Using Strapi GraphQL API with Next.js

Building modern web applications requires a powerful backend CMS and a robust frontend framework. In this guide, we’ll explore how to integrate Strapi’s GraphQL API with Next.js to create a blazing-fast, content-driven website. Let’s dive into this exciting combination that’s taking the web development world by storm.

Setting Up Your Development Environment

First things first, let’s get our development environment ready. You’ll need to have both Strapi and Next.js projects set up. If you’re starting from scratch, create new projects for both:

npx create-strapi-app@latest my-strapi-app
npx create-next-app@latest my-nextjs-app

Configuring GraphQL in Strapi

Once you have Strapi installed, you’ll need to enable the GraphQL plugin. It’s as simple as installing the package and updating your configuration. The great thing about Strapi is how it automatically generates GraphQL schemas based on your content types.

npm install @strapi/plugin-graphql

After installation, restart your Strapi server, and you’ll have access to the GraphQL playground at /graphql. This is where you can test your queries before implementing them in Next.js.

Integrating with Next.js

Now comes the exciting part – connecting Next.js to our Strapi GraphQL API. We’ll use Apollo Client for handling GraphQL operations. First, install the necessary dependencies:

npm install @apollo/client graphql

Create a new Apollo client instance in your Next.js project. Here’s a simple setup that you can place in a lib/apollo-client.js file:

import { ApolloClient, InMemoryCache } from '@apollo/client';

const client = new ApolloClient({
  uri: 'http://localhost:1337/graphql',
  cache: new InMemoryCache(),
});

export default client;

Fetching Data in Next.js

One of the most powerful features of Next.js is its data fetching methods. You can use getStaticProps or getServerSideProps depending on your needs. Here’s how you might fetch data from Strapi:

export async function getStaticProps() {
  const { data } = await client.query({
    query: gql`
      query GetArticles {
        articles {
          data {
            id
            attributes {
              title
              content
              slug
            }
          }
        }
      }
    `,
  });

  return {
    props: {
      articles: data.articles.data,
    },
    revalidate: 60,
  };
}

Best Practices and Optimization

Remember these key points when working with Strapi and Next.js:

1. Use fragments to reuse common query parts
2. Implement proper error handling
3. Take advantage of Next.js’s ISR (Incremental Static Regeneration)
4. Cache your Apollo queries effectively
5. Use proper TypeScript types for your GraphQL queries

Conclusion

The combination of Strapi’s GraphQL API and Next.js creates a powerful foundation for building modern web applications. With Strapi handling your content management and Next.js taking care of the frontend, you can focus on creating amazing user experiences while maintaining a clean and maintainable codebase.