Top Libraries for Next.js in 2024

Top Libraries for Next.js in 2024

Enhancing Your Next.js Projects with Essential Libraries for Performance, Scalability, and Ease of Development

Introduction

Next.js, a powerful React framework, continues to gain popularity among developers for its ability to create fast, scalable, and SEO-friendly web applications. As the ecosystem evolves, various libraries have emerged to complement Next.js, enhancing its functionality and developer experience. In this post, we'll explore the top libraries for Next.js in 2024 that you should consider for your projects.

1. next-auth

Why You Should Use It:

NextAuth.js is a complete authentication solution for Next.js applications. It supports various authentication providers, including OAuth, email/password, and custom providers.

Features:

  • Easy integration with Next.js

  • Supports multiple providers

  • Built-in security features

  • Customizable

Installation:

npm install next-auth

Example:

// pages/api/auth/[...nextauth].js
import NextAuth from 'next-auth'
import Providers from 'next-auth/providers'

export default NextAuth({
  providers: [
    Providers.Google({
      clientId: process.env.GOOGLE_ID,
      clientSecret: process.env.GOOGLE_SECRET
    }),
  ],
})

2. SWR

Why You Should Use It:

SWR is a React Hooks library for data fetching, developed by Vercel. It's optimized for performance and provides a better experience for data fetching in Next.js applications.

Features:

  • Stale-while-revalidate data fetching

  • Automatic revalidation

  • Local mutation and optimistic UI updates

  • TypeScript support

Installation:

npm install swr

Example:

import useSWR from 'swr'

const fetcher = url => fetch(url).then(res => res.json())

function Profile() {
  const { data, error } = useSWR('/api/user', fetcher)

  if (error) return <div>Failed to load</div>
  if (!data) return <div>Loading...</div>
  return <div>Hello {data.name}</div>
}

3. Tailwind CSS

Why You Should Use It:

Tailwind CSS is a utility-first CSS framework that makes it easy to style your Next.js applications without leaving your HTML. It offers a highly customizable and responsive design system.

Features:

  • Utility-first approach

  • Highly customizable

  • Responsive design

  • Easy to integrate with Next.js

Installation:

npm install tailwindcss postcss autoprefixer
npx tailwindcss init -p

Example:

// tailwind.config.js
module.exports = {
  content: [
    './pages/**/*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}',
    './components/**/*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}',
  ],
  theme: {
    extend: {},
  },
  plugins: [],
}

// styles/globals.css
@tailwind base;
@tailwind components;
@tailwind utilities;

4. Formik

Why You Should Use It:

Formik is a popular form library for React that simplifies form handling in your Next.js applications. It helps manage form state, validation, and submission.

Features:

  • Easy form state management

  • Validation and error messages

  • Integration with Yup for schema-based validation

  • Customizable

Installation:

npm install formik yup

Example:

import { Formik, Field, Form, ErrorMessage } from 'formik'
import * as Yup from 'yup'

const SignupForm = () => (
  <Formik
    initialValues={{ email: '' }}
    validationSchema={Yup.object({
      email: Yup.string().email('Invalid email address').required('Required'),
    })}
    onSubmit={(values, { setSubmitting }) => {
      setTimeout(() => {
        alert(JSON.stringify(values, null, 2))
        setSubmitting(false)
      }, 400)
    }}
  >
    <Form>
      <label htmlFor="email">Email Address</label>
      <Field name="email" type="email" />
      <ErrorMessage name="email" />
      <button type="submit">Submit</button>
    </Form>
  </Formik>
)

5. Prisma

Why You Should Use It:

Prisma is a next-generation ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) tool that simplifies database management and queries in Next.js applications. It provides a type-safe query builder and supports multiple databases.

Features:

  • Type-safe database queries

  • Auto-generated database client

  • Migrations and schema management

  • Supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, SQL Server, and MongoDB

Installation:

npm install @prisma/client
npx prisma init

Example:

// prisma/schema.prisma
model User {
  id    Int     @id @default(autoincrement())
  name  String
  email String  @unique
}

// pages/api/users.js
import { PrismaClient } from '@prisma/client'
const prisma = new PrismaClient()

export default async function handle(req, res) {
  const users = await prisma.user.findMany()
  res.json(users)
}
Conclusion
Next.js is a powerful framework that can be enhanced with various libraries to create robust and scalable applications. In 2024, libraries like next-auth, SWR, Tailwind CSS, Formik, and Prisma are essential tools for any Next.js developer. By integrating these libraries into your projects, you can improve development efficiency, enhance user experience, and build high-performance applications.