Implementing Server-Side Rendering with Next.js 

The introduction of React in May 2013 revolutionized web development with its support for single-page applications (SPAs) and its introduction of the virtual DOM concept, setting it apart from other frameworks like Ember.js and Angular. However, React’s default behavior of injecting content only when a user requests a page poses challenges for website loading times and SEO. This is where Next.js, a React framework, comes into play, offering a solution to address React’s limitations. This article delves into Next.js server-side rendering and its significant impact on enhancing an application’s user experience and search engine optimization (SEO). 

Understanding Server-Side Rendering and Its Importance

Server-side rendering (SSR) involves rendering a client-side application as static HTML on the server. It’s crucial because users expect fast and seamless website experiences. SSR allows presenting a pre-rendered HTML version of the application to users while the JavaScript code loads, significantly improving how quickly website content appears on the screen. Additionally, it makes it easier for SEO crawlers to index the site.

Getting Started with Next.js 

Often dubbed as ‘The React Framework for the Web,’ Next.js extends React’s capabilities with features like simple page routing, server-side rendering, improved SEO, static site creation, and more. To kickstart a Next.js project, you need to have Node.js installed, which serves as a JavaScript runtime environment. Once Node.js is installed, you can use the following command in your terminal:

npx create-next-app appname 

After installing, navigate to the project directory, open your preferred code editor, and start the development server using the command:

npm run dev 

Implementing Next.js Server-Side Rendering 

Now, let’s explore how to leverage server-side rendering to optimize applications and deliver a superior user experience. 

Using ‘getServerSideProps‘ 

To implement Next.js server-side rendering, you’ll utilize a special function called ‘getServerSideProps.’ This function instructs Next.js to handle a page as a server-side rendered page, enabling you to make fetch requests to your application programming interface (API) within this function. Next.js pre-renders the page on each request using the data returned by the ‘getServerSideProps’ function 

export default function Home({ data }) {
 return (
 <main>
 <h1>A List of Blog Posts</h1>
 {data.map((post) => (
 <div key={post.id}>
 <h2>Title: {post.title}</h2>
 <p>Content: {post.body}</p>
 </div>
 ))}
 </main>
 );
}
 

export async function getServerSideProps() {
//Making a get request to an API endpoint to get posts.
const response = await fetch("https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts&quot;);
const data = await response.json();
return {
props: {
data: data,
},
};
} 

And there you have it: implementing Next.js server-side rendering using the ‘getServerSideProps’ function. 

Using ‘getStaticProps‘ 

The ‘getStaticProps’ function in Next.js offers another approach to server-side rendering. It pre-renders a page at build time by fetching application data and returning it as props, reducing the amount of data fetched during runtime and increasing application efficiency

export default function Home({ data }: any) {
 return (
 <main>
 <h1>A List of Blog Posts</h1>
 {data.map((post: any) => (
 <div key={post.id}>
 <h2>Title: {post.title}</h2>
 <p>Content: {post.body}</p>
 </div>
 ))}
 </main>
 );
}
 
export async function getStaticProps() {
//Making a get request to an API endpoint to get posts
const res = await fetch("https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts&quot;);
const data = await res.json();
return {
props: {
data,
},
};
} 

It’s essential to note that while ‘getStaticProps’ can enhance application efficiency, it’s suitable only for pages with data that doesn’t change frequently. For pages with frequently changing data, ‘getServerSideProps’ ensures up-to-date content. 

  Conclusion 

Congratulations! You’ve gained insights into creating a Next.js starter application and building a Next.js app with server-side rendering. Armed with this knowledge, you and fellow Next.js developers can ensure lightning-fast page loading times, improved SEO, and exceptional user experiences in your applications.
For more such posts like this, please follow our LinkedIn page- FrontEnd Competency.