Unlock the Power of Next.js Zones
As frontend developers, we’re constantly on the lookout for innovative solutions to streamline our workflow and boost productivity. That’s where Next.js comes in – a revolutionary tool that has taken the development world by storm. With its incredible features, Next.js enables us to build production-ready apps quickly and efficiently.
The Challenge of Monolithic Apps
In real-world scenarios, multiple teams often work on individual pages or components, making it impractical to expect them to commit to a monolithic codebase. This is where Next.js zones come into play. According to the Next.js documentation, a zone is a single deployment of a Next.js app, allowing multiple zones to be accessed under a single URL.
How Next.js Zones Work
Unlike other Next.js features, zones don’t have specific APIs; instead, they rely on HTTP proxies. You can implement multiple zones using Vercel’s inbuilt support or create your own custom HTTP proxy. While Vercel makes it easy to deploy zones on their platform, they don’t provide examples for custom proxies, leaving developers to explore alternative solutions.
Implementing Zones with Vercel
Using Vercel, implementing zones is a breeze. Simply list the builds of your individual apps and the routes for serving them in vercel.json, and you’re good to go.
Custom Proxy Implementation
For a custom proxy, create a proxy server (like an Nginx server) that redirects internally to the respective Next.js apps. This approach requires careful consideration of two critical factors:
- Unique Page Names: Ensure that all pages across all zones have unique names, as Next.js doesn’t allow duplicate page names.
- Static File Conflicts: Leverage the assetPrefix to enable unique paths for all static files, avoiding potential conflicts.
Sample Implementation
Let’s explore a sample implementation using an HTTP proxy. Create two Next.js apps (home and about), run them independently on different ports, and then create an Nginx reverse proxy to access both apps through a single URL.
Unlocking the Full Potential of Next.js Zones
By decoupling applications, Next.js zones offer a promising solution for larger teams. When combined with webpack module federation, this feature has the potential to revolutionize micro-frontends. Share your thoughts on how you’re using Next.js zones in the comments below!
Debugging Next.js Apps with LogRocket
Debugging Next.js applications can be a nightmare, especially when issues are difficult to reproduce. LogRocket offers a comprehensive solution, providing full visibility into production Next.js apps. With LogRocket, you can monitor and track state, automatically surface JavaScript errors, and track slow network requests and component load time. Try LogRocket today and modernize your debugging process!