1. Introduction

Goal

This tutorial aims to guide you through the process of deploying a Next.js application with server-side rendering (SSR).

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this tutorial, you'll understand the advantages and challenges of SSR and know how to optimize your app for best performance in a server environment.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, you should have a basic understanding of JavaScript, React, and Next.js. Familiarity with Node.js and Express.js will also be beneficial.

2. Step-by-Step Guide

SSR is the process where a client-side app is rendered on the server first and then sent to the client as a fully rendered page. This approach has its benefits: initial page load can be faster and it's more SEO-friendly. But there are considerations for deployment.

2.1 Server and Hosting

Since Next.js needs a Node.js environment to run, you need to choose a server or a hosting provider that supports it. Some popular choices include Vercel (from the creators of Next.js), Netlify, and Heroku.

2.2 Environment Variables

Next.js allows you to set environment-specific variables. However, remember that only those prefixed with NEXT_PUBLIC_ will be accessible on the client side.

2.3 Caching

To improve performance, consider implementing a caching strategy. Caching static assets and pages can significantly reduce server load and improve response times.

2.4 Error Handling

Ensure you have a robust error handling strategy. This includes logging errors, setting up alert notifications, and displaying user-friendly error pages.

3. Code Examples

3.1 Setting Environment Variables

You can set environment variables in your .env.local file as shown below:

// .env.local
NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=https://api.example.com

In your Next.js app, you can access this variable like so:

// pages/index.js
export default function HomePage() {
  return <h1>API URL: {process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL}</h1>;
}

3.2 Caching Static Assets

With a custom server like Express.js, you can use the express.static middleware to serve and cache static files:

// server.js
const express = require('express');
const next = require('next');

const app = next({});
const handle = app.getRequestHandler();

app.prepare().then(() => {
  const server = express();

  server.use(express.static('public', {
    maxAge: '1y',
    immutable: true,
  }));

  server.get('*', (req, res) => {
    return handle(req, res);
  });

  server.listen(3000, (err) => {
    if (err) throw err;
    console.log('> Ready on http://localhost:3000');
  });
});

4. Summary

In this tutorial, we explored the considerations for deploying a Next.js app with SSR, including server and hosting choices, environment variables, caching, and error handling.

5. Practice Exercises

1. Deploy a simple Next.js app with SSR on Vercel and Heroku. Compare the deployment processes and performance of both platforms.
2. Add environment variables to your Next.js app and access them on the client side.
3. Implement a caching strategy for static assets in your Next.js app using a custom server.

Solutions and explanations for these exercises are left as an exercise for the reader, as they involve personal research and hands-on practice. You can refer to the official Next.js and Express.js documentation for more information.