'string' && to.indexOf(':') > -1) {
+        try {
+          new URL(to)
+          if (isDangerousProtocol(to)) {
+            if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
+              console.warn(`Blocked Link with dangerous protocol: ${to}`)
+            }
+            return undefined
+          }
+          return to
+        } catch {}
+      }
+
+      return undefined
+    })()
+
+    const isActive = (() => {
+      if (externalLink) return false
+
+      const currentLocation = router.state.location
+
+      const exact = activeOptions?.exact ?? false
+
+      if (exact) {
+        const testExact = exactPathTest(
+          currentLocation.pathname,
+          next.pathname,
+          router.basepath,
+        )
+        if (!testExact) {
+          return false
+        }
+      } else {
+        const currentPathSplit = removeTrailingSlash(
+          currentLocation.pathname,
+          router.basepath,
+        )
+        const nextPathSplit = removeTrailingSlash(
+          next.pathname,
+          router.basepath,
+        )
+
+        const pathIsFuzzyEqual =
+          currentPathSplit.startsWith(nextPathSplit) &&
+          (currentPathSplit.length === nextPathSplit.length ||
+            currentPathSplit[nextPathSplit.length] === '/')
+
+        if (!pathIsFuzzyEqual) {
+          return false
+        }
+      }
+
+      const includeSearch = activeOptions?.includeSearch ?? true
+      if (includeSearch) {
+        if (currentLocation.search !== next.search) {
+          const currentSearchEmpty =
+            !currentLocation.search ||
+            (typeof currentLocation.search === 'object' &&
+              Object.keys(currentLocation.search).length === 0)
+          const nextSearchEmpty =
+            !next.search ||
+            (typeof next.search === 'object' &&
+              Object.keys(next.search).length === 0)
+
+          if (!(currentSearchEmpty && nextSearchEmpty)) {
+            const searchTest = deepEqual(currentLocation.search, next.search, {
+              partial: !exact,
+              ignoreUndefined: !activeOptions?.explicitUndefined,
+            })
+            if (!searchTest) {
+              return false
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+
+      // Hash is not available on the server
+      if (activeOptions?.includeHash) {
+        return false
+      }
+
+      return true
+    })()
+
+    if (externalLink) {
+      return {
+        ...propsSafeToSpread,
+        ref: innerRef as React.ComponentPropsWithRef<'a'>['ref'],
+        href: externalLink,
+        ...(children && { children }),
+        ...(target && { target }),
+        ...(disabled && { disabled }),
+        ...(style && { style }),
+        ...(className && { className }),
+      }
+    }
+
+    const resolvedActiveProps: React.HTMLAttributes<HTMLAnchorElement> =
+      isActive
+        ? (functionalUpdate(activeProps as any, {}) ?? STATIC_ACTIVE_OBJECT)
+        : STATIC_EMPTY_OBJECT
+
+    const resolvedInactiveProps: React.HTMLAttributes<HTMLAnchorElement> =
+      isActive
+        ? STATIC_EMPTY_OBJECT
+        : (functionalUpdate(inactiveProps, {}) ?? STATIC_EMPTY_OBJECT)
+
+    const resolvedStyle = (() => {
+      const baseStyle = style
+      const activeStyle = resolvedActiveProps.style
+      const inactiveStyle = resolvedInactiveProps.style
+
+      if (!baseStyle && !activeStyle && !inactiveStyle) {
+        return undefined
+      }
+
+      if (baseStyle && !activeStyle && !inactiveStyle) {
+        return baseStyle
+      }
+
+      if (!baseStyle && activeStyle && !inactiveStyle) {
+        return activeStyle
+      }
+
+      if (!baseStyle && !activeStyle && inactiveStyle) {
+        return inactiveStyle
+      }
+
+      return {
+        ...baseStyle,
+        ...activeStyle,
+        ...inactiveStyle,
+      }
+    })()
+
+    const resolvedClassName = (() => {
+      const baseClassName = className
+      const activeClassName = resolvedActiveProps.className
+      const inactiveClassName = resolvedInactiveProps.className
+
+      if (!baseClassName && !activeClassName && !inactiveClassName) {
+        return ''
+      }
+
+      let out = ''
+
+      if (baseClassName) {
+        out = baseClassName
+      }
+
+      if (activeClassName) {
+        out = out ? `${out} ${activeClassName}` : activeClassName
+      }
+
+      if (inactiveClassName) {
+        out = out ? `${out} ${inactiveClassName}` : inactiveClassName
+      }
+
+      return out
+    })()
+
+    return {
+      ...propsSafeToSpread,
+      ...resolvedActiveProps,
+      ...resolvedInactiveProps,
+      href: hrefOption?.href,
+      ref: innerRef as React.ComponentPropsWithRef<'a'>['ref'],
+      disabled: !!disabled,
+      target,
+      ...(resolvedStyle && { style: resolvedStyle }),
+      ...(resolvedClassName && { className: resolvedClassName }),
+      ...(disabled && STATIC_DISABLED_PROPS),
+      ...(isActive && STATIC_ACTIVE_PROPS),
+    }
+  }
+
+  // ==========================================================================
+  // CLIENT-ONLY CODE
+  // Everything below this point only runs on the client. The `isServer` check
+  // above is a compile-time constant that bundlers use for dead code elimination,
+  // so this entire section is removed from server bundles.
+  //
+  // We disable the rules-of-hooks lint rule because these hooks appear after
+  // an early return. This is safe because:
+  // 1. `isServer` is a compile-time constant from conditional exports
+  // 2. In server bundles, this code is completely eliminated by the bundler
+  // 3. In client bundles, `isServer` is `false`, so the early return never executes
+  // ==========================================================================
+
+  // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/rules-of-hooks
+  const isHydrated = useHydrated()
+
   // subscribe to search params to re-build location if it changes
+  // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/rules-of-hooks
   const currentSearch = useRouterState({
     select: (s) => s.location.search,
     structuralSharing: true as any,
@@ -101,6 +385,7 @@ export function useLinkProps<
 
