diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6bc14ec52..01029be1a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@
     "test:react": "PACKAGE=react playwright test",
     "test:svelte": "PACKAGE=svelte playwright test",
     "test:vue": "PACKAGE=vue3 playwright test",
+    "test:core:react": "PACKAGE=react playwright test tests/core",
+    "test:core:svelte": "PACKAGE=svelte playwright test tests/core",
+    "test:core:vue": "PACKAGE=vue3 playwright test tests/core",
+    "test:core": "pnpm run -s test:core:react && pnpm run -s test:core:svelte && pnpm run -s test:core:vue",
+    "test:all": "pnpm run -s test:react && pnpm run -s test:svelte && pnpm run -s test:vue",
     "playground:react": "cd playgrounds/react && composer run dev",
     "playground:svelte4": "cd playgrounds/svelte4 && composer run dev",
     "playground:svelte5": "cd playgrounds/svelte5 && composer run dev",
diff --git a/packages/core/src/index.ts b/packages/core/src/index.ts
index 843665256..30ee35374 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/index.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ export { shouldIntercept, shouldNavigate } from './navigationEvents'
 export { hide as hideProgress, reveal as revealProgress, default as setupProgress } from './progress'
 export { resetFormFields } from './resetFormFields'
 export * from './types'
-export { hrefToUrl, isUrlMethodPair, mergeDataIntoQueryString, urlWithoutHash } from './url'
+export { appURL, asset, hrefToUrl, isBrowser, isUrlMethodPair, mergeDataIntoQueryString, urlWithoutHash } from './url'
 export { type Router }
 
 export const router = new Router()
diff --git a/packages/core/src/types.ts b/packages/core/src/types.ts
index be8b8d753..1fd6b1481 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/types.ts
@@ -481,6 +481,19 @@ export type FormComponentState = {
   isDirty: boolean
 }
 
+export type PreloadOptions = {
+  as?: string
+  crossorigin?: 'anonymous' | 'use-credentials'
+  type?: string
+  fetchpriority?: 'high' | 'low' | 'auto'
+}
+
+export type AssetOptions = {
+  secure?: boolean
+  fallbackUrl?: string
+  preload?: boolean | PreloadOptions
+}
+
 export type FormComponentSlotProps = FormComponentMethods & FormComponentState
 
 export type FormComponentRef = FormComponentSlotProps
diff --git a/packages/core/src/url.ts b/packages/core/src/url.ts
index a8c07f7fa..2bb08d9f4 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/url.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/url.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,19 @@
 import * as qs from 'qs'
 import { hasFiles } from './files'
 import { isFormData, objectToFormData } from './formData'
-import { FormDataConvertible, Method, RequestPayload, UrlMethodPair, VisitOptions } from './types'
+import {
+  AssetOptions,
+  FormDataConvertible,
+  Method,
+  PreloadOptions,
+  RequestPayload,
+  UrlMethodPair,
+  VisitOptions,
+} from './types'
+
+export function isBrowser(): boolean {
+  return typeof window !== 'undefined'
+}
 
 export function hrefToUrl(href: string | URL): URL {
   return new URL(href.toString(), typeof window === 'undefined' ? undefined : window.location.toString())
@@ -87,6 +99,138 @@ export const isSameUrlWithoutHash = (url1: URL | Location, url2: URL | Location)
   return urlWithoutHash(url1).href === urlWithoutHash(url2).href
 }
 
