Prismic Next.js - Headless Content Management

Prismic Next.js: A Perfect Pair for Headless Content Management

What is Next.js?

Next.js is a powerful React framework that enables developers to build fast and user-friendly web applications. It has features like server-side rendering (SSR), static site generation (SSG), and seamless client-side navigation. Essentially, Next.js provides a structure for building React applications with added functionality that enhances performance and user experience.

What is a Framework?

A framework is a collection of tools and libraries that help developers build applications more efficiently. It provides conceptual guidelines and reusable components, allowing developers to avoid repetitive tasks and focus on building unique features.

Why Integrate Next.js with Prismic?

Prismic is a headless Content Management System (CMS) that allows developers to manage content separately from the application logic. When combined with Next.js, Prismic empowers developers to create high-performance websites with a clean separation of content and code.

The integration between Next.js and Prismic is essential because it allows teams to leverage the content-editing capabilities of Prismic while utilizing the high-performance features of Next.js. This combination is ideal for developers who want both flexibility in managing content and speed in delivering web applications.

Getting Started with Prismic Next.js

Before diving into code, it’s important to note what you'll need:

Prerequisites

To successfully integrate Prismic with Next.js, you should have:

Basic Knowledge of React: Understanding React concepts is crucial since Next.js is built on top of it.
Familiarity with Next.js: Knowing how Next.js works will help you understand the integration process better.
Understanding of TypeScript: While not mandatory, using TypeScript in your Next.js application can enhance type safety and developer experience.
An Account on Prismic: Sign up for a Prismic account to create and manage your content.

Setting Up Prismic Next.js

Step 1: Create a Next.js Project

First, create a new Next.js project:

npx create-next-app my-prismic-app --typescript
cd my-prismic-app

Step 2: Install Prismic’s Client Library

Next, install the Prismic client:

npm install @prismicio/client @prismicio/image

Step 3: Configure Prismic

Create a file named prismic.ts in your project to set up the Prismic client:

import * as prismic from '@prismicio/client';

export const createClient = (req?: unknown) => {
  const endpoint = prismic.getEndpoint('your-repo-name'); // Replace with your Prismic repository name
  const client = prismic.createClient(endpoint, { req });
  return client;
};

Step 4: Fetching Content with Next.js

To fetch content from Prismic in your pages, use the following approach. For example, let's create a blog homepage:

import { GetStaticProps } from 'next';
import { createClient } from '../prismic';

const Home = ({ posts }) => {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>My Blog</h1>
      {posts.map((post) => (
        <div key={post.id}>
          <h2>{post.data.title}</h2>
          <p>{post.data.content}</p>
        </div>
      ))}
    </div>
  );
};

export const getStaticProps: GetStaticProps = async ({ req }) => {
  const client = createClient(req);
  const posts = await client.getAllByType('blog_post');
  return {
    props: {
      posts,
    },
  };
};

export default Home;

This code fetches blog posts from Prismic and displays them on the homepage. The getStaticProps function is used for static site generation, ensuring that your content is fetched at build time for optimal performance.

Important Things to Know

Headless CMS: Prismic acts as a headless CMS, meaning it only provides content via its API without dictating how that content should be presented.
Real-time Previews: Prismic offers real-time content previews, which let editors see changes on the frontend as they edit content.

Quick FAQ's About Prismic Next.js

Q1: What is Prismic and how does it work with Next.js?

Prismic is a headless CMS that manages your content and provides it through an API. When integrated with Next.js, Prismic allows you to fetch this content easily on your web application.