Next.js 14 with Nx: Unraveling the SSR/CSR Conundrum

Are you tired of grappling with the complexities of Server-Side Rendering (SSR) and Client-Side Rendering (CSR) in your Next.js 14 application built with Nx? Worry no more! In this article, we’ll delve into the world of Nx and Next.js 14, exploring the common issues that arise when trying to reconcile SSR and CSR, and provide you with practical solutions to overcome them.

What is Nx?

Nx is an open-source toolkit that helps you build, test, and deploy full-stack applications quickly and efficiently. By providing a set of plugins and tools, Nx streamlines your development workflow, making it an ideal choice for building complex applications.

What is Next.js 14?

Next.js is a popular React-based framework for building server-rendered, statically generated, and performance-optimized web applications. With the release of Next.js 14, developers can now enjoy a more streamlined development experience, improved performance, and enhanced support for modern web development features.

The SSR/CSR Conundrum

In a Next.js application, Server-Side Rendering (SSR) and Client-Side Rendering (CSR) are two distinct rendering modes that serve different purposes. SSR allows your application to generate HTML on the server, providing better SEO and faster page loads, while CSR enables dynamic rendering on the client-side, offering a more interactive user experience.

However, when building a Next.js application with Nx, developers often encounter issues when trying to switch between SSR and CSR modes. This can lead to frustrations, errors, and a downward spiral of debugging woes. Fear not, dear developer, for we’re about to explore the most common issues and provide you with solutions to overcome them.

Issue 1: Uncaught ReferenceError: window is not defined

When attempting to use CLIENT-side only APIs or libraries in a SERVER-side rendered context, you might encounter the dreaded “Uncaught ReferenceError: window is not defined” error. This occurs because the window object is not available on the server-side.

import { api } from '../api';

function MyComponent() {
  const data = api.getData(); // This will throw an error on SSR
  return 
{data}
;
}

To resolve this issue, you can use the following approaches:

• Use the useEffect hook to execute the API call only on the client-side:

import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
import { api } from '../api';

function MyComponent() {
  const [data, setData] = useState(null);

  useEffect(() => {
    api.getData().then((data) => setData(data));
  }, []);

  return 
{data}
;
}

• Use a library like isomorphic-unfetch to polyfill the window object:

import fetch from 'isomorphic-unfetch';
import { api } from '../api';

function MyComponent() {
  const data = api.getData(); // This will work on both SSR and CSR
  return 
{data}
;
}

Issue 2: Inconsistent Rendering Between SSR and CSR

Another common issue arises when the rendering output differs between SSR and CSR modes. This can occur due to differences in the way React handles state and side effects between server-side and client-side rendering.

import { useState } from 'react';

function MyComponent() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);

  return (
    

      
Count: {count}
       setCount(count + 1)}>Increment
    
  );
}

To resolve this issue, ensure that your components are designed to be agnostic to the rendering mode. You can use the following approaches:

• Use the useEffect hook to reset state on CSR:

import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';

function MyComponent() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);

  useEffect(() => {
    setCount(0); // Reset state on CSR
  }, []);

  return (
    

      
Count: {count}
       setCount(count + 1)}>Increment
    
  );
}

• Use a library like react-ssr-DataContext to share state between SSR and CSR:

import { DataContext } from 'react-ssr-data-context';

function MyComponent() {
  const { count, setCount } = useContext(DataContext);

  return (
    

      
Count: {count}
       setCount(count + 1)}>Increment
    
  );
}

Issue 3: Invalid Hook Calls in CSR Mode

In CSR mode, Next.js 14 uses a different rendering pipeline than in SSR mode. This can lead to issues when using React hooks, as they might be executed multiple times, causing errors.

import { useState } from 'react';

function MyComponent() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);

  if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
    setCount(count + 1); // This will throw an error on CSR
  }

  return 
Count: {count}
;
}

To resolve this issue, ensure that your hooks are only executed once, preferably in the useEffect hook:

import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';

function MyComponent() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);

  useEffect(() => {
    setCount(count + 1); // This will work on both SSR and CSR
  }, []);

  return 
Count: {count}
;
}

Issue 4: Rendering Order Differences Between SSR and CSR

In SSR mode, Next.js 14 renders components in a different order than in CSR mode. This can lead to issues when using state or side effects that rely on specific rendering orders.

import { useState } from 'react';

function MyComponent() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);

  if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
    // This will throw an error on CSR due to rendering order differences
    setCount(count + 1);
  }

  return 
Count: {count}
;
}

To resolve this issue, ensure that your components are designed to be agnostic to the rendering order. You can use the following approaches:

• Use the useEffect hook to execute side effects only once:

import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';

function MyComponent() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);

  useEffect(() => {
    setCount(count + 1); // This will work on both SSR and CSR
  }, []);

  return 
Count: {count}
;
}

• Use a library like react-ssr-renderer to control the rendering order:

import { Renderer } from 'react-ssr-renderer';

function MyComponent() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);

  Renderer.render(() => {
    setCount(count + 1); // This will work on both SSR and CSR
  });

  return 
Count: {count}
;
}

Conclusion

In conclusion, building a Next.js 14 application with Nx can be a complex task, especially when dealing with SSR and CSR modes. However, by understanding the common issues and using the solutions provided in this article, you can overcome the SSR/CSR conundrum and build a fast, scalable, and maintainable application.

Issue	Solution
Uncaught ReferenceError: window is not defined	Use useEffect or isomorphic-unfetch
Inconsistent Rendering Between SSR and CSR	Use useEffect or react-ssr-data-context
Invalid Hook Calls in CSR Mode	Use useEffect to execute hooks once
Rendering Order Differences Between SSR and CSR	Use useEffect or react-ssr-renderer

By following the guidelines outlined in this article, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of building Next.js 14 applications with NxHere are 5 Questions and Answers about “Next js 14 with nx SSR/CSR issue” in HTML format with a creative voice and tone:

Frequently Asked Question

We’ve got the scoop on Next.js 14 with Nx SSR/CSR issues! Here are the most commonly asked questions and their answers.