Server-side Rendering (SSR) in Next.js: Enhancing Performance and SEO

Server-side rendering (SSR) is a powerful feature in Next.js that allows you to render pages on the server and send them to the client as fully-formed HTML. This improves performance and SEO, as search engines can crawl and index the content more effectively. In this article, we’ll explore how SSR works in Next.js, how to implement it, and why it’s a game-changer for modern web development.

What is Server-side Rendering?

Server-side rendering (SSR) is a technique where pages are rendered on the server and sent to the client as fully-formed HTML. This means that the client receives a complete HTML page, which can be displayed immediately, improving performance and user experience. SSR is particularly useful for dynamic content that changes frequently, such as news articles or e-commerce product pages.

How Server-side Rendering Works in Next.js

In Next.js, SSR is implemented using the getServerSideProps function. This function runs on the server for each request, allowing you to fetch data and render the page dynamically.

Using getServerSideProps

The getServerSideProps function is used to fetch data for a page on the server. It returns an object with the props key, which contains the data to be passed to the page component.

// pages/blog/[slug].js
export async function getServerSideProps({ params }) {
  const res = await fetch(`https://api.example.com/posts/${params.slug}`);
  const post = await res.json();

  return {
    props: {
      post,
    },
  };
}

export default function BlogPost({ post }) {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>{post.title}</h1>
      <p>{post.content}</p>
    </div>
  );
}

In this example, the getServerSideProps function fetches data for a blog post based on the slug parameter and passes it to the BlogPost component.

Benefits of Server-side Rendering

Server-side rendering offers several benefits:

• Improved Performance: SSR reduces the time to first paint (TTFP), as the client receives a fully-formed HTML page.
• Better SEO: Search engines can crawl and index SSR pages more effectively, improving SEO.
• Dynamic Content: SSR is ideal for dynamic content that changes frequently, such as news articles or e-commerce product pages.

Secrets and Hidden Facts

• Customizing SSR: You can customize SSR by adding headers, cookies, or other server-side logic in the getServerSideProps function.
• Combining SSR with SSG: Next.js allows you to combine SSR with Static Generation (SSG) for hybrid applications.
• Error Handling: Use the notFound and redirect options in getServerSideProps to handle errors and redirects.

Conclusion

Server-side rendering is a powerful feature in Next.js that allows you to render pages on the server, improving performance and SEO. Whether you’re building a news site, an e-commerce platform, or a dynamic web application, SSR provides the tools and flexibility you need to create fast and responsive applications.