After the introduction of Server Components in React v18, Next.js implemented a similar feature that rendered pages on the server by default. However, using client-side rendering with the Pages Router in Next.js 13 will prevent you from using the new features of the App Router. This architectural shift in Next.js 13 also brings a change in data handling. Unlike working with client-side pages in the pages directory, Server Component pages in Next.js 13 no longer support the use of React Hooks or React Context for state updates. As a result, developers have had to adjust their strategies for handling states, with or without a library.
In this article, we will explore how to handle state in a Next.js app using a popular third-party library called TanStack Query (formerly known as React Query). We will create two simple apps to demonstrate its usage. One app will use TanStack Query with Next.js 12 or earlier, fetching data from the RESTful Pokémon API. The other app will use TanStack Query with Next.js 13 and the ReactQueryStreamedHydration API.
To begin, let’s understand what TanStack Query is and the problem it solves. TanStack Query is a powerful state management solution that provides easy-to-use surface-level APIs for your app. It helps with state updates, caching, background refetching, optimizing performance, and more. By using TanStack Query, data handling becomes easier and enhances both user and developer experience.
When using TanStack Query with Next.js 12 or earlier, which uses client-side rendering by default, you need to set up the library in your app. Start by creating a new Next.js project and install TanStack Query. Then, in the root file of your app (e.g., _app.tsx), initialize TanStack Query using the QueryClientProvider component. This component wraps your entire app and takes a client prop provided by TanStack Query. You can also import ReactQueryDevtools for additional developer tools.
Next, you can write a fetch function to retrieve data from the Pokémon API. This function will be passed to the useQuery hook provided by TanStack Query. The useQuery hook accepts a unique key name and an anonymous arrow function as parameters. It returns various states like isLoading, error, and data, which indicate the current state of the query.
In the index.tsx file, you can use the useQuery hook to fetch Pokémon data and render it in JSX. You can handle loading and error states accordingly. Finally, you can run the app and see how TanStack Query handles data fetching and caching.
When using TanStack Query with Next.js 13, which supports server rendering by default, there are some changes to consider. React Server Components introduced patterns for data fetching and emphasized server-rendered components. Some may think that client-side libraries like TanStack Query are no longer necessary since React handles data fetching on the server side. However, TanStack Query offers more than just data fetching. It handles caching, mutation requests, background data refresh, query states, and more.
To make TanStack Query work with Next.js 13’s Server Components architecture, the TanStack team introduced an experimental API called ReactQueryStreamedHydration. This API resolves issues encountered when integrating TanStack Query with Next.js 13. ReactQueryStreamedHydration allows you to fetch data on the server side and hydrate the client with the results.
In conclusion, TanStack Query is a powerful state management solution that enhances data handling in Next.js apps. It offers easy-to-use APIs, caching, and optimization features. By using TanStack Query, developers can handle state more efficiently and improve both the performance and user experience of their apps.
Source link
