How to build a progress bar indicator in Next.js

Next.js, a popular backend framework built on React, has evolved with updates such as server-side and client-side rendering capabilities and an integrated routing system. However, users may experience temporary freezing during page transitions, particularly when navigating to server-side rendered pages. To enhance user experience, this guide offers a tutorial on creating and displaying a progress bar indicator for route changes in a Next.js application. It introduces the use of Next.js Router events, which allow tracking of route changes, and demonstrates how to implement a loader component with both custom CSS and third-party libraries like NProgress and React Spinners. This approach helps keep users informed during loading times by visually indicating progress, thus addressing the challenge of perceived sluggishness during navigation. The article also highlights LogRocket's tools for debugging Next.js applications and monitoring user experiences.