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Next.js_Introduction

Sep 28, 20243 min read

Software-Engineering

# What is Next.js ?

In simple words: Next.js is an extension of React.

It is fundamentally built on top of React. Its purpose is to simplify certain tasks. Allowing devs to concentrate on the core React code. It manages a bundle of features in itself:

  • Routing
  • Code splitting
  • SEO
  • automatic rendering

# Special Files

In Nextjs there are special files, that specify a specific usage.

  • page.tsx / route.tsx - specify a route
  • layout.tsx - UI shared across multiple pages
    • +: on navigation, only page components update = layout won’t re-render (=‘partial rendering’)

# Next.js or React ?

# Rendering

Their big difference lies on how they render things. Next.js supports SSR while React does not. Blazor_Introduction - for clear look on SSR & Client-Rendering

with React:

with Next.js:

# Routing

In React, you have to install an additional package React Router to manage page routes.

While Routes in Next.js are file-based. Meaning you don’t have to install external packages/complex configurations.

# Full-Stack ?

While React needs some configuration & installing packages when it comes to APIs, in Next.js API-Routes have been introduced in Next.js version 9.

# Code-Splitting

Code-Splitting is a technique that increases JS code a server has to send to the client.

When using React: you have to configure this. While in Next.js this completely happens behind the hood & you don’t have to worry about this.

# Rendering

It all begins with the rendering process. In Next.js, the website gets rendered on the server before it gets transmitted to the client’s device.

When a user requests a page - the server processes the request & sends back the complete site to the client

  • called SEO “Search Enginge Optimization”

If you wanna use Client-Side-Rendering type "use client" on top of your component

# Routing

The routing in Next.js is file-based. The routing is handled by the file system. Meaning: Each folder gets an own route and the folder-name gets added to the route.

# API-Routes

Next.js can be used for frontend + backend apps. Traditionally using API-Routes. API-Routes enable a creation of serverless functions to handle API-requests. Serverless APIs in Next.js are a way of creating API endpoints - without the need for an additional server.

This allows us to build & deploy APIs

  • without managing server infrastructure
  • worrying about scalling the server - when requests increase

# File & Folder Structure

The app folder is the most important folder.

# app folder

# Layout.js

There is a RootLayout function, which displays all components/elements.

  • typically, when you want to add something that should stay consistent (NavBar, Footer, …) place it in this file>RootLayout function.

# page.js

Represents the Home-Page route.

# globals.css

Contains the global css properties for the whole application.

# Routing - more Detail

# Nested Routing

In Next.js you only have to create a folder which has an folder inside. Looks like:

  • Folder1
    • Folder2

# Dynamic Routing

We want to have dynamic routes for all items. Folder/item1 Folder/item2 Folder/item3 …

Folder/:item

Dynamic Routes in Next.js

# Data Fetching

  1. SSR - Server Side Rendering
  2. SSG - Static Site Generation
  3. ISR - Incremental Static Generation

# Backend

using APIs

  • GET
  • POST
  • PUT
  • PATCH
  • DELETE
  • HEAD
  • OPTIONS

Example for GET-Request in Next.js

// http://localhost:3000/api/users
 
export async function GET(request) {
  const users = [
    { id: 1, name: "John" },
    { id: 2, name: "Jane" },
    { id: 3, name: "Bob" },
  ];
  
  return new Response(JSON.stringify(users));
}

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