Purpose　-　The　purpose　of　this　paper　is　to　propose　a　universal　approach　for　configuration　synthesis　of　reconfigurable　robots　based　on　fault　tolerant　indices.　Design/methodology/approach　-　A　universal　approach　is　introduced　to　determine　the　best　configuration　of　redundant　reconfigurable　robots　based　on　fault　tolerant　indices.　For　a　given　task,　a　method　based　on　genetic　algorithm　for　evaluation　on　the　index,　fault　tolerant　workspace　reachability,　is　employed　first　to　search　the　robot　configurations　with　the　fault　tolerant　ability　for　the　desired　task.　Then,　among　the　obtained　robot　configurations,　a　method　based　on　gradient　projection　algorithm　is　adopted　to　further　find　out　the　robot　configuration　that　has　the　comparatively　best　fault　tolerant　operation　dexterity.　The　validity　of　this　approach　is　proved　by　conducting　computational　simulations.　Findings　-　A　universal　approach　has　been　found　for　configuration　synthesis　of　reconfigurable　robots　based　on　fault　tolerant　indices.　Originality/value　-　The　paper　introduces　a　universal　approach　for　configuration　synthesis　of　reconfigurable　robots　to　not　only　guarantee　the　robot　with　the　synthesized　configuration　possesses　the　fault　tolerant　ability　for　the　given　task,　but　also　has　relatively　high　fault　tolerant　operation　dexterity.