Introduction
In this blog, we will discuss the different methods available to fetch data in a Next.js application. Data fetching is a crucial part of any application, whether it involves retrieving data from a database or making API calls to a backend. Next.js provides several strategies to fetch data, each with its own advantages and use cases.
Get Static Props
The first method we will explore is using getStaticProps. This method is part of the client-side rendering methodology in Next.js. When we define the logic inside the getStaticProps function, it is called during the build time. The response from this API method is serialized as JSON and made available at build time. This means that when the page is rendered on the UI, it loads faster because the content is already pre-rendered on the server. This strategy is optimal for displaying static content that does not change frequently, such as a list of blog posts.
Get Server Side Props
The second method is getServerSideProps. This approach pre-renders the pages on each request. When a user navigates to a specific page, a request is made to the server, which fetches and renders the page on the browser. This method is suitable for scenarios where the data is dynamic and frequently changing. It ensures that the page always displays the latest updates. If you need to fetch data on demand and require real-time updates, getServerSideProps is the optimal choice.
SWR Library
The third method involves using the SWR library, which stands for Stale-While-Revalidate. With SWR, each time a user requests a particular page, the data is fetched from the cache. If there are any updates available on the database or server side, the cache is updated accordingly. This approach combines the speed of caching with the ability to fetch fresh data when needed. The initial content displayed on the page is from the cache, making it faster compared to server-side rendering. However, if the cache is outdated and there are updates, the performance may be slightly slower as the new data is fetched.
Client Side Data Fetching
The last method is client-side data fetching. With this approach, we can directly make API calls from the component itself using the useEffect hook. The fetched data can then be passed to the component for use. There are various libraries available, such as fetch, that can be utilized to make the API call within the useEffect hook. This method is suitable when you need to fetch data after the page has loaded and want to handle the data directly in the component.
Conclusion
Next.js provides multiple ways to fetch data in your application, depending on your specific requirements. The getStaticProps method is ideal for static content that does not change frequently, while getServerSideProps is perfect for dynamic data that requires real-time updates. The SWR library combines caching with the ability to fetch fresh data when needed, offering a balance between performance and data freshness. Finally, client-side data fetching allows for flexibility in handling data directly within the component. Consider your application’s needs and choose the appropriate data fetching strategy in Next.js.
