Handling Global Website Data | Payload CMS + NextJS - Part 4

Welcome to this comprehensive guide on handling global data in your Payload CMS and Next.js project. This article is designed to provide you with all the insights you need to effectively manage global data, which is essential for components like headers and footers that appear across multiple pages. If you’re looking to display dynamic content such as the latest blog posts, you’re in the right place!

This article provides a detailed written companion to our step-by-step video tutorial available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQe1JTRO54A. If you're a visual learner or prefer to follow along with demonstrations, the video covers identical content while offering additional context and real-time implementation of each technique described here.

Table of Contents

• What is Global Data?
• Why Do You Need Global Data?
• Implementing Global Data in Next.js
• Integrating Global Data into Components
• Displaying Recent Blog Posts
• Conclusion
• FAQs
  

What is Global Data?

Global data refers to information that is accessible throughout your entire application. In the context of a website, this often includes elements that remain consistent across all pages, such as the header and footer. Imagine navigating through your site and finding that the navigation links or footer details change unexpectedly. This is where global data comes into play; it allows for a seamless user experience and ensures that essential elements are consistently displayed.

Why Do You Need Global Data?

There are several reasons why managing global data is crucial:

• Consistency: A static header and footer can lead to a disjointed user experience if data changes across pages.
• Ease of Updates: When global data is stored in a centralized location, making updates becomes easier and more efficient.
• SEO Benefits: Having static HTML with important content already present boosts your SEO, ensuring that search engines can effectively index your pages.
  

Implementing Global Data in Next.js

To effectively implement global data in your Next.js project, we will break down the process into manageable steps. We will cover how to create components for the header and footer, fetch global data, and display it dynamically.

Creating Header and Footer Components

First, let’s create the header and footer components. These components will be used across all pages of your website. Start by creating a new directory called globals in your project structure, and within it, create two files: header.js and footer.js.

Your header component will likely contain a logo and an array of navigation links. Here's a simple structure for the header:

const Header = () => {
    return (
        
{header.navLinks.map(link => ( {link.label} ))}

    );
};

For the footer, you can follow a similar approach. It may contain links to legal pages or other important information that users may need to access.

Fetching Global Data

Next, you need to fetch the global data from your backend. This is crucial because, in the pages router of Next.js, individual components cannot prefetch data on their own. Instead, you will need to fetch the data at the page level. To do this, create a new script file called fetchGlobalData.js in a scripts directory you create in your project root.

Here’s a simplified example of how you might structure your fetch function:

const fetchGlobalData = async () => {
    const headerResponse = await fetch('/api/header');
    const footerResponse = await fetch('/api/footer');
    const headerData = await headerResponse.json();
    const footerData = await footerResponse.json();
    
    return { header: headerData, footer: footerData };
};

Make sure to run this script before building your pages, which you can do by adding it to your package.json as a prebuild step.

Integrating Global Data into Components

Once you have your global data fetched, the next step is to integrate it into your components. You can import the fetched data into your header and footer components and render them appropriately.

Using the Fetched Data

Here’s how you might import and use the global data in your header component:

import header from '../globalData/header.json';

const Header = () => {
    return (
        
{header.navLinks.map(link => ( {link.label} ))}

    );
};

Make sure to do the same for your footer component, pulling in the relevant data.

Displaying Recent Blog Posts

Another important use case for global data is displaying recent blog posts. This can be crucial for engaging users and encouraging them to explore more content on your site. To create this feature, you will need to set up a block in your backend for recent blog posts.

Setting Up the Block

Create a new block called recentBlogPosts.js in your backend. This block can be configured to automatically fetch and display the latest three blog posts from your database.

In your Next.js frontend, create a corresponding component called RecentBlogPosts.jsx. This component will iterate through the fetched blog posts and display them in a visually appealing manner.

const RecentBlogPosts = ({ posts }) => {
    return (
        
{posts.map(post => (
{post.title}
))}

    );
};

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve covered the essentials of handling global data in your Payload CMS and Next.js project. By implementing global data for your header, footer, and recent blog posts, you can create a more cohesive user experience and improve your website’s SEO. Remember to fetch your data efficiently and integrate it seamlessly into your components.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to leave a comment or reach out directly. Happy coding!

FAQs

What is Payload CMS?

Payload CMS is a headless content management system that allows developers to build customizable and flexible applications. It provides a user-friendly interface and powerful API for managing content.

Why use Next.js with Payload CMS?

Next.js is a React framework that enables server-side rendering, static site generation, and optimized performance. Combining it with Payload CMS allows developers to create dynamic, data-driven applications with ease.

Can I use other CMS with Next.js?

Yes, Next.js can integrate with various headless CMS options, such as Strapi, Contentful, and Sanity, depending on your project requirements.

How can I optimize my website for SEO?

To optimize your website for SEO, ensure that your content is structured correctly, use relevant keywords, and implement meta tags effectively. Additionally, make sure that your website loads quickly and is mobile-friendly.

For more detailed guidance, check out the original video by AllAboutPayload.