Top Libraries for Next.js in 2024
Enhancing Your Next.js Projects with Essential Libraries for Performance, Scalability, and Ease of Development
Table of contents
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)
}