Next.js, The Docs: Handling Redirects in Next.js 14+

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Next.js provides several ways to handle redirects, each suited to different scenarios, whether they occur after an event or mutation, based on a path or condition, or for scaling a large number of redirects. Below is a brief overview of available redirect options in Next.js 14+ using the App Router.

1. redirect Function

• Purpose: Redirects the user after a mutation or event, commonly used after actions like creating or updating content.
• Usage: Can be used in Server Components, Server Actions, and Route Handlers.
• Status Code: Returns a 307 (Temporary) or 303 (See Other) when used in a Server Action.
• Example:

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  import { redirect } from 'next/navigation';
  
  export async function createPost(id: string) {
    // Create post logic
    redirect(`/post/${id}`);
  }
  

2. permanentRedirect Function

• Purpose: Permanently redirects the user, often after a mutation or event that changes a canonical URL (e.g., updating a username).
• Usage: Similar to redirect, used in Server Components, Server Actions, and Route Handlers.
• Status Code: Returns a 308 (Permanent Redirect).
• Example:

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  import { permanentRedirect } from 'next/navigation';
  
  export async function updateUsername(username: string) {
    // Update username logic
    permanentRedirect(`/profile/${username}`);
  }
  

3. useRouter Hook

• Purpose: Client-side navigation, used in event handlers in Client Components.
• Usage: Best suited for interactive client-side redirects.
• Example:

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  import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation';
  
  const Page = () => {
    const router = useRouter();
    return <button onClick={() => router.push('/dashboard')}>Go to Dashboard</button>;
  };
  

4. Redirects in next.config.js

• Purpose: Redirect incoming requests based on paths defined in the configuration. Commonly used to manage known redirects across paths or when the URL structure changes.
• Example:

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  module.exports = {
    async redirects() {
      return [
        { source: '/old-path', destination: '/new-path', permanent: true },
      ];
    },
  };
  

5. NextResponse.redirect in Middleware

• Purpose: Conditionally redirects users before the rendering process, often based on authentication or other conditions.
• Usage: Used in Middleware to run logic before completing a request.
• Example:

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  import { NextResponse } from 'next/server';
  
  export function middleware(req) {
    if (!authenticated) {
      return NextResponse.redirect('/login');
    }
    return NextResponse.next();
  }
  

Managing Redirects at Scale

• For large numbers of redirects (1000+): Consider using Middleware with a custom redirect map stored in a database (like Redis) or use data lookup optimizations like a Bloom filter to efficiently handle redirects at scale.

Each method provides different levels of control over redirection, from client-side navigation to server-side responses. For complex applications with many redirects, solutions like Middleware with databases or Bloom filters can be implemented to ensure performance and scalability.