---
title: NextJS
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---
:::note
This was tested against `next v13.1.1` on 2023 January 14.
:::
:::info
At a high level, there are two ways to pull spreadsheet data into NextJS apps:
loading an asset module or performing the file read operations from the NextJS
lifecycle. At the time of writing, NextJS does not offer an out-of-the-box
asset module solution, so this demo focuses on raw operations. NextJS does not
watch the spreadsheets, so `next dev` hot reloading will not work!
:::
The general strategy with NextJS apps is to generate HTML snippets or data from
the lifecycle functions and reference them in the template.
HTML output can be generated using `XLSX.utils.sheet_to_html` and inserted into
the document using the `dangerouslySetInnerHTML` attribute:
```jsx
export default function Index({html, type}) { return (
// ...
// highlight-next-line
<div dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: html }} />
// ...
); }
```
:::warning Reading and writing files during the build process
`fs` cannot be statically imported from the top level in NextJS pages. The
dynamic import must happen within a lifecycle function. For example:
```js
/* it is safe to import the library from the top level */
import { readFile, utils, set_fs } from 'xlsx';
/* it is not safe to import 'fs' from the top level ! */
// import * as fs from 'fs'; // this will fail
import { join } from 'path';
import { cwd } from 'process';
export async function getServerSideProps() {
// highlight-next-line
set_fs(await import("fs")); // dynamically import 'fs' when needed
const wb = readFile(join(cwd(), "public", "sheetjs.xlsx")); // works
// ...
}
```
:::
:::caution Next 13+ and SWC
Next 13 switched to the SWC minifier. There are known issues with the minifier.
Until those issues are resolved, SWC should be disabled in `next.config.js`:
```js title="next.config.js"
module.exports = {
// highlight-next-line
swcMinify: false
};
```
:::
## NextJS Strategies
NextJS currently provides 3 strategies:
- "Static Site Generation" using `getStaticProps`
- "SSG with Dynamic Routes" using `getStaticPaths`
- "Server-Side Rendering" using `getServerSideProps`
### Static Site Generation
When using `getStaticProps`, the file will be read once during build time.
```js
import { readFile, set_fs, utils } from 'xlsx';
export async function getStaticProps() {
/* read file */
set_fs(await import("fs"));
const wb = readFile(path_to_file)
/* generate and return the html from the first worksheet */
const html = utils.sheet_to_html(wb.Sheets[wb.SheetNames[0]]);
return { props: { html } };
};
```
### Dynamic Routes
Typically a static site with dynamic routes has an endpoint `/sheets/[id]` that
implements both `getStaticPaths` and `getStaticProps`.
- `getStaticPaths` should return an array of worksheet indices:
```js
export async function getStaticPaths() {
/* read file */
set_fs(await import("fs"));
const wb = readFile(path);
/* generate an array of objects that will be used for generating pages */
const paths = wb.SheetNames.map((name, idx) => ({ params: { id: idx.toString() } }));
return { paths, fallback: false };
};
```
:::note
For a pure static site, `fallback` must be set to `false`!
:::
- `getStaticProps` will generate the actual HTML for each page:
```js
export async function getStaticProps(ctx) {
/* read file */
set_fs(await import("fs"));
const wb = readFile(path);
/* get the corresponding worksheet and generate HTML */
const ws = wb.Sheets[wb.SheetNames[ctx.params.id]]; // id from getStaticPaths
const html = utils.sheet_to_html(ws);
return { props: { html } };
};
```
### Server-Side Rendering
:::caution Do not use on a static site
These routes require a NodeJS dynamic server. Static page generation will fail!
`getStaticProps` and `getStaticPaths` support static site generation (SSG).
`getServerSideProps` is suited for NodeJS hosted deployments where the workbook
changes frequently and a static site is undesirable.
:::
When using `getServerSideProps`, the file will be read on each request.
