In Next.js, effectively distinguishing between browser navigations (like using the back or forward buttons) and React Router navigations (like link clicks within the app) is crucial for optimal state management and user experience. This post delves into the specifics of how and why these differences occur, and how to handle them.

The Core of the Works

The main works lies in how Next.js and the browser handle navigation:

  • Browser Navigations: Triggered by actions like using browser’s back/forward buttons or manual URL changes. These actions cause a full page reload, unless intercepted by the Next.js router.
  • React Router Navigations: Initiated within the app, like clicking a <Link> component. These do not cause full page reloads but use the History API to update the URL.

Why Distinguish?

Differentiating between these navigations is crucial for:

  1. State Management: Ensuring the application state is correctly managed during navigation.
  2. Analytics: Accurately tracking page views and user interactions.
  3. User Experience: Providing a seamless and responsive experience.

Methodologies for Differentiation

  1. React Router Events:
    • Next.js triggers events like routeChangeStart and routeChangeComplete.
    • Use these events to identify internal navigation, which does not reload the whole page.
  1. Browser History Navigation:
    • The window.popstate event is triggered when the browser’s history changes.
    • Use this to detect navigations that involve the browser’s history stack, such as the back button.

Implementing the Solution

Implementing listeners for both React Router events and the window.popstate event helps in accurately distinguishing the navigation types. React Router events are indicative of in-app navigations, while popstate is indicative of browser-based navigations.

Conclusion

Understanding and correctly handling the differences between browser and React Router navigations in Next.js is key to building robust and efficient web applications. By leveraging specific events, developers can ensure better state management, accurate analytics, and a smoother user experience.

The projects below can help make this easier to manage. useNextRouteEvent