diff --git a/apps/kitchensink-react/e2e/document-projection.spec.ts b/apps/kitchensink-react/e2e/document-projection.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..36c7cda3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/kitchensink-react/e2e/document-projection.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+import {expect, test} from '@repo/e2e'
+
+test.describe('Document Projection', () => {
+  test('can switch between different projection types and view data', async ({
+    page,
+    getClient,
+    createDocuments,
+    getPageContext,
+  }) => {
+    const client = getClient()
+
+    // Create a book document first (needed for favoriteBooks reference)
+    const {
+      documentIds: [bookId],
+    } = await createDocuments(
+      [
+        {
+          _type: 'book',
+          title: 'Test Book for Projection',
+        },
+      ],
+      {asDraft: false},
+    )
+
+    // Create an author document with favoriteBooks and role
+    const {
+      documentIds: [authorId],
+    } = await createDocuments(
+      [
+        {
+          _type: 'author',
+          name: 'Test Author Projection',
+          favoriteBooks: [{_type: 'reference', _ref: bookId}],
+          role: 'Senior Developer',
+        },
+      ],
+      {asDraft: false},
+    )
+
+    // Update the author to reference itself as bestFriend
+    await client
+      .patch(authorId)
+      .set({bestFriend: {_type: 'reference', _ref: authorId}})
+      .commit()
+
+    // Navigate to the document projection route
+    await page.goto('./document-projection')
+
+    // Get the page context for iframe/page detection
+    const pageContext = await getPageContext(page)
+
+    // Wait for the table to be visible
+    const table = pageContext.getByTestId('projection-table')
+    await table.waitFor()
+    await expect(table).toBeVisible()
+
+    // Wait for the author row to be visible
+    const authorRow = pageContext.getByTestId(`author-row-${authorId}`)
+    await authorRow.waitFor()
+    await expect(authorRow).toBeVisible()
+
+    // Test 1: Favorite Books Projection (default)
+    const favoriteBooksButton = pageContext.getByRole('button', {name: 'Favorite Books'})
+    await expect(favoriteBooksButton).toBeVisible()
+
+    // Verify favorite books projection data is displayed
+    const nameCell = pageContext.getByTestId(`projection-name-${authorId}`)
+    await expect(nameCell).toContainText('Test Author Projection')
+
+    const favoriteBooksCell = pageContext.getByTestId(`projection-favorite-books-${authorId}`)
+    await expect(favoriteBooksCell).toBeVisible()
+    // Should show the book title or "No favorite books"
+    const favoriteBooksText = await favoriteBooksCell.textContent()
+    expect(favoriteBooksText).toBeTruthy()
+
+    // Test 2: Switch to Best Friend Projection
+    const bestFriendButton = pageContext.getByRole('button', {name: 'Best Friend'})
+    await bestFriendButton.click()
+
+    // Wait for the projection to update
+    await expect(async () => {
+      const bestFriendCell = pageContext.getByTestId(`projection-best-friend-${authorId}`)
+      await expect(bestFriendCell).toBeVisible()
+    }).toPass({timeout: 5000})
+
+    // Verify best friend projection data is displayed
+    const bestFriendCell = pageContext.getByTestId(`projection-best-friend-${authorId}`)
