Building Server-Side Rendered Vue.js Apps with Nuxt.js

Rlogical Techsoft
3 min readApr 30, 2024
Source: Freepik

What is Nuxt JS? Basic Overview

Nuxt.js is a powerful framework built on Vue.js that simplifies the process of creating server-side rendered (SSR) Vue.js applications. Here’s a breakdown of the key concepts and steps involved:

Benefits of Server-Side Rendering with Nuxt.js:

  • Improved SEO: Search engines can easily crawl and index your application’s content because the initial HTML is already rendered on the server.
  • Faster Initial Load Time: Nuxt.js sends a fully rendered HTML page to the browser initially, providing a quicker perceived load time for users.
  • Enhanced User Experience: Users see the content immediately, even if JavaScript loads fully, improving the initial interaction.

Key Concepts in Nuxt.js:

  • Components: Just like in Vue.js, reusable components form the building blocks of your Nuxt.js application.
  • Pages: Nuxt.js applications are structured using .vue files located in the pages directory. Each file defines a route and its corresponding component.
  • Layouts: Reusable layouts define the overall application structure (header, navigation, footer) and can be extended by individual pages.
  • Routing: Nuxt.js automatically handles routing based on the file structure within the pages directory.

Steps to Create a Server-Side Rendered Vue.js App with Nuxt.js:

1. Installation: Install Nuxt.js globally using npm or yarn:

npm install -g nuxt

2. Project Creation: Create a new Nuxt.js project using the following command:

npx nuxt init my-nuxt-app

(Replace my-nuxt-app with your desired project name)

3. Directory Structure: Nuxt.js creates a project structure with pre-defined folders for components, layouts, and other essential files.

4. Creating Pages: Create Vue components within the pages directory. Each component represents a route in your application.

pages/

- index.vue // Represents the home page route

- about.vue // Represents the about page route

5. Layouts: Create a layout component in the layouts directory to define the application’s overall structure. This layout component can be extended by individual pages.

layouts/

- default.vue // Default application layout

6. Development Server: Start the Nuxt.js development server to view your application in progress:

run dev

(You can usually access the development server at http://localhost:3000)

7. Build and Deployment: Once development is complete, build an optimized production version for deployment

run build

Related: What is the ideal Procedure for Hire Full-stack Developers From India?

Additional Features:

  • Data Fetching: Nuxt.js provides mechanisms for fetching data on the server side(asyncData, nuxtServerInit) or on the client side(fetch) to populate your application’s components.
  • CSS Preprocessors: Nuxt.js supports using CSS preprocessors like Sass or Less for more maintainable stylesheets.
  • Plugins: A vast ecosystem of plugins extends Nuxt.js functionalities for various needs (routing, image optimization, etc.).

Resources:

  • Nuxt.js Documentation: The official Nuxt.js documentation provides a comprehensive guide to creating server-side rendered applications.
  • Nuxt.js Tutorials: Several online tutorials can guide you through creating your first Nuxt.js application.

Is Nuxt.js right for you?

Nuxt.js is a great choice for developers who want to:

  • Build complex and scalable Vue.js applications.
  • Leverage the benefits of SSR for SEO and performance.
  • Save development time with pre-built features and a streamlined development workflow.

By following these steps and exploring the learning resources, you can leverage Nuxt.js to build efficient and user-friendly server-side rendered Vue.js applications.

--

--

Rlogical Techsoft

Web & Mobile App Development Company. Expertise in Mobile App, PHP, ASP .NET, MVC 5 (Razor), MongoDB, NodeJS, AngularJS, ReactJS, Windows App, POS, Scraping.