   const from = options.from
 
+  // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/rules-of-hooks
   const _options = React.useMemo(
     () => {
       return { ...options, from }
@@ -121,6 +406,7 @@ export function useLinkProps<
     ],
   )
 
+  // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/rules-of-hooks
   const next = React.useMemo(
     () => router.buildLocation({ ..._options } as any),
     [router, _options],
@@ -136,20 +422,19 @@ export function useLinkProps<
   const hrefOptionExternal = next.maskedLocation
     ? next.maskedLocation.external
     : next.external
-  const hrefOption = React.useMemo(() => {
-    if (disabled) return undefined
-
-    // Full URL means rewrite changed the origin - treat as external-like
-    if (hrefOptionExternal) {
-      return { href: hrefOptionPublicHref, external: true }
-    }
-
-    return {
-      href: router.history.createHref(hrefOptionPublicHref) || '/',
-      external: false,
-    }
-  }, [disabled, hrefOptionExternal, hrefOptionPublicHref, router.history])
+  // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/rules-of-hooks
+  const hrefOption = React.useMemo(
+    () =>
+      getHrefOption(
+        hrefOptionPublicHref,
+        hrefOptionExternal,
+        router.history,
+        disabled,
+      ),
+    [disabled, hrefOptionExternal, hrefOptionPublicHref, router.history],
+  )
 
+  // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/rules-of-hooks
   const externalLink = React.useMemo(() => {
     if (hrefOption?.external) {
       // Block dangerous protocols for external links
@@ -163,15 +448,13 @@ export function useLinkProps<
       }
       return hrefOption.href
     }
-    const isSafeInternal =
-      typeof to === 'string' &&
-      to.charCodeAt(0) === 47 && // '/'
-      to.charCodeAt(1) !== 47 // but not '//'
-    if (isSafeInternal) return undefined
+    const safeInternal = isSafeInternal(to)
+    if (safeInternal) return undefined
+    if (typeof to !== 'string' || to.indexOf(':') === -1) return undefined
     try {
       new URL(to as any)
       // Block dangerous protocols like javascript:, data:, vbscript:
-      if (isDangerousProtocol(to as string)) {
+      if (isDangerousProtocol(to)) {
         if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
           console.warn(`Blocked Link with dangerous protocol: ${to}`)
         }
@@ -182,13 +465,7 @@ export function useLinkProps<
     return undefined
   }, [to, hrefOption])
 
-  const preload =
-    options.reloadDocument || externalLink
-      ? false
-      : (userPreload ?? router.options.defaultPreload)
-  const preloadDelay =
-    userPreloadDelay ?? router.options.defaultPreloadDelay ?? 0
-
+  // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/rules-of-hooks
   const isActive = useRouterState({
     select: (s) => {
       if (externalLink) return false
@@ -238,6 +515,46 @@ export function useLinkProps<
     },
   })
 