+    await expect(bestFriendCell).toBeVisible()
+
+    const roleCell = pageContext.getByTestId(`projection-role-${authorId}`)
+    await expect(roleCell).toBeVisible()
+    await expect(roleCell).toContainText('Senior Developer')
+
+    // Verify favorite books cell is no longer visible
+    await expect(favoriteBooksCell).not.toBeVisible()
+
+    // Test 3: Switch to Book Count (Groq Helper) Projection
+    const bookCountButton = pageContext.getByRole('button', {name: 'Book Count'})
+    await bookCountButton.click()
+
+    // Wait for the projection to update
+    await expect(async () => {
+      const bookCountCell = pageContext.getByTestId(`projection-book-count-${authorId}`)
+      await expect(bookCountCell).toBeVisible()
+    }).toPass({timeout: 5000})
+
+    // Verify book count projection data is displayed
+    const bookCountCell = pageContext.getByTestId(`projection-book-count-${authorId}`)
+    await expect(bookCountCell).toBeVisible()
+    // Should show "1 books" or "0 books"
+    const bookCountText = await bookCountCell.textContent()
+    expect(bookCountText).toMatch(/\d+ books/)
+
+    const hasBooksCell = pageContext.getByTestId(`projection-has-books-${authorId}`)
+    await expect(hasBooksCell).toBeVisible()
+    // Should show "Yes" or "No"
+    const hasBooksText = await hasBooksCell.textContent()
+    expect(['Yes', 'No']).toContain(hasBooksText)
+
+    // Verify best friend and role cells are no longer visible
+    await expect(bestFriendCell).not.toBeVisible()
+    await expect(roleCell).not.toBeVisible()
+
+    // Test 4: Switch back to Favorite Books Projection
+    await favoriteBooksButton.click()
+
+    // Wait for the projection to update
+    await expect(async () => {
+      const favoriteBooksCellAgain = pageContext.getByTestId(
+        `projection-favorite-books-${authorId}`,
+      )
+      await expect(favoriteBooksCellAgain).toBeVisible()
+    }).toPass({timeout: 5000})
+
+    // Verify favorite books projection is displayed again
+    const favoriteBooksCellAgain = pageContext.getByTestId(`projection-favorite-books-${authorId}`)
+    await expect(favoriteBooksCellAgain).toBeVisible()
+
+    // Verify book count cells are no longer visible
+    await expect(bookCountCell).not.toBeVisible()
+    await expect(hasBooksCell).not.toBeVisible()
+
+    // Verify the name cell is still visible (should always be visible)
+    await expect(nameCell).toBeVisible()
+    await expect(nameCell).toContainText('Test Author Projection')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/apps/kitchensink-react/src/DocumentCollection/DocumentProjectionRoute.tsx b/apps/kitchensink-react/src/DocumentCollection/DocumentProjectionRoute.tsx
index 169e321be..a91064f1e 100644
--- a/apps/kitchensink-react/src/DocumentCollection/DocumentProjectionRoute.tsx
+++ b/apps/kitchensink-react/src/DocumentCollection/DocumentProjectionRoute.tsx
@@ -1,34 +1,51 @@
 import {DocumentHandle, useDocumentProjection, usePaginatedDocuments} from '@sanity/sdk-react'
 import {Box, Button, Card, Flex, Label, Spinner, Stack, Text, TextInput} from '@sanity/ui'
-import {defineProjection} from 'groq'
+import groq, {defineProjection} from 'groq'
 import {JSX, ReactNode, Suspense, useRef, useState} from 'react'
 import {ErrorBoundary} from 'react-error-boundary'
 
