Making Fetch Happen? When to Use Different Data-Fetching Methods in Next.js

Next.js has gained popularity as a React framework due to its flexible data-fetching capabilities, which offer more options than the typical client-side HTTP requests in standard React apps. It allows for server-side data fetching, making it possible to cache infrequently changing data and protect sensitive requests. The guide explores building a blog with a comments feature using Next.js, highlighting the use of getStaticProps for static generation and caching of blog posts, and getStaticPaths for dynamic routing. It also discusses using the revalidate parameter for incremental static regeneration, ensuring data updates without frequent rebuilds. For frequently changing data like comments, client-side fetching with SWR is recommended for its efficiency in handling frequent updates and leveraging built-in caching. The text further examines getServerSideProps for scenarios requiring server-side data fetching based on user activity or rapidly changing databases. Additionally, it introduces the upcoming Server Components feature in Next.js, which promises to streamline server-side rendering at the component level, offering potential improvements in performance and simplicity.