Mastering Next.js: Unleashing the Power of Third-Party Integrations

Next.js is a powerful framework for building innovative and scalable web applications. However, to unlock its full potential, you need to master the integration of third-party libraries. These libraries can add a myriad of functionalities to your Next.js applications, improving performance, user experience, and developer efficiency. In this guide, we will explore how to leverage third-party libraries in your Next.js projects using the @next/third-parties library.

Getting Started with @next/third-parties

To begin, you need to install the @next/third-parties library. This library provides optimized components and utilities for popular third-party libraries, making it easier to integrate them into your Next.js applications.

npm install @next/third-parties@latest next@latest

@next/third-parties is currently experimental and under active development. We recommend using the latest version while more third-party integrations are being added.

Google Third-Party Integrations

The @next/third-parties library facilitates easy integration with several Google services, including Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics, Google Maps Embed, and YouTube Embed. Let's explore each of these integrations in detail.

Google Tag Manager

Google Tag Manager allows you to easily manage and deploy marketing tags (snippets of code or tracking pixels) on your website without modifying the code. Use the GoogleTagManager component to add a GTM container to your page.

Adding Google Tag Manager to All Routes

To include Google Tag Manager across all routes, place the GoogleTagManager component in your /app/layout.tsx file.

import { GoogleTagManager } from '@next/third-parties/google'
 
export default function RootLayout({ children }) {
  return (
    <html lang="en">
      <GoogleTagManager gtmId="GTM-XYZ" />
      <body>{children}</body>
    </html>
  );
}

Adding Google Tag Manager to a Single Route

To include Google Tag Manager for only a specific route, add the component in your page file.

import { GoogleTagManager } from '@next/third-parties/google'
 
export default function Page() {
  return <GoogleTagManager gtmId="GTM-XYZ" />;
}

Google Analytics

Google Analytics helps you track and report website traffic. The GoogleAnalytics component can be used to include Google Analytics 4 in your page via the Google tag (gtag.js).

Adding Google Analytics to All Routes

import { GoogleAnalytics } from '@next/third-parties/google'
 
export default function RootLayout({ children }) {
  return (
    <html lang="en">
      <body>{children}</body>
      <GoogleAnalytics gaId="G-XYZ" />
    </html>
  );
}

Adding Google Analytics to a Single Route

import { GoogleAnalytics } from '@next/third-parties/google'
 
export default function Page() {
  return <GoogleAnalytics gaId="G-XYZ" />;
}

Google Maps Embed

To embed a Google Map on your page, use the GoogleMapsEmbed component.

import { GoogleMapsEmbed } from '@next/third-parties/google'
 
export default function Page() {
  return (
    <GoogleMapsEmbed
      apiKey="YOUR_API_KEY"
      height={200}
      width="100%"
      mode="place"
      q="Brooklyn+Bridge,New+York,NY"
    />
  );
}

YouTube Embed

To embed a YouTube video on your page, use the YouTubeEmbed component. This component loads faster using lite-youtube-embed under the hood.

import { YouTubeEmbed } from '@next/third-parties/google'
 
export default function Page() {
  return <YouTubeEmbed videoid="ogfYd705cRs" height={400} params="controls=0" />;
}

Conclusion

Third-party libraries are vital for adding rich functionalities to your Next.js applications. The @next/third-parties library simplifies the integration process with optimized components and utilities for Google services and more. As you continue to explore and master these integrations, your Next.js applications will not only enhance user experience but also streamline development workflows.

For more detailed documentation and examples, please refer to the official Next.js documentation. Happy coding!

References

"Third Party Libraries". Next.js Documentation.