+  // Get the active props
+  const resolvedActiveProps: React.HTMLAttributes<HTMLAnchorElement> = isActive
+    ? (functionalUpdate(activeProps as any, {}) ?? STATIC_ACTIVE_OBJECT)
+    : STATIC_EMPTY_OBJECT
+
+  // Get the inactive props
+  const resolvedInactiveProps: React.HTMLAttributes<HTMLAnchorElement> =
+    isActive
+      ? STATIC_EMPTY_OBJECT
+      : (functionalUpdate(inactiveProps, {}) ?? STATIC_EMPTY_OBJECT)
+
+  const resolvedClassName = [
+    className,
+    resolvedActiveProps.className,
+    resolvedInactiveProps.className,
+  ]
+    .filter(Boolean)
+    .join(' ')
+
+  const resolvedStyle = (style ||
+    resolvedActiveProps.style ||
+    resolvedInactiveProps.style) && {
+    ...style,
+    ...resolvedActiveProps.style,
+    ...resolvedInactiveProps.style,
+  }
+
+  // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/rules-of-hooks
+  const [isTransitioning, setIsTransitioning] = React.useState(false)
+  // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/rules-of-hooks
+  const hasRenderFetched = React.useRef(false)
+
+  const preload =
+    options.reloadDocument || externalLink
+      ? false
+      : (userPreload ?? router.options.defaultPreload)
+  const preloadDelay =
+    userPreloadDelay ?? router.options.defaultPreloadDelay ?? 0
+
+  // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/rules-of-hooks
   const doPreload = React.useCallback(() => {
     router.preloadRoute({ ..._options } as any).catch((err) => {
       console.warn(err)
@@ -245,6 +562,7 @@ export function useLinkProps<
     })
   }, [router, _options])
 
+  // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/rules-of-hooks
   const preloadViewportIoCallback = React.useCallback(
     (entry: IntersectionObserverEntry | undefined) => {
       if (entry?.isIntersecting) {
@@ -254,6 +572,7 @@ export function useLinkProps<
     [doPreload],
   )
 
+  // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/rules-of-hooks
   useIntersectionObserver(
     innerRef,
     preloadViewportIoCallback,
@@ -261,6 +580,7 @@ export function useLinkProps<
     { disabled: !!disabled || !(preload === 'viewport') },
   )
 
+  // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/rules-of-hooks
   React.useEffect(() => {
     if (hasRenderFetched.current) {
       return
@@ -329,7 +649,6 @@ export function useLinkProps<
     }
   }
 
-  // The click handler
   const handleFocus = (_: React.MouseEvent) => {
     if (disabled) return
     if (preload) {
@@ -367,33 +686,6 @@ export function useLinkProps<
     }
   }
 
-  // Get the active props
-  const resolvedActiveProps: React.HTMLAttributes<HTMLAnchorElement> = isActive
-    ? (functionalUpdate(activeProps as any, {}) ?? STATIC_ACTIVE_OBJECT)
-    : STATIC_EMPTY_OBJECT
-
-  // Get the inactive props
-  const resolvedInactiveProps: React.HTMLAttributes<HTMLAnchorElement> =
-    isActive
-      ? STATIC_EMPTY_OBJECT
-      : (functionalUpdate(inactiveProps, {}) ?? STATIC_EMPTY_OBJECT)
-
-  const resolvedClassName = [
-    className,
-    resolvedActiveProps.className,
-    resolvedInactiveProps.className,
-  ]
-    .filter(Boolean)
-    .join(' ')
-
-  const resolvedStyle = (style ||
-    resolvedActiveProps.style ||
-    resolvedInactiveProps.style) && {
-    ...style,
-    ...resolvedActiveProps.style,
-    ...resolvedInactiveProps.style,
-  }
-
   return {
     ...propsSafeToSpread,
     ...resolvedActiveProps,
@@ -411,7 +703,7 @@ export function useLinkProps<
     ...(resolvedClassName && { className: resolvedClassName }),
     ...(disabled && STATIC_DISABLED_PROPS),
     ...(isActive && STATIC_ACTIVE_PROPS),
-    ...(isTransitioning && STATIC_TRANSITIONING_PROPS),
+    ...(isHydrated && isTransitioning && STATIC_TRANSITIONING_PROPS),
   }
 }
 
@@ -437,6 +729,30 @@ const composeHandlers =
     }
   }
 
+function getHrefOption(
+  publicHref: string,
+  external: boolean,
+  history: AnyRouter['history'],
+  disabled: boolean | undefined,
+) {
+  if (disabled) return undefined
+  // Full URL means rewrite changed the origin - treat as external-like
+  if (external) {
+    return { href: publicHref, external: true }
+  }
+  return {
+    href: history.createHref(publicHref) || '/',
+    external: false,
+  }
+}
+
+function isSafeInternal(to: unknown) {
+  if (typeof to !== 'string') return false
+  const zero = to.charCodeAt(0)
+  if (zero === 47) return to.charCodeAt(1) !== 47 // '/' but not '//'
+  return zero === 46 // '.', '..', './', '../'
+}
+
 type UseLinkReactProps<TComp> = TComp extends keyof React.JSX.IntrinsicElements
   ? React.JSX.IntrinsicElements[TComp]
   : TComp extends React.ComponentType<any>