Server-Side Rendering (SSR) Next.js

What You’ll Learn 📚

• Understand the basics of Server-Side Rendering (SSR)
• Learn how SSR works in Next.js
• Explore practical examples with step-by-step explanations
• Troubleshoot common issues and mistakes

Introduction to Server-Side Rendering

Server-Side Rendering (SSR) is a technique used to generate HTML on the server for each request, rather than in the browser. This can improve performance and SEO for your web applications. In Next.js, SSR is a powerful feature that allows you to build dynamic, fast-loading pages.

Key Terminology

• SSR (Server-Side Rendering): The process of rendering web pages on the server instead of the client.
• Next.js: A popular React framework that provides SSR out of the box.
• getServerSideProps: A Next.js function that fetches data on each request for SSR.

Getting Started with a Simple Example

// pages/index.js
import React from 'react';

export async function getServerSideProps() {
  const date = new Date().toString();
  return {
    props: {
      date,
    },
  };
}

const Home = ({ date }) => {
  return (
    

      
Current Date and Time
      
{date}
    
  );
};

export default Home;

Progressively Complex Examples

// pages/apiData.js
import React from 'react';

export async function getServerSideProps() {
  const res = await fetch('https://api.example.com/data');
  const data = await res.json();
  return {
    props: {
      data,
    },
  };
}

const ApiData = ({ data }) => {
  return (
    

      
API Data
      
{JSON.stringify(data, null, 2)}

  );

};
export default ApiData;

In this example:

We fetch data from an API endpoint using fetch.
The data is converted to JSON and passed to the ApiData component.
The component renders the data in a readable format.



Expected Output:
API Data: [Server-rendered API data]

// pages/errorHandling.js
import React from 'react';

export async function getServerSideProps() {
  try {
    const res = await fetch('https://api.example.com/data');
    if (!res.ok) {
      throw new Error('Failed to fetch data');
    }
    const data = await res.json();
    return {
      props: {
        data,
      },
    };
  } catch (error) {
    return {
      props: {
        error: error.message,
      },
    };
  }
}

const ErrorHandling = ({ data, error }) => {
  if (error) {
    return 
Error: {error}
;
  }
  return (
    

      
Data
      
{JSON.stringify(data, null, 2)}

  );

};
export default ErrorHandling;

In this example:

We use a try-catch block to handle errors during data fetching.
If an error occurs, we pass the error message to the component.
The component conditionally renders the error message or the fetched data.



Expected Output:
Error: [Error message] or Data: [Server-rendered data]

Common Questions and Answers

1. What is SSR and why is it important?

   SSR stands for Server-Side Rendering. It’s important because it can improve page load times and SEO by rendering pages on the server.

2. How does SSR differ from client-side rendering?

   SSR renders pages on the server, while client-side rendering generates HTML in the browser. SSR can be faster for initial loads and better for SEO.

3. What is getServerSideProps?

   It’s a Next.js function that allows you to fetch data on each request for SSR.

4. Can I use SSR with dynamic routes?

   Yes, SSR can be used with dynamic routes in Next.js by utilizing getServerSideProps with dynamic parameters.

5. How do I handle errors in SSR?

   Use a try-catch block in getServerSideProps to handle errors during data fetching.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If your page isn’t rendering as expected, check for syntax errors in your code or issues with your API endpoint.

Remember to always return an object with a props key in getServerSideProps!

Practice Exercises

Try creating a new page that fetches and displays data from a public API of your choice. Experiment with error handling and data formatting. Happy coding! 🎉

Further Reading and Resources

• Next.js Documentation on SSR
• MDN Web Docs: Fetch API