The Best Libraries to Use with Next.js in 2024

Next.js has become one of the most popular JavaScript frameworks for web and application development due to its performance and ease of use.

In 2024, several complementary libraries stand out to enrich your Next.js projects. Among them, I use several on the site you are currently browsing! Here is an overview of the best libraries to consider this year:

State Management Libraries

Zustand

Zustand is a lightweight and intuitive state management library for React. It offers a simple and performant alternative to more complex solutions like Redux, and it's also my favorite!

• Features:

Minimalistic and flexible API. Management of global and local states. Optimized performance with fine-grained render management. Easy integration with React and Next.js components.

Jotai

Jotai is a state management library for React, offering a lightweight and modern alternative to solutions like Redux or Recoil.

• Features:

Minimalistic and flexible API. Management of global and local states. Easy integration with React and Next.js components. Optimized performance with fine-grained render management.

UI and Web Design Libraries

Tailwind CSS

Tailwind CSS is a utility-first CSS framework that allows you to quickly create modern and responsive user interfaces. In recent years, this library has become so popular that it is almost indispensable for developers to know.

• Features:

Utility-first CSS classes for maximum flexibility. Perfect integration with React and Next.js components. Customization possible via simple configuration. Improved performance by purging unused classes.

shadcn/ui

shadcn/ui is a React component library designed to be used with Next.js, offering a wide range of pre-defined components to speed up UI development. Unlike other libraries, you can create your components directly in your project via the command line, importing only what you will actually use instead of an entire library!

• Features:

Collection of modern and customizable components. Easy integration with Tailwind CSS for quick styling. Optimized performance with fine-grained render management. Robust documentation and community support.

V.0 by Vercel

V.0 is a project launched by Vercel. It is particularly useful for developers looking to create sophisticated designs. It's not exactly a library; it's a site where you need to create a user account. The interface allows you to enter prompts using artificial intelligence (like ChatGPT or MidJourney), which then provides you with components that you can refine and use in your projects!

• Features:

Entirely based on Tailwind CSS and shadcn/ui, two of the best existing libraries for your projects.

Framer Motion

Framer Motion is a powerful animation library for React, ideal for adding smooth and performant animations to your Next.js projects and improving retention rates on your sites!

• Features:

Simple and intuitive API for animations. Support for page transition animations with Next.js. Optimized performance using the Popmotion library.

Swiper JS

Swiper JS is the most modern and performant slider library for web applications. Compatible with Next.js, it allows you to create responsive carousels and sliders with a variety of advanced features.

• Features:

Highly performant and responsive. Wide range of features (pagination, navigation, etc.). Easy to customize.

Magic UI

Magic UI is a component and tool library for creating dynamic and responsive user interfaces. It stands out for its interactive components and advanced development tools.

• Features: Collection of interactive and dynamic components. Flexible API for extensive customization. Easy integration with Next.js projects. Comprehensive documentation and usage examples.

Other Libraries

SWR

SWR (stale-while-revalidate) is a data fetching library developed by Vercel, the creators of Next.js. It is designed to improve user experience by providing fast and updated data.

• Features:

Cache management and background data revalidation. Support for server-side and client-side queries. Simple and flexible API. Advanced features like pagination and request deduplication.

React Query

React Query is a powerful library for managing asynchronous data states in React applications. It simplifies data fetching, caching, synchronization, and updating server data.

• Features:

Automatic cache management. Support for queries and mutations. Optimizations for improved performance. Easy integration with Next.js, especially with hooks.

Formik

Formik is a powerful library for managing forms in React applications. It simplifies the creation and validation of complex forms.

• Features:

Simple API for form state management. Built-in validation with Yup. Error handling and form submissions. Easy integration with Next.js for client-side and server-side forms.

Prisma

Prisma is a very modern ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) for Node.js and TypeScript. It simplifies interactions with your database and offers great productivity for developers.

• Features:

Automatic generation of TypeScript types. Supports multiple databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, etc.). Automatic database schema migrations. Optimized and performant SQL queries.

Contentlayer

Often considered the Prisma of content management, Contentlayer is a modern library for managing content in web applications, allowing you to convert Markdown files into structured data usable in Next.js. It integrates perfectly with modern frameworks.

• Features: Generates structured data from content files. Smooth integration with Next.js. Ideal for static content sites.

Conclusion

In 2024, Next.js continues to be a leading choice for developing modern websites and web applications.

The libraries mentioned above complement Next.js perfectly by providing advanced features, optimized performance, and a better user experience. By using these tools, developers can create robust, scalable, and maintainable web applications while benefiting from the latest innovations in the React and Next.js ecosystem.