Redirect function in NextJS - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Redirect Function in Next.js

📖 Scenario: You are building a simple Next.js app where users can be redirected from one page to another based on a condition.

🎯 Goal: Create a Next.js page that redirects users to a different URL using the redirect function from Next.js.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a Next.js page component

Use the redirect function from next/navigation

Set up a condition to trigger the redirect

Export the page as a default React component

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Redirects are common in web apps to send users to login pages, error pages, or updated content automatically.

💼 Career

Understanding how to use Next.js redirect functions is important for building user-friendly navigation flows in modern web applications.

1

Create a Next.js page component

Create a new file called page.tsx and write a React functional component named Page that returns a simple <div> with the text Welcome to the redirect demo.

NextJS

export default function Page() {
  // Your code here
}

Hint

Start by defining a function named Page that returns a <div> with the welcome text.

2

Import the redirect function

At the top of page.tsx, import the redirect function from next/navigation.

NextJS

import { redirect } from 'next/navigation'

export default function Page() {
  return Welcome to the redirect demo;
  // Your code here
}

Hint

Use the ES module import syntax to import redirect from next/navigation.

3

Add a condition to trigger redirect

Inside the Page component, create a constant named shouldRedirect and set it to true. Then, add an if statement that calls redirect('/new-page') if shouldRedirect is true.

NextJS

import { redirect } from 'next/navigation'

export default function Page() {
  const shouldRedirect = true
  // Your code here
  return Welcome to the redirect demo;
}

Hint

Use a simple if statement to check shouldRedirect and call redirect with the target path.

4

Complete the redirect page

Ensure the Page component exports as default and the redirect logic is correctly placed before the return statement.

NextJS

import { redirect } from 'next/navigation'

export default function Page() {
  const shouldRedirect = true
  if (shouldRedirect) {
    redirect('/new-page')
  }
  // Your code here
  return Welcome to the redirect demo;
}

Hint

Make sure the redirect happens before the component returns JSX.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of the redirect function in Next.js?

easy

A. To fetch data from an API

B. To send users automatically to a different page

C. To style components dynamically

D. To create new server routes

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the redirect function role

   The redirect function is designed to change the current page to another URL automatically.

2. Step 2: Compare with other options

   Fetching data, styling, or creating routes are unrelated to redirect's purpose.

3. Final Answer:

   To send users automatically to a different page -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Redirect = page navigation [OK]

Hint: Redirect means sending user to another page automatically [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing redirect with data fetching
• Thinking redirect styles components
• Assuming redirect creates routes

2. Which of the following is the correct way to import and use the redirect function in a Next.js server component?

easy

A. import { redirect } from 'next/navigation'; redirect('/home');

B. import redirect from 'next/router'; redirect('/home');

C. import { redirect } from 'next/router'; redirect('/home');

D. import redirect from 'next/navigation'; redirect('/home');

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify correct import source

   The redirect function is imported from 'next/navigation' as a named import.

2. Step 2: Check usage syntax

   Calling redirect('/home') after import is correct usage.

3. Final Answer:

   import { redirect } from 'next/navigation'; redirect('/home'); -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Correct import and call from next/navigation [OK]

Hint: Use named import from 'next/navigation' for redirect [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Importing redirect from 'next/router' instead
• Using default import instead of named import
• Calling redirect without importing

3. Consider this Next.js server component code snippet:

import { redirect } from 'next/navigation';

export default function Page() {
  const isLoggedIn = false;
  if (!isLoggedIn) {
    redirect('/login');
  }
  return <h1>Welcome</h1>;
}

What will the user see when visiting this page?

medium

A. A runtime error occurs

B. The user sees the text 'Welcome'

C. The page shows a blank screen

D. The user is redirected to '/login' page automatically

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze the condition for redirect

   The variable isLoggedIn is false, so the condition !isLoggedIn is true, triggering redirect('/login').

2. Step 2: Understand redirect effect in server component

   Calling redirect sends the user to '/login' immediately, so the return statement is not reached.

3. Final Answer:

   The user is redirected to '/login' page automatically -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Redirect triggers when not logged in [OK]

Hint: If redirect runs, page content won't show [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking the return content still renders
• Assuming redirect causes error
• Ignoring the condition logic

4. This Next.js server component code has a mistake. What is the mistake?

import { redirect } from 'next/navigation';

export default function Page() {
  redirect('/dashboard');
  return <h1>Dashboard</h1>;
}

medium

A. Returning JSX after redirect call

B. Calling redirect outside a conditional or event handler

C. Using redirect in a client component

D. Missing async keyword on the function

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand redirect behavior

   Calling redirect immediately stops rendering and sends a redirect response.

2. Step 2: Check code after redirect call

   Returning JSX after redirect is invalid because redirect does not allow further rendering.

3. Final Answer:

   Returning JSX after redirect call -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Redirect stops rendering, no return allowed after [OK]

Hint: Do not return JSX after calling redirect [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking redirect can be called in client components
• Calling redirect without conditions is allowed
• Forgetting redirect stops rendering

5. You want to redirect users to '/profile' only if they are logged in, otherwise to '/login'. Which code correctly implements this logic in a Next.js server component?

hard

A. import { redirect } from 'next/navigation';

export default function Page() {
const loggedIn = true;
if (loggedIn) {
redirect('/login');
} else {
redirect('/profile');
}
return null;
}

B. import { redirect } from 'next/navigation';

export default function Page() {
const loggedIn = false;
if (loggedIn) {
redirect('/login');
} else {
redirect('/profile');
}
return null;
}

C. import { redirect } from 'next/navigation';

export default function Page() {
const loggedIn = false;
if (!loggedIn) {
redirect('/login');
} else {
redirect('/profile');
}
return null;
}

D. import { redirect } from 'next/navigation';

export default function Page() {
const loggedIn = true;
if (!loggedIn) {
redirect('/profile');
} else {
redirect('/login');
}
return null;
}

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the logic needed

   If user is logged in, send to '/profile'; if not, send to '/login'.

2. Step 2: Match code logic with requirement

   import { redirect } from 'next/navigation'; export default function Page() { const loggedIn = false; if (!loggedIn) { redirect('/login'); } else { redirect('/profile'); } return null; } checks if not logged in, redirects to '/login', else to '/profile', matching the requirement.

3. Final Answer:

   Option C code correctly implements the redirect logic -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Redirect to login if not logged in, else profile [OK]

Hint: Redirect to login if NOT logged in, else profile [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Swapping redirect URLs for logged in and not logged in
• Using wrong condition negation
• Returning JSX after redirect