Pagination in Next.js: Best Practices and Code Examples

Pagination plays a crucial role in enhancing user experience and optimizing website performance by efficiently managing large datasets. In Next.js, a popular React framework for building web applications, implementing pagination requires careful consideration of best practices to ensure smooth navigation and efficient rendering.

Let's delve into some key strategies and code examples for mastering pagination in Next.js.

1. Use Server-Side Pagination: Leveraging server-side pagination in Next.js ensures faster load times and better scalability, especially with large datasets. By fetching only the required data for each page, you minimize client-side processing and reduce unnecessary network overhead.

export async function getServerSideProps({ query }) {
    const currentPage = query.page || 1;
    // Fetch data for the current page from your API or database
    // Example: const data = await fetchData(currentPage);
    return {
        props: {
            data,
            currentPage
        }
    };
}
  

2. Implement Client-Side Pagination for Enhanced Interactivity: Client-side pagination can be employed for smoother transitions between pages without full-page reloads. This approach is suitable for scenarios where the initial data load is manageable and subsequent page navigations can be handled locally.

import { useState } from 'react';

function PaginationComponent({ data }) {
    const [currentPage, setCurrentPage] = useState(1);
    const itemsPerPage = 10;
    const totalPages = Math.ceil(data.length / itemsPerPage);
    const startIndex = (currentPage - 1) * itemsPerPage;
    const slicedData = data.slice(startIndex, startIndex + itemsPerPage);

    // Pagination UI and event handlers

    return (
        <div>
            {/* Render slicedData */}
            {/* Pagination UI */}
        </div>
    );
}  
  

3. Enhance SEO with Dynamic Routing: Dynamic routing in Next.js enables search engine crawlers to index paginated content effectively. By generating unique URLs for each page, you improve discoverability and facilitate better ranking on search engine result pages (SERPs).

// pages/posts/[page].js
export async function getStaticPaths() {
    // Fetch total number of pages
    // Example: const totalPages = await fetchTotalPages();
    const paths = Array.from({ length: totalPages }, (_, i) => ({
        params: { page: `${i + 1}` }
    }));
    return { paths, fallback: false };
}

export async function getStaticProps({ params }) {
    const currentPage = parseInt(params.page, 10);
    // Fetch data for the current page
    // Example: const data = await fetchData(currentPage);
    return { props: { data, currentPage } };
}  
  

Conclusion:

By following these best practices and utilizing code examples, you can effectively implement pagination in Next.js to optimize performance, enhance user experience, and improve SEO.

Whether you choose server-side or client-side pagination, ensure that your implementation aligns with the specific requirements of your application and provides a seamless browsing experience for your users.