+function toHost(input: string): string | null {
+  if (!input) return null
+
+  try {
+    const url = input.match(/^https?:\/\//i) ? new URL(input) : new URL(`http://${input}`)
+    const defaultPorts = new Set(['', '80', '443'])
+    return defaultPorts.has(url.port) ? url.hostname : url.host
+  } catch {
+    const cleaned = input
+      .replace(/^https?:\/\//i, '')
+      .replace(/\/.*/, '')
+      .trim()
+    return cleaned || null
+  }
+}
+
+function envAppHost(): { host: string; protocol?: string } | null {
+  const env = typeof process !== 'undefined' ? process.env : undefined
+  if (!env) return null
+
+  const candidate = env.APP_URL || env.VITE_APP_URL
+
+  if (!candidate) return null
+
+  try {
+    const useUrl = candidate.match(/^https?:\/\//i) ? candidate : `http://${candidate}`
+    const url = new URL(useUrl)
+    const defaultPorts = new Set(['', '80', '443'])
+    const host = defaultPorts.has(url.port) ? url.hostname : url.host
+    const protocol = url.protocol.replace(':', '')
+    return { host, protocol }
+  } catch {
+    const host = toHost(candidate)
+    return host ? { host } : null
+  }
+}
+
+export function appURL(fallbackUrl?: string): string {
+  if (!isBrowser()) {
+    const fromFallback = toHost(fallbackUrl || '')
+    if (fromFallback) return fromFallback
+
+    const fromEnv = envAppHost()
+
+    if (fromEnv?.host) return fromEnv.host
+
+    return ''
+  }
+
+  const { host, port, hostname } = window.location
+  const defaultPorts = new Set(['', '80', '443'])
+
+  return defaultPorts.has(port) ? hostname : host
+}
+
+export function asset(path: string, options?: AssetOptions): string
+export function asset(path: string, secureOrOptions?: boolean | AssetOptions, fallbackUrl?: string): string
+export function asset(path: string, secureOrOptions?: boolean | AssetOptions, fallbackUrl?: string): string {
+  return _assetInternal(path, secureOrOptions as any, fallbackUrl)
+}
+
+function _assetInternal(path: string, secureOrOptions?: boolean | AssetOptions, fallbackUrl?: string): string {
+  const cleanPath = (path || '').replace(/^\/+/, '')
+
+  const { secure, fallback, preload } = (() => {
+    if (typeof secureOrOptions === 'object' && secureOrOptions !== null) {
+      return {
+        secure: secureOrOptions.secure,
+        fallback: secureOrOptions.fallbackUrl,
+        preload: secureOrOptions.preload,
+      }
+    }
+    return { secure: secureOrOptions as boolean | undefined, fallback: fallbackUrl, preload: undefined }
+  })()
+
+  const host = appURL(fallback)
+
+  let protocol = 'https'
+  if (secure === true) {
+    protocol = 'https'
+  } else if (secure === undefined) {
+    if (isBrowser()) {
+      protocol = window.location.protocol.replace(':', '') || 'https'
+    } else {
+      const env = envAppHost()
+      protocol = env?.protocol || 'https'
+    }
+  } else {
+    protocol = isBrowser() ? window.location.protocol.replace(':', '') || 'http' : 'http'
+  }
+
+  const url = host ? `${protocol}://${host}/${cleanPath}` : `/${cleanPath}`
+
+  if (preload && isBrowser()) {
+    const preloadOptions: PreloadOptions = typeof preload === 'object' ? preload : {}
+    const asHint = preloadOptions.as || guessAsFromPath(cleanPath)
+    if (asHint) {
+      injectPreloadLink(url, { ...preloadOptions, as: asHint })
+    }
+  }
+
+  return url
+}
+
+function guessAsFromPath(path: string): string | null {
+  const lower = path.toLowerCase()
+  if (lower.endsWith('.js') || lower.endsWith('.mjs') || lower.endsWith('.cjs')) return 'script'
+  if (lower.endsWith('.css')) return 'style'
+  if (/(\.woff2?|\.ttf|\.otf|\.eot)$/i.test(lower)) return 'font'
+  if (/(\.avif|\.webp|\.png|\.jpe?g|\.gif|\.svg)$/i.test(lower)) return 'image'
+  if (/(\.mp4|\.webm|\.ogv)$/i.test(lower)) return 'video'
+  if (/(\.mp3|\.ogg|\.wav)$/i.test(lower)) return 'audio'
+  if (lower.endsWith('.json')) return 'fetch'
+  return null
+}
+
+function injectPreloadLink(href: string, opts: Required<Pick<PreloadOptions, 'as'>> & PreloadOptions) {
+  try {
+    const links = Array.from(document.head.querySelectorAll('link[rel="preload"]')) as HTMLLinkElement[]
+    if (links.some((l) => l.href === href)) return
+
+    const link = document.createElement('link')
+    link.rel = 'preload'
+    link.as = opts.as
+    link.href = href
+    if (opts.crossorigin) link.crossOrigin = opts.crossorigin
+    if (opts.type) link.type = opts.type
+    if (opts.fetchpriority) link.setAttribute('fetchpriority', opts.fetchpriority)
+    document.head.appendChild(link)
+  } catch {}
+}
+
 export function isUrlMethodPair(href: unknown): href is UrlMethodPair {
   return href !== null && typeof href === 'object' && href !== undefined && 'url' in href && 'method' in href
 }
diff --git a/tests/core/url.test.ts b/tests/core/url.test.ts
index e946491d0..fc0fe7a26 100644
--- a/tests/core/url.test.ts
+++ b/tests/core/url.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import test, { expect } from '@playwright/test'
-import { mergeDataIntoQueryString } from '../../packages/core/src/url'
+import { appURL, asset, mergeDataIntoQueryString } from '../../packages/core/src/url'
 
