Next.js is a popular React framework that allows developers to build fast and scalable web applications. One of the key features of Next.js is its data fetching methods, which enable developers to fetch data and pre-render pages on both the server and the client. In this article, we'll explore two of the most commonly used data fetching methods in Next.js: getServerSideProps and getStaticProps. We'll examine the differences between these methods and when to use each one.

Introduction to Data Fetching in Next.js

Before we dive into getServerSideProps and getStaticProps, it's important to understand how data fetching works in Next.js. Next.js provides several methods for fetching data, including getServerSideProps, getStaticProps, getInitialProps, and useEffect. Each method has its own use case and benefits.

getServerSideProps and getStaticProps are both used for server-side rendering, which means that they fetch data before the page is rendered and send the data to the client. This ensures that the page loads quickly and is SEO-friendly.

getServerSideProps fetches data on every request, while getStaticProps fetches data at build time. This means that getServerSideProps is ideal for pages that require real-time data or user-specific data, while getStaticProps is ideal for pages that don't require real-time data and can be pre-rendered at build time.

What is getServerSideProps?

getServerSideProps is a Next.js function that fetches data on the server before the page is rendered. This means that the data is fetched every time the page is requested, which makes it ideal for pages that require real-time data or user-specific data.

Here's an example of how getServerSideProps can be used to fetch data for a blog post:

export async function getServerSideProps(context) {

const { params } = context;

const res = await fetch(https://api.example.com/posts/${params.slug});

const post = await res.json();

return { props: { post } };
}

In this example, getServerSideProps fetches data from an API endpoint based on the slug parameter in the URL. The fetched data is then returned as props, which can be accessed in the component.

One of the benefits of getServerSideProps is that it allows developers to fetch data based on user-specific information, such as authentication tokens or cookies. This makes it easy to create personalized pages that display different content based on the user's data.

What is getStaticProps?

getStaticProps is another Next.js function that fetches data at build time and pre-renders the page. This means that the data is fetched once and used to render the page, which makes it ideal for pages that don't require real-time data and can be pre-rendered.

Here's an example of how getStaticProps can be used to fetch data for a blog post:

export async function getStaticProps(context) {

const { params } = context;

const res = await fetch(https://api.example.com/posts/${params.slug});

const post = await res.json();

return { props: { post } };

}

In this example, getStaticProps fetches data from an API endpoint based on the slug parameter in the URL. The fetched data is then returned as props, which can be accessed in the component.

One of the benefits of getStaticProps is that it improves performance by pre-rendering pages at build time. This means that the pages load faster and are more SEO-friendly

Usage

Assuming you have a Next.js page component called MyPage and you're using getStaticProps to fetch data, the data returned from getStaticProps can be passed to MyPage component as a prop:

// MyPage.js

export default function MyPage({ data }) {

return (

<div>

{data.map((item) => (

<div key={item.id}> <h2> {item.title}</h2> <p>{item.title}</p></div>

))}

</div>

)
}

export async function getStaticProps() {
// Fetch data from an API
const res = await fetch('https://example.com/data');
const data = await res.json();

// Return the data as props
return { props: { data } };
}

In this example, getStaticProps fetches data from an API and returns it as a prop called data. The prop is then passed to MyPage component and rendered using a map function.

You can also use getServerSideProps in a similar way. By using props in this way, you can easily pass data between your data fetching functions and your component, allowing you to create dynamic and data-driven pages in your Next.js application.

Comparisons

Data Fetching Method

The key difference between getServerSideProps and getStaticProps is when the data is fetched.

getServerSideProps fetches data on the server every time the page is requested. This makes it ideal for pages that require real-time data or user-specific data.

getStaticProps fetches data at build time and pre-renders the page. This means that the data is fetched once and used to render the page, which makes it ideal for pages that don't require real-time data and can be pre-rendered.

Performance

getStaticProps is generally faster than getServerSideProps because it pre-renders pages at build time. This means that the pages load faster and are more SEO-friendly.

getServerSideProps can be slower than getStaticProps because it fetches data on the server every time the page is requested. However, this also means that it can handle user-specific data and real-time data.

Caching

getStaticProps supports built-in caching using the Next.js Cache Provider. This allows you to cache the results of data fetching for a certain period of time.

getServerSideProps does not support caching by default, but you can implement caching using third-party libraries or caching strategies.

SEO

getStaticProps is more SEO-friendly than getServerSideProps because it pre-renders pages at build time. This means that search engines can crawl the pages and index them more easily.

getServerSideProps is still SEO-friendly, but it may not be as fast as getStaticProps because it fetches data on the server every time the page is requested.

Use Cases

getServerSideProps is ideal for pages that require real-time data or user-specific data, such as user dashboards, account pages, or e-commerce pages.

getStaticProps is ideal for pages that don't require real-time data and can be pre-rendered, such as blog posts, product pages, or landing pages.

Conclusion

In summary, getServerSideProps and getStaticProps are both important data fetching methods in Next.js, and they have their own use cases and benefits.

getServerSideProps is ideal for pages that require real-time data or user-specific data, while getStaticProps is ideal for pages that don't require real-time data and can be pre-rendered.

When choosing a data fetching method, it's important to consider the performance, caching, SEO, and use cases of each method. By understanding the differences between getServerSideProps and getStaticProps, you can choose the method that best fits your needs and improves the performance and user experience of your Next.js application.

Next.js Data Fetching: When to Use getServerSideProps vs. getStaticProps