 // Import the custom table components
 import {Table, TD, TH, TR} from '../components/TableElements'
 
+interface PossibleAuthorProjections {
+  name?: string
+  favoriteBookTitles: string[]
+  bestFriend?: {
+    name?: string
+  }
+  role?: string
+  bookCount?: number
+  hasBooks?: boolean
+}
+
 // Component for displaying projection data with proper error handling
 function ProjectionData({
   docHandle,
-  useFirstProjection,
+  projectionType,
 }: {
   docHandle: DocumentHandle<'author'>
-  useFirstProjection: boolean
+  projectionType: 'favoriteBooks' | 'bestFriend' | 'groqHelper'
 }) {
-  const authorProjection = defineProjection(`{
+  const projections: Record<string, string> = {
+    favoriteBooks: `{
     name,
     "favoriteBookTitles": favoriteBooks[]->{title}.title
-  }`)
-
-  const bestFriendProjection = defineProjection(`{
+  }`,
+    bestFriend: defineProjection(`{
     name,
     'bestFriendName': bestFriend->{name}.name,
     role
-  }`)
+  }`),
+    groqHelper: groq`{
+    name,
+    "bookCount": count(favoriteBooks),
+    "hasBooks": count(favoriteBooks) > 0
+  }`,
+  }
 
   const ref = useRef<HTMLTableCellElement>(null)
-  const projection = useFirstProjection ? authorProjection : bestFriendProjection
-  const {data} = useDocumentProjection({
+  const projection = projections[projectionType]
+  const {data} = useDocumentProjection<PossibleAuthorProjections>({
     ...docHandle,
     ref,
     projection,
@@ -36,19 +53,32 @@ function ProjectionData({
 
   return (
     <>
-      <TD ref={ref} padding={2}>
+      <TD ref={ref} padding={2} data-testid={`projection-name-${docHandle.documentId}`}>
         {data.name || 'Untitled'}
       </TD>
-      {'favoriteBookTitles' in data ? (
+      {projectionType === 'favoriteBooks' ? (
         <>
-          <TD padding={2}>
+          <TD padding={2} data-testid={`projection-favorite-books-${docHandle.documentId}`}>
             {data.favoriteBookTitles?.filter(Boolean).join(', ') || 'No favorite books'}
           </TD>
         </>
+      ) : projectionType === 'bestFriend' ? (
+        <>
+          <TD padding={2} data-testid={`projection-best-friend-${docHandle.documentId}`}>
+            {data.bestFriend?.name || 'No best friend'}
+          </TD>
+          <TD padding={2} data-testid={`projection-role-${docHandle.documentId}`}>
+            {data.role || 'No role'}
+          </TD>
+        </>
       ) : (
         <>
-          <TD padding={2}>{data.bestFriendName || 'No best friend'}</TD>
-          <TD padding={2}>{data.role || 'No role'}</TD>
+          <TD padding={2} data-testid={`projection-book-count-${docHandle.documentId}`}>
+            {data.bookCount ?? 0} books
+          </TD>
+          <TD padding={2} data-testid={`projection-has-books-${docHandle.documentId}`}>
+            {data.hasBooks ? 'Yes' : 'No'}
+          </TD>
         </>
       )}
     </>
@@ -84,16 +114,16 @@ function ProjectionError({error}: {error: Error}): ReactNode {
 // Component for displaying a single author row with projection data
 function AuthorRow({
   docHandle,
-  useFirstProjection,
+  projectionType,
 }: {
   docHandle: DocumentHandle<'author'>
-  useFirstProjection: boolean
+  projectionType: 'favoriteBooks' | 'bestFriend' | 'groqHelper'
 }) {
   return (
-    <TR>
+    <TR data-testid={`author-row-${docHandle.documentId}`}>
       <ErrorBoundary fallbackRender={({error}) => <ProjectionError error={error} />}>
         <Suspense fallback={<ProjectionFallback />}>
-          <ProjectionData docHandle={docHandle} useFirstProjection={useFirstProjection} />
+          <ProjectionData docHandle={docHandle} projectionType={projectionType} />
         </Suspense>
       </ErrorBoundary>
     </TR>
@@ -209,7 +239,9 @@ function PaginationControls({
 export function DocumentProjectionRoute(): JSX.Element {
   const [searchTerm, setSearchTerm] = useState('')
   const [pageSize, setPageSize] = useState(5)
-  const [useFirstProjection, setUseFirstProjection] = useState(true)
+  const [projectionType, setProjectionType] = useState<
+    'favoriteBooks' | 'bestFriend' | 'groqHelper'
+  >('favoriteBooks')
 
   const {
     data,
@@ -305,41 +337,53 @@ export function DocumentProjectionRoute(): JSX.Element {
           />
 
