Unlock the Power of Dynamic Routing in Next.js
Since its inception in 2016, Next.js has revolutionized the way developers build complex, multiple-page applications. Its built-in routing system, server-side rendering (SSR), and static site generation (SSG) capabilities make it an ideal choice for modern web development. In this article, we’ll delve into the world of dynamic routing in Next.js, exploring its features, benefits, and best practices.
Setting Up Agility with Next.js
To demonstrate dynamic routing and SSR, we’ll create a simple travel blog using Next.js and Agility, a headless content management system (CMS). First, sign up for an Agility account and create a new instance. Then, set up the necessary content and API keys.
Understanding Next.js Routes
Unlike React, Next.js has a built-in routing system that handles all your routes. Any file with a .js, .jsx, .ts, or .tsx extension under the pages directory becomes a route. You can create dynamic routes using square brackets [] and the spread operator .... For example, pages/users/[username].js yields a /users/elijah or /users/elonmusk route.
Creating Your First Next.js Page
Let’s create a simple About page to demonstrate Next.js routing. Create an about.js file in the pages directory and add some basic content. Then, create a Header.js component to navigate between pages.
Dynamic Routing in Next.js
Dynamic routing allows you to create multiple pages with similar content structures. For example, a social network can have multiple user profiles with unique data, but the same content structure. Next.js uses square brackets [] to signify a dynamic route. You can also use catch-all routes with the spread operator ... to catch all routes of a particular directory.
Query Parameters and Dynamic Routing
Query parameters are used to represent query string parameters and dynamic routing parameters. In Next.js, you can access query parameters using the useRouter Hook. For example, a route like mytravelblog.com/posts/traveling-to-new-york with a file structure like posts/[slug].js returns slug as the dynamic route param with the value of traveling-to-new-york.
Imperative Dynamic Routing with Next.js
Next.js provides two ways to navigate across different pages: declarative navigation using the Link component and imperative navigation using the router.push method. Imperative navigation allows you to programmatically navigate to a different page.
API Routes in Next.js
Next.js has an api folder that allows you to structure all your server routes. You can create dynamic API routes using square brackets [] and the spread operator .... For example, pages/api/posts/[slug].js yields an API route that fetches a specific post.
Nested Routing with Query Parameters
Nested routing covers both multiple dynamic segments and multiple dynamic routes. You can use query parameters to filter posts and create a more dynamic routing system.
Server-Side Rendering (SSR) and Query Parameters
SSR is useful when you have data that changes often. Next.js regenerates the HTML of pages using SSR whenever a request is made to that page. You can access query parameters inside the getServerSideProps function, which runs on the server before rendering the page.
Handling Common Use Cases for Dynamic Routing
In this article, we’ve covered multiple common examples of using dynamic segments and routes. We’ve also explored nested routing and query parameters with SSR. With this knowledge, you’re well-equipped to create a fully functional full-stack web application using Next.js and Agility CMS.