Using Immer with Next.js: integrating Immer into a Next.js project

28 Sep 2023

Nextjs
Immer

In this blog post, we will explore how to integrate Immer into a Next.js project, leveraging its powerful features for immutable state management. Immer is a popular library that allows us to work with immutable state in a more intuitive and efficient way.

Why use Immer?

Immer simplifies the process of working with immutable data structures. It provides a convenient API for creating copies of immutable state without the need for manual deep-cloning or mutation tracking. With Immer, you can write simpler and more readable code while ensuring the integrity of your application’s state.

Integrating Immer into a Next.js project

To start using Immer in a Next.js project, follow the steps below:

Install Immer: Begin by installing Immer as a dependency in your project. Open a terminal and navigate to the project’s root directory. Run the following command:
```
npm install immer
```
Create a useImmer Hook: Next, let’s create a custom React Hook that wraps Immer’s functionality. In a new file, let’s call it useImmer.js, add the following code:
```
import { useState } from 'react';
import produce from 'immer';

function useImmer(initialState) {
  const [state, setState] = useState(initialState);

  const updateState = (updater) => {
    setState((prevState) => produce(prevState, updater));
  };

  return [state, updateState];
}

export default useImmer;
```
This custom Hook, useImmer, takes an initial state value and returns an array with two elements: the current state and a function to update it. When the updateState function is invoked, Immer’s produce function is used to create a new immutable state based on the previous state and the provided update function.
Integrate with Next.js: With the useImmer Hook in place, we can now integrate it into our Next.js project. Open one of your Next.js components and import the useImmer Hook as follows:
```
import useImmer from '../path/to/useImmer';
```
Using useImmer in your component: Finally, to use the useImmer Hook in your components, declare a state variable using destructuring assignment, like this:
```
const [state, updateState] = useImmer(initialState);
```
Now you can use state as your immutable state variable and updateState to modify it. Any changes made using updateState will automatically create a new immutable state, avoiding any inadvertent state mutation.

Conclusion

Integrating Immer into a Next.js project can greatly simplify the management of immutable state. By using Immer’s easy-to-use API, you can write more readable and maintainable code while ensuring the integrity of your application’s state.

Give it a try and experience the benefits of Immer in your Next.js projects! #Nextjs #Immer