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GraphQL in Next.js

Introduction

GraphQL and Next.js make a powerful combination for building efficient and server-rendered React applications. In this step-by-step article, we'll guide you through the process of setting up and using GraphQL with Next.js.

Step 1. Create a Next.js Project

If you haven't already, create a new Next.js project using the following commands.

npx create-next-app my-next-graphql-app
cd my-next-graphql-app

Step 2. Install Dependencies

Install the necessary packages for GraphQL, Apollo Client, and Next.js.

npm install apollo-boost react-apollo graphql next
  • apollo-boost: A package that simplifies setting up Apollo Client with default configurations.
  • react-apollo: This package provides React components and higher-order components for working with Apollo Client.
  • graphql: The JavaScript reference implementation for GraphQL, which is used for writing GraphQL queries.
  • next: The Next.js framework itself.

Step 3. Set Up Apollo Client

In your Next.js project, create a file for setting up Apollo Client. Create a file named apollo.js in the root directory.

// apollo.js
import ApolloClient from 'apollo-boost';

const client = new ApolloClient({
  uri: 'YOUR_GRAPHQL_ENDPOINT_HERE',
});

export default client;

Replace 'YOUR_GRAPHQL_ENDPOINT_HERE' with the actual GraphQL endpoint URL provided by your GraphQL server.

Step 4. Create a GraphQL Query

In your Next.js project, create a GraphQL query. You can use the graphql tag template provided by graphql to define your queries. Here's an example.

// components/MyComponent.js
import React from 'react';
import { Query } from 'react-apollo';
import gql from 'graphql-tag';

const GET_DATA = gql`
  query {
    // Your GraphQL query here
  }
`;

const MyComponent = () => {
  return (
    <Query query={GET_DATA}>
      {({ loading, error, data }) => {
        if (loading) return <p>Loading...</p>;
        if (error) return <p>Error: {error.message}</p>;

        return (
          <div>
            {/* Render your data here */}
          </div>
        );
      }}
    </Query>
  );
};

export default MyComponent;

Step 5. Fetch Data with GraphQL

Inside your Next.js component, use the Query component from react-apollo to fetch data using your GraphQL query. The loading and error props allow you to handle loading and error states, and the data prop contains the fetched data.

Step 6. Render the Data

Within the Query component's render prop function, render your data. Access the data fields returned by your GraphQL query from the data object and display them in your component's UI.

Step 7. Use the Component

You can use your MyComponent component in your Next.js pages as you would with any other React component. Import it and include it in your component tree.

// pages/index.js
import React from 'react';
import MyComponent from '../components/MyComponent';

function Home() {
  return (
    <div className="container">
      <MyComponent />
    </div>
  );
}

export default Home;

Step 8. Run Your Application

Start your Next.js development server.

npm run dev

Summary

Our Next.js application is now using GraphQL to fetch and display data. We can expand on this foundation by defining more GraphQL queries and mutations and integrating other libraries like Apollo Client for advanced features like caching and state management.

Congratulations! We've successfully set up GraphQL with Next.js, making your React application more efficient and capable of handling data-driven tasks.


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