           <Box padding={4}>
-            <Button
-              onClick={() => setUseFirstProjection(!useFirstProjection)}
-              text={
-                useFirstProjection
-                  ? 'Switch to Best Friend Projection'
-                  : 'Switch to First Author Projection'
-              }
-            />
+            <Flex gap={2}>
+              <Button
+                onClick={() => setProjectionType('favoriteBooks')}
+                mode={projectionType === 'favoriteBooks' ? 'default' : 'ghost'}
+                text="Favorite Books"
+                data-testid="projection-button-favorite-books"
+              />
+              <Button
+                onClick={() => setProjectionType('bestFriend')}
+                mode={projectionType === 'bestFriend' ? 'default' : 'ghost'}
+                text="Best Friend"
+                data-testid="projection-button-best-friend"
+              />
+              <Button
+                onClick={() => setProjectionType('groqHelper')}
+                mode={projectionType === 'groqHelper' ? 'default' : 'ghost'}
+                text="Book Count"
+                data-testid="projection-button-book-count"
+              />
+            </Flex>
           </Box>
 
-          <Table style={{opacity: isPending ? 0.5 : 1}}>
+          <Table style={{opacity: isPending ? 0.5 : 1}} data-testid="projection-table">
             <thead>
               <TR>
                 <TH padding={2}>Name</TH>
-                {useFirstProjection ? (
+                {projectionType === 'favoriteBooks' ? (
                   <>
-                    <TH padding={2}>Address</TH>
                     <TH padding={2}>Favorite Books</TH>
                   </>
-                ) : (
+                ) : projectionType === 'bestFriend' ? (
                   <>
                     <TH padding={2}>Best Friend</TH>
                     <TH padding={2}>Role</TH>
                   </>
+                ) : (
+                  <>
+                    <TH padding={2}>Book Count</TH>
+                    <TH padding={2}>Has Books</TH>
+                  </>
                 )}
               </TR>
             </thead>
             <tbody>
               {data.length > 0 ? (
                 data.map((doc) => (
-                  <AuthorRow
-                    key={doc.documentId}
-                    docHandle={doc}
-                    useFirstProjection={useFirstProjection}
-                  />
+                  <AuthorRow key={doc.documentId} docHandle={doc} projectionType={projectionType} />
                 ))
               ) : (
                 <TR>
diff --git a/packages/react/src/hooks/projection/useDocumentProjection.ts b/packages/react/src/hooks/projection/useDocumentProjection.ts
index fe8a08457..91a83bb4a 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/hooks/projection/useDocumentProjection.ts
+++ b/packages/react/src/hooks/projection/useDocumentProjection.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import {type DocumentHandle, getProjectionState, resolveProjection} from '@sanity/sdk'
 import {type SanityProjectionResult} from 'groq'
-import {useCallback, useSyncExternalStore} from 'react'
+import {useCallback, useMemo, useSyncExternalStore} from 'react'
 import {distinctUntilChanged, EMPTY, Observable, startWith, switchMap} from 'rxjs'
 
 import {useSanityInstance} from '../context/useSanityInstance'
@@ -177,10 +177,21 @@ export function useDocumentProjection<TData extends object>({
   ...docHandle
 }: useDocumentProjectionOptions): useDocumentProjectionResults<TData> {
   const instance = useSanityInstance(docHandle)
-  const stateSource = getProjectionState<TData>(instance, {...docHandle, projection})
+
+  // Normalize projection string to handle template literals with whitespace
+  // This ensures that the same projection content produces the same state source
+  // even if the string reference changes (e.g., from inline template literals)
+  const normalizedProjection = useMemo(() => projection.trim(), [projection])
+
+  // Memoize stateSource based on normalized projection and docHandle properties
+  // This prevents creating a new StateSource on every render when projection content is the same
+  const stateSource = useMemo(
+    () => getProjectionState<TData>(instance, {...docHandle, projection: normalizedProjection}),
+    [instance, normalizedProjection, docHandle],
+  )
 
   if (stateSource.getCurrent()?.data === null) {
-    throw resolveProjection(instance, {...docHandle, projection})
+    throw resolveProjection(instance, {...docHandle, projection: normalizedProjection})
   }
 
   // Create subscribe function for useSyncExternalStore