```js
import { readFile, set_fs, utils } from 'xlsx';
export async function getServerSideProps() {
/* read file */
set_fs(await import("fs"));
const wb = readFile(path_to_file);
/* generate and return the html from the first worksheet */
const html = utils.sheet_to_html(wb.Sheets[wb.SheetNames[0]]);
return { props: { html } };
};
```
## Demo
0) Disable NextJS telemetry:
```js
npx next@13.1.1 telemetry disable
```
Confirm it is disabled by running
```js
npx next@13.1.1 telemetry status
```
1) Set up folder structure. At the end, a `pages` folder with a `sheets`
subfolder must be created. On Linux or MacOS or WSL:
```bash
mkdir -p pages/sheets/
```
2) Download the [test file](pathname:///next/sheetjs.xlsx) and place in the
project root. On Linux or MacOS or WSL:
```bash
curl -LO https://docs.sheetjs.com/next/sheetjs.xlsx
```
3) Install dependencies:
```bash
npm i --save https://cdn.sheetjs.com/xlsx-latest/xlsx-latest.tgz next@13.1.1
```
4) Download test scripts:
Download and place the following scripts in the `pages` subfolder:
- [`index.js`](pathname:///next/index.js)
- [`getServerSideProps.js`](pathname:///next/getServerSideProps.js)
- [`getStaticPaths.js`](pathname:///next/getStaticPaths.js)
- [`getStaticProps.js`](pathname:///next/getStaticProps.js)
Download [`[id].js`](pathname:///next/%5Bid%5D.js) and place in the
`pages/sheets` subfolder.
:::caution Percent-Encoding in the script name
The `[id].js` script must have the literal square brackets in the name. If your
browser saved the file to `%5Bid%5D.js`. rename the file.
:::
On Linux or MacOS or WSL:
```bash
cd pages
curl -LO https://docs.sheetjs.com/next/index.js
curl -LO https://docs.sheetjs.com/next/getServerSideProps.js
curl -LO https://docs.sheetjs.com/next/getStaticPaths.js
curl -LO https://docs.sheetjs.com/next/getStaticProps.js
cd sheets
curl -LOg 'https://docs.sheetjs.com/next/[id].js'
cd ../..
```
5) Test the deployment:
```bash
npx next@13.1.1
```
Open a web browser and access:
- http://localhost:3000 landing page
- http://localhost:3000/getStaticProps shows data from the first sheet
- http://localhost:3000/getServerSideProps shows data from the first sheet
- http://localhost:3000/getStaticPaths shows a list (3 sheets)
The individual worksheets are available at
- http://localhost:3000/sheets/0
- http://localhost:3000/sheets/1
- http://localhost:3000/sheets/2
6) Stop the server and run a production build:
```bash
npx next@13.1.1 build
```
The final output will show a list of the routes and types:
```
Route (pages) Size First Load JS
┌ ○ / 541 B 77.4 kB
├ ○ /404 181 B 73.7 kB
├ λ /getServerSideProps 594 B 77.4 kB
├ ● /getStaticPaths 2.56 kB 79.4 kB
├ ● /getStaticProps 591 B 77.4 kB
└ ● /sheets/[id] (447 ms) 569 B 77.4 kB
├ /sheets/0
├ /sheets/1
└ /sheets/2
```
As explained in the summary, the `/getStaticPaths` and `/getStaticProps` routes
are completely static. 3 `/sheets/#` pages were generated, corresponding to 3
worksheets in the file. `/getServerSideProps` is server-rendered.
7) Try to build a static site:
```bash
npx next@13.1.1 export
```
:::note The static export will fail!
A static page cannot be generated at this point because `/getServerSideProps`
is still server-rendered.
:::
8) Delete `pages/getServerSideProps.js` and rebuild:
```bash
rm -f pages/getServerSideProps.js
npx next@13.1.1 build
```
Inspecting the output, there should be no lines with the `λ` symbol:
```
Route (pages) Size First Load JS
┌ ○ / 541 B 77.4 kB
├ ○ /404 181 B 73.7 kB
├ ● /getStaticPaths 2.56 kB 79.4 kB
├ ● /getStaticProps 591 B 77.4 kB
└ ● /sheets/[id] (459 ms) 569 B 77.4 kB
├ /sheets/0
├ /sheets/1
└ /sheets/2
```
9) Generate the static site:
```bash
npx next@13.1.1 export
```
The static site will be written to the `out` subfolder, which can be hosted with
```bash
npx http-server out
```
The command will start a local HTTP server for testing the generated site. Note
that `/getServerSideProps` will 404 since the page was removed.