 test.describe('url.ts', () => {
   test.describe('mergeDataIntoQueryString', () => {
@@ -257,3 +257,149 @@ test.describe('url.ts', () => {
     })
   })
 })
+
+test.describe('appURL and asset helpers', () => {
+  test.describe('appURL (SSR)', () => {
+    test('returns empty when no env and no fallback (SSR)', () => {
+      const g = globalThis as unknown as { process?: { env?: Record<string, string> } }
+      const oldAppUrl = g.process?.env?.APP_URL
+      const oldViteAppUrl = g.process?.env?.VITE_APP_URL
+      if (g.process?.env) {
+        delete g.process.env.APP_URL
+        delete g.process.env.VITE_APP_URL
+      }
+      ;(globalThis as any).window = undefined
+
+      expect(appURL()).toBe('')
+
+      if (g.process?.env) {
+        if (oldAppUrl !== undefined) g.process.env.APP_URL = oldAppUrl
+        if (oldViteAppUrl !== undefined) g.process.env.VITE_APP_URL = oldViteAppUrl
+      }
+    })
+
+    test('uses explicit fallback when provided (SSR)', () => {
+      ;(globalThis as any).window = undefined
+      expect(appURL('example.com')).toBe('example.com')
+      expect(appURL('http://example.com:8080')).toBe('example.com:8080')
+    })
+
+    test('parses APP_URL with protocol and default/non-default ports (SSR)', () => {
+      const g: any = globalThis as any
+      const oldAppUrl = g.process?.env?.APP_URL
+      ;(globalThis as any).window = undefined
+
+      if (!g.process) g.process = {}
+      if (!g.process.env) g.process.env = {}
+      g.process.env.APP_URL = 'https://example.com'
+      expect(appURL()).toBe('example.com')
+
+      g.process.env.APP_URL = 'http://example.com:8080'
+      expect(appURL()).toBe('example.com:8080')
+
+      g.process.env.APP_URL = 'example.com:443'
+      expect(appURL()).toBe('example.com')
+
+      // Restore
+      if (oldAppUrl !== undefined) g.process.env.APP_URL = oldAppUrl
+      else delete g.process.env.APP_URL
+    })
+  })
+
+  test.describe('asset (SSR)', () => {
+    test('returns site-relative path when no host is known (SSR)', () => {
+      const g: any = globalThis as any
+      const oldAppUrl = g.process?.env?.APP_URL
+      const oldViteAppUrl = g.process?.env?.VITE_APP_URL
+      if (g.process?.env) {
+        delete g.process.env.APP_URL
+        delete g.process.env.VITE_APP_URL
+      }
+      ;(globalThis as any).window = undefined
+
+      const url = asset('css/app.css')
+      expect(url).toBe('/css/app.css')
+
+      if (g.process?.env) {
+        if (oldAppUrl !== undefined) g.process.env.APP_URL = oldAppUrl
+        if (oldViteAppUrl !== undefined) g.process.env.VITE_APP_URL = oldViteAppUrl
+      }
+    })
+
+    test('uses fallbackUrl with https by default (SSR)', () => {
+      ;(globalThis as any).window = undefined
+      const url = asset('build/app.js', { fallbackUrl: 'example.com' })
+      expect(url).toBe('https://example.com/build/app.js')
+    })
+
+    test('respects secure=false (SSR)', () => {
+      ;(globalThis as any).window = undefined
+      const url = asset('build/app.js', { fallbackUrl: 'example.com', secure: false })
+      expect(url).toBe('http://example.com/build/app.js')
+    })
+
+    test('uses APP_URL protocol and host (SSR)', () => {
+      const g: any = globalThis as any
+      const oldAppUrl = g.process?.env?.APP_URL
+      if (!g.process) g.process = {}
+      if (!g.process.env) g.process.env = {}
+      g.process.env.APP_URL = 'http://foo.test:3000'
+      ;(globalThis as any).window = undefined
+      const url = asset('img/logo.png')
+      expect(url).toBe('http://foo.test:3000/img/logo.png')
+      if (oldAppUrl !== undefined) g.process.env.APP_URL = oldAppUrl
+      else delete g.process.env.APP_URL
+    })
+  })
+
+  test.describe('asset (Browser)', () => {
+    test('builds absolute URL based on window.location (default ports)', () => {
+      ;(globalThis as any).window = {
+        location: { protocol: 'https:', host: 'example.com', hostname: 'example.com', port: '' },
+      }
+      const url = asset('file.json')
+      expect(url).toBe('https://example.com/file.json')
+    })
+
+    test('builds absolute URL with non-default port', () => {
+      ;(globalThis as any).window = {
+        location: { protocol: 'https:', host: 'example.com:8080', hostname: 'example.com', port: '8080' },
+      }
+      const url = asset('file.json')
+      expect(url).toBe('https://example.com:8080/file.json')
+    })
+
+    test('injects preload link once and avoids duplicates', () => {
+      const appended: any[] = []
+      ;(globalThis as any).document = {
+        head: {
+          querySelectorAll: () => appended.filter((el) => el.rel === 'preload'),
+          appendChild: (el: any) => appended.push(el),
+        },
+        createElement: (_tag: string) => ({
+          rel: '',
+          as: '',
+          href: '',
+          type: '',
+          setAttribute(name: string, value: string) {
+            ;(this as any)[name] = value
+          },
+        }),
+      }
+      ;(globalThis as any).window = {
+        location: { protocol: 'https:', host: 'example.com', hostname: 'example.com', port: '' },
+      }
+
+      const url1 = asset('styles/app.css', { preload: true })
+      expect(url1).toBe('https://example.com/styles/app.css')
+      expect(appended.length).toBe(1)
+      expect(appended[0].rel).toBe('preload')
+      expect(appended[0].as).toBe('style')
+      expect(appended[0].href).toBe(url1)
+
+      const url2 = asset('styles/app.css', { preload: true })
+      expect(url2).toBe(url1)
+      expect(appended.length).toBe(1)
+    })
+  })
+})