Learn How to Pre-render Pages Using Static Generation with Next.js

Static generation is a powerful feature in Next.js that allows you to pre-render pages at build time. This approach provides several advantages, including improved performance, better SEO, and a more efficient content delivery system. By generating static HTML files that are served to the user directly, you can ensure that your application is both fast and reliable.

In this article, we'll explore how to implement static generation in a Next.js project, and why it's beneficial for modern web applications.

Why Static Generation?

Static generation is especially useful for pages that don’t require real-time data updates. For example, blogs, marketing pages, and documentation sites can greatly benefit from this approach. By pre-rendering these pages during the build process, you ensure that your users receive the fastest possible experience without the need for server-side rendering or client-side JavaScript to generate the content.

Key Benefits:

1. Performance: Pre-rendered pages load faster because the content is generated at build time and served as static files.
2. SEO Optimization: Search engines can easily crawl and index static pages, improving your site's search ranking.
3. Scalability: Since the pages are static, they can be served by a CDN, reducing the load on your servers and improving the site's ability to handle high traffic.
4. Security: With static generation, there's no need for a database or server-side logic to generate pages, reducing the risk of security vulnerabilities.

How to Implement Static Generation in Next.js

Implementing static generation in Next.js is straightforward. You can use the getStaticProps function to fetch data at build time and generate static pages based on that data. Here's an example:

import { useRouter } from 'next/router'

export default function Post({ post }) {
  const router = useRouter()

  // If the page is still being generated, show a loading state
  if (router.isFallback) {
    return <div>Loading...</div>
  }

  return (
    <div>
      <h1>{post.title}</h1>
      <p>{post.content}</p>
    </div>
  )
}

export async function getStaticPaths() {
  // Call an external API endpoint to get posts
  const res = await fetch('https://example.com/posts')
  const posts = await res.json()

  // Get the paths we want to pre-render based on posts
  const paths = posts.map((post) => ({
    params: { id: post.id },
  }))

  // We'll pre-render only these paths at build time.
  // { fallback: true } means other routes should render at runtime.
  return { paths, fallback: true }
}

export async function getStaticProps({ params }) {
  // Fetch data for the blog post using the id
  const res = await fetch(`https://example.com/posts/${params.id}`)
  const post = await res.json()

  // Pass post data to the page via props
  return { props: { post } }
}

In this example, getStaticPaths is used to specify the dynamic routes to be pre-rendered, while getStaticProps fetches the necessary data at build time to generate the static pages.

Conclusion

Using static generation in Next.js is a powerful way to enhance the performance and SEO of your web applications. By pre-rendering pages, you can deliver a faster, more reliable experience to your users while also reducing the load on your servers. Whether you're building a blog, an e-commerce site, or any other type of web application, static generation is a technique worth mastering.

Start leveraging the benefits of static generation in your Next.js projects today!