Jihye's Blog

Understanding Navigation in Next.js: Link Component vs. useRouter Hook

In Next.js, both the Link component and the useRouter hook are essential tools for navigation. While they both help users move between pages, they serve different purposes and should be used in specific scenarios to optimize performance and maintainability.

Using the Link Component

The Link component is the go-to choice for static navigation between pages. It allows seamless client-side navigation without triggering a full page reload. Additionally, in production, it prefetches linked pages to enhance performance.

When to Use Link

• When creating a navigation menu or sidebar.
• When linking directly to another page inside JSX.
• When you want to take advantage of prefetching for faster loading times.

Example Usage

Code
import Link from "next/link";

export default function Home() {
  return (
    <nav>
      <Link href="/about">Go to About</Link>
    </nav>
  );
}

Using the Link component is simple and effective when you have predefined routes and want users to navigate statically between them.

Using the useRouter Hook

The useRouter hook is a more dynamic alternative. It allows for programmatic navigation, meaning you can control routing inside event handlers, conditionally redirect users, or access route information such as query parameters.

When to Use useRouter

• When you need to navigate dynamically based on an event (e.g., after a form submission).

• When accessing query parameters or checking the current route.

• When performing conditional navigation within an event handler.

Example Usage

Code
"use client"; // Required in Next.js App Router

import { useRouter } from "next/navigation";

export default function Dashboard() {
  const router = useRouter();

  const handleNavigation = () => {
    router.push("/profile"); // Navigate programmatically
  };

  return <button onClick={handleNavigation}>Go to Profile</button>;
}

This approach is particularly useful when you need to redirect users after completing an action, such as submitting a form or logging in.

Choosing the Right Approach

To summarize:

Use the Link component when creating static links inside JSX for navigation menus and simple page transitions.

Use the useRouter hook when handling dynamic navigation inside event handlers or when you need access to route-related information.

By understanding when to use each method, you can build a Next.js application with efficient and user-friendly navigation. Whether it's static navigation with Link or dynamic routing with useRouter, both play a crucial role in enhancing the user experience.