A curated list of libraries I use daily with explanations to help develop great Next.js stuff. Let's dig in.

#1. NextAuth.js

NextAuth.js is a library for authentication in Next.js applications. Next.js is a popular React framework for building web applications. NextAuth.js simplifies the process of adding authentication to your Next.js projects, allowing you to easily implement features like user sign-up, login, and session management.

Here's a basic example of using NextAuth.js:

// pages/api/auth/[...nextauth].js
import NextAuth from 'next-auth';
import Providers from 'next-auth/providers';

export default NextAuth({
  providers: [
    Providers.Google({
      clientId: process.env.GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID,
      clientSecret: process.env.GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET,
    }),
    // Add other providers as needed
  ],
  // Optional custom configurations
  // callbacks, database, pages, theme, etc.
});

This example sets up Google as an authentication provider, but you can easily add other providers or customize the configuration based on your project requirements.

#2. Zod

Zod is a TypeScript-first data validation library. It provides a declarative syntax for defining schemas, integrates with TypeScript's type system for static typing, offers runtime and compile-time validation, and supports asynchronous validation. With built-in validators, customizable error messages, and schema composition, Zod simplifies data validation concisely and expressively.

Here's a simple example of using Zod:

import { z } from 'zod';

const userSchema = z.object({
  id: z.number(),
  username: z.string().min(3),
  email: z.string().email(),
});

const userData = {
  id: 1,
  username: 'john_doe',
  email: 'john@example.com',
};

// Validate the data against the schema
const result = userSchema.validate(userData);

console.log(result); // Output: { id: 1, username: 'john_doe', email: 'john@example.com' }

In this example, userSchema is a Zod schema that defines the structure and validation rules for a user object. The validate method is then used to check if userData conforms to the defined schema.

#3. react-hook-form

React Hook Form is a React library for efficient form management. It leverages React Hooks to simplify form handling with minimal boilerplate. It supports uncontrolled components, dynamic form fields, and provides easy validation. With custom hooks, integration with external components, and DevTools support, React Hook Form streamlines the process of building and managing forms in React applications.

Here's a simple example of using React Hook

import React from 'react';
import { useForm, Controller } from 'react-hook-form';

function MyForm() {
  const { handleSubmit, control } = useForm();

  const onSubmit = (data) => {
    console.log(data);
  };

  return (
    

       }
      />
      Submit
    
  );
}

#4. tRPC

tRPC is a TypeScript-first framework for building APIs with a focus on type safety.

It enables developers to define APIs using TypeScript types, ensuring type safety on both the client and server sides.

Key features include zero-runtime overhead, a declarative API definition, built-in middleware, and support for real-time communication.

tRPC generates optimized JavaScript code during the build process, reducing bundle size and improving runtime performance.

It supports various transport protocols, such as HTTP and WebSockets, and offers hooks for easy integration with frontend frameworks like React.

The framework uses a query and mutation system, similar to GraphQL, allowing clients to request only the necessary data.

Here's a simplified example of how tRPC might look in a TypeScript project:

// Shared types definition
type User = {
  id: number;
  name: string;
  email: string;
};

// tRPC API definition
import { z } from 'zod';
import { createTRPC } from '@trpc/server';
import { zUser } from './shared';

export const t = createTRPC
  .query('getUser', {
    resolve: async ({ input }) => {
      const user = await getUserById(input.id);
      return zUser.parse(user);
    },
  })
  .mutation('updateUser', {
    resolve: async ({ input }) => {
      const updatedUser = await updateUser(input.id, input.data);
      return zUser.parse(updatedUser);
    },
  });

// Server usage
import express from 'express';
import { createExpressMiddleware } from '@trpc/server';
import { t } from './api';

const app = express();

app.use(
  '/trpc',
  createExpressMiddleware({
    createContext: () => ({
      // context setup here
    }),
    t,
  })
);

app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server is running on port 3000');
});

This example demonstrates the creation of tRPC queries and mutations, as well as how it can be used with an Express server. Keep in mind that this is a simplified overview, and tRPC offers additional features and capabilities.

#5. next-sitemap

next-sitemap is a Next.js plugin that automates the generation of a sitemap.xml file for your website.

It supports dynamic routes, offers easy integration, and provides customization options for SEO benefits.

Simply install the package, configure your next.config.js, and run a script to generate the sitemap.

The generated sitemap helps search engines efficiently crawl and index your site's content.

Here's a simplified example of how you might use next-sitemap:

Install the package:

npm install next-sitemap

Configure your next.config.js:

// next.config.js
const withSitemap = require('next-sitemap');

module.exports = withSitemap({
  // Your Next.js config goes here

  sitemap: {
    // Your sitemap configuration goes here
    // For example:
    hostname: 'https://example.com',
  },
});

Run the script to generate the sitemap:

next build
next sitemap

This example is a basic setup. You can customize the configuration based on your specific requirements, such as including/excluding specific routes, setting priorities and frequencies, and more. The generated sitemap will be available at the specified location (usually at the root of your project) and can be submitted to search engines like Google for better SEO.

#6. Prisma

Prisma is a modern database toolkit for building scalable and type-safe applications. Key points:

• Database Access: Prisma simplifies database access with a type-safe and auto-generated query builder, supporting various databases.

• Declarative Data Modeling: Define your data model using a declarative schema syntax, generating database tables and ensuring type safety with TypeScript.

• Query Builder: Prisma offers a fluent and type-safe API for writing database queries, reducing runtime errors and providing auto-completion in modern IDEs.

• Migrations: Easily manage database schema changes with Prisma's migration support through the CLI.

• ORM-Like Features: Perform CRUD operations, handle relationships, and load related data conveniently.

• Real-Time Data: Prisma supports real-time data with features like subscriptions for receiving updates when data changes.

• Integrations: Seamlessly integrates with popular frameworks and libraries, including Express and Apollo Server, often used with GraphQL.

Keep an eye out for Part 2, coming soon!