Metadata in layouts in NextJS - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to define metadata in a Next.js layout.

NextJS

export const metadata = { title: '[1]' };

export default function RootLayout({ children }) {
  return <html><body>{children}</body></html>;
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AMy Page Title

Blayout

Cdefault

Dchildren

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using children as the title value.

Forgetting to export the metadata object.

The metadata object defines the page title for the layout.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to add a description to the metadata object.

NextJS

export const metadata = {
  title: 'Home',
  description: '[1]'
};

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AThis is the homepage

Bdefault

CRootLayout

Dchildren

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using a component name instead of a description string.

Leaving the description empty.

The description property provides a short summary for the page metadata.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the metadata export syntax.

NextJS

export const metadata[1] {
  title: 'About'
};

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A=>

B:

C==

D=

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using colon instead of equals.

Using arrow function syntax mistakenly.

The correct syntax to export a constant object is export const metadata = { ... }.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to add open graph metadata for title and description.

NextJS

export const metadata = {
  openGraph: {
    title: '[1]',
    description: '[2]'
  }
};

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AMy Site

BWelcome to my site

Cchildren

DRootLayout

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using component names instead of descriptive strings.

Leaving openGraph properties empty.

Open Graph metadata helps social media show rich previews with title and description.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to define metadata with title, twitter card type, and robots directive.

NextJS

export const metadata = {
  title: '[1]',
  twitter: {
    card: '[2]'
  },
  robots: {
    index: [3]
  }
};

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

ABlog Post

Bsummary_large_image

Ctrue

Dfalse

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using strings instead of boolean for robots index.

Using wrong Twitter card type.

This metadata sets the page title, Twitter card type for rich preview, and allows search engines to index the page.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of the metadata object in a Next.js layout?

easy

A. To manage client-side state in the layout

B. To style the layout components with CSS

C. To define page information like title and description for browsers and search engines

D. To handle user authentication in the layout

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the role of metadata in Next.js

   The metadata object is used to provide page details such as title and description that browsers and search engines use.

2. Step 2: Differentiate metadata from other layout tasks

   Styling, authentication, and state management are handled separately, not by metadata.

3. Final Answer:

   To define page information like title and description for browsers and search engines -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Metadata = page info for browsers and SEO [OK]

Hint: Metadata sets page info, not styles or logic [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing metadata with CSS styling
• Thinking metadata manages user data
• Assuming metadata controls client state

2. Which of the following is the correct way to export metadata in a Next.js layout file?

easy

A. export metadata = { title: 'Home' };

B. const metadata = { title: 'Home' }; export default metadata;

C. export function metadata() { return { title: 'Home' }; }

D. export const metadata = { title: 'Home' };

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall Next.js metadata export syntax

   Next.js expects a named export called metadata as a constant object.

2. Step 2: Check each option's syntax

   export const metadata = { title: 'Home' }; correctly exports a constant object. const metadata = { title: 'Home' }; export default metadata; exports default, which is incorrect. export function metadata() { return { title: 'Home' }; } exports a function, not an object. export metadata = { title: 'Home' }; has invalid export syntax.

3. Final Answer:

   export const metadata = { title: 'Home' }; -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Named const export = correct syntax [OK]

Hint: Use named const export for metadata object [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using default export instead of named export
• Exporting a function instead of an object
• Incorrect export syntax without const

3. Given this layout file snippet, what will be the page title shown in the browser tab?

export const metadata = { title: 'Dashboard' };

export default function Layout({ children }) {
  return <main>{children}</main>;
}

medium

A. Dashboard

B. Home

C. Layout

D. No title will be shown

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the metadata title value

   The metadata object sets title to 'Dashboard'.

2. Step 2: Understand Next.js behavior with metadata

   Next.js uses this metadata to set the HTML <title> tag, which appears in the browser tab.

3. Final Answer:

   Dashboard -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   metadata.title = browser tab title [OK]

Hint: metadata.title sets browser tab title [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming default title if metadata is present
• Confusing layout function name with title
• Thinking children content affects title

4. You wrote this layout metadata but the page title does not update:

const metadata = { title: 'Profile' };

export default function Layout({ children }) {
  return <main>{children}</main>;
}

What is the error?

medium

A. The title property must be inside a function

B. metadata must be exported with export const metadata

C. Layout must be a class component to use metadata

D. Children must be wrapped in a <section> tag

Solution

1. Step 1: Check metadata export

   The metadata object is declared but not exported, so Next.js cannot read it.

2. Step 2: Confirm correct export syntax

   Next.js requires export const metadata = { ... } to recognize metadata.

3. Final Answer:

   metadata must be exported with export const metadata -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Export metadata for Next.js to use it [OK]

Hint: Always export metadata as named const [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Forgetting to export metadata
• Using function or class for metadata
• Changing children wrapper tags unnecessarily

5. You want to set a default description for all pages using a root layout metadata, but override it on a specific page. How should you structure your Next.js metadata exports?

hard

A. Export metadata with description in root layout, then export metadata with a different description in the page layout

B. Only export metadata in the root layout; page metadata is ignored

C. Merge metadata objects manually inside the root layout component

D. Use a global CSS file to set description meta tag

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand metadata inheritance in Next.js

   Metadata in layouts is merged, so root layout metadata applies by default.

2. Step 2: Override metadata in nested layouts or pages

   Exporting metadata in a page or nested layout overrides root metadata for that page.

3. Step 3: Confirm correct approach

   Export metadata with description in root layout, then export metadata with a different description in the page layout correctly describes exporting metadata in root and overriding in page layout.

4. Final Answer:

   Export metadata with description in root layout, then export metadata with a different description in the page layout -> Option A

5. Quick Check:

   Root metadata sets default, page metadata overrides [OK]

Hint: Root metadata sets default; page metadata overrides [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming page metadata is ignored if root exists
• Trying to merge metadata manually in code
• Using CSS to set metadata tags