Next.js Routing

Routing in Next.js?
Dynamic Routing
Navigation
FAQ
Summary

Next.js Routing is a core feature that enables users to navigate between different pages of your web application. With file-based routing, dynamic routes, and built-in navigation components, Next.js makes it easy to build scalable and SEO-friendly React apps. This guide covers everything you need to know about Next.js routing and navigation.

Unlike React, Next.js provides built-in routing that is file-system based and doesn't require setting up a separate routing library.

What is Routing in Next.js?

Routing in Next.js is based on the folder and file structure inside the app folder.

Each folder represents a route, and each page.tsx file represents the actual page.

For example, if you have a file app/about/page.tsx, it will automatically create a route /about for you.

This makes it very easy to create and manage routes without needing to set up a separate routing library.

Basic Routing Example


app/
 ├ page.tsx
 ├ about/
 │   ├ page.tsx
 ├ contact/
 │   ├ page.tsx


/          → Home page
/about     → About page
/contact   → Contact page

Dynamic Routing in Next.js

Dynamic routes allow you to create pages that accept parameters, such as user profiles or product pages. In Next.js, you can create a dynamic route by using square brackets in the file or folder name.


  app/
  ├ page.tsx
  ├ blog/
  │   ├ [slug]/
  │   │   ├ page.tsx


/blog/hello-world   → blog post with slug 'hello-world'
/blog/nextjs-routing → blog post with slug 'nextjs-routing'

You can access the route parameter (e.g., slug) in your page component using Next.js hooks or props.

Navigation Between Pages in Next.js

In Next.js, navigation between pages is handled using the built-in Link component from 'next/link'. This component provides a seamless and optimized way to navigate between pages in your application.

To use the Link component, you simply wrap it around an anchor tag and specify the href attribute with the path to the page you want to navigate to.


import Link from 'next/link';

function HomePage() {
  return (
    <nav>
      <Link href="/">Home Page</Link>
      <Link href="/about">About Page</Link>
      <Link href="/contact">Contact Page</Link>
    </nav>
  );
}

When a user clicks on one of the links, Next.js will automatically load the corresponding page without a full page refresh, providing a smooth and fast navigation experience.

FAQ: Next.js Routing

What is file-based routing in Next.js?

File-based routing means that the structure of your files and folders in the app or pages directory automatically defines your application's routes.

How do I create dynamic routes in Next.js?

Create a folder or file with square brackets (e.g., [id]) to define a dynamic route. Next.js will match the parameter in the URL and pass it to your component.

Is Next.js routing SEO-friendly?

Yes, Next.js routing is SEO-friendly because it supports server-side rendering and clean URLs, making your content easily discoverable by search engines.

How do I navigate between pages in Next.js?

Use the Link component from next/link to navigate between pages without a full page reload.

Summary: Key Takeaways

Next.js uses file-based routing for easy and scalable navigation.
Dynamic routes allow you to create flexible URLs with parameters.
Navigation is handled with the built-in Link component for fast, client-side transitions.
Next.js routing is SEO-friendly and requires minimal configuration.

For more on Next.js Routing, see the official Next.js documentation.