Why styling options matter in NextJS - See It in Action

Why styling options matter

📖 Scenario: You are building a simple Next.js app to show a welcome message. You want to explore different ways to style this message to see how styling affects the look and feel of your app.

🎯 Goal: Create a Next.js component that displays a welcome message. Apply styles using inline styles and CSS modules to understand how each styling option changes the appearance.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a functional component called WelcomeMessage in Next.js

Add a message variable with the text 'Welcome to Next.js styling options!'

Apply inline styles to the message text in Step 3

Add a CSS module file with a class that styles the message text in Step 4

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Understanding styling options helps you build visually appealing and maintainable web apps with Next.js.

💼 Career

Front-end developers often choose between inline styles, CSS modules, and utility-first CSS frameworks like Tailwind to style React and Next.js apps efficiently.

1

DATA SETUP: Create the Next.js component with message

Create a functional component called WelcomeMessage that returns a <div> containing a variable called message with the exact text 'Welcome to Next.js styling options!'.

NextJS

export default function WelcomeMessage() {
  const message = 'Welcome to Next.js styling options!'
  // Your code here
}

Hint

Define the component function, create the message variable, and return a <div> with the message inside.

2

CONFIGURATION: Prepare for inline styling

Inside the WelcomeMessage component, create a constant called inlineStyle that is an object with color set to 'blue' and fontWeight set to 'bold'.

NextJS

export default function WelcomeMessage() {
  const message = 'Welcome to Next.js styling options!'
  const inlineStyle = { color: 'blue', fontWeight: 'bold' }
  // Your code here
  return {message}
}

Hint

Create an object named inlineStyle with the specified CSS properties.

3

CORE LOGIC: Apply inline styles to the message

Modify the <div> in WelcomeMessage to use the inlineStyle object for its style attribute.

NextJS

export default function WelcomeMessage() {
  const message = 'Welcome to Next.js styling options!'
  const inlineStyle = { color: 'blue', fontWeight: 'bold' }
  return {message} // Your code here
}

Hint

Add style={inlineStyle} to the <div> tag.

4

COMPLETION: Add CSS module and apply class

Create a CSS module file named WelcomeMessage.module.css with a class message that sets color to green and font-style to italic. Import this module in the component and apply the message class to the <div> instead of inline styles.

NextJS

import styles from './WelcomeMessage.module.css'

export default function WelcomeMessage() {
  const message = 'Welcome to Next.js styling options!'
  // Your code here
  return {message}
}

Hint

Create the CSS module file with the class and import it. Use className={styles.message} on the <div>.

Practice

1. Why is it important to choose the right styling option in a Next.js project?

easy

A. It disables responsive design.

B. It makes the website load slower.

C. It prevents the use of JavaScript.

D. It helps keep the code clean and easy to maintain.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the role of styling in code maintenance

   Choosing the right styling method helps organize styles, making the code easier to read and update.

2. Step 2: Recognize the impact on project quality

   Good styling choices improve maintainability and scalability, avoiding messy or duplicated code.

3. Final Answer:

   It helps keep the code clean and easy to maintain. -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Right styling = clean code [OK]

Hint: Right styling keeps code neat and easy to update [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking styling slows the site down by default
• Believing styling disables JavaScript
• Assuming styling stops responsive design

2. Which of the following is the correct way to import a CSS module in a Next.js component?

easy

A. import styles from './styles.module.css';

B. import './styles.css';

C. require('./styles.module.css');

D. import styles from './styles.css';

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the syntax for CSS modules in Next.js

   Next.js uses the syntax import styles from './filename.module.css'; to import CSS modules.

2. Step 2: Compare options with correct syntax

   import styles from './styles.module.css'; matches the correct import syntax for CSS modules. import './styles.css'; imports a global CSS file without module support. require('./styles.module.css'); uses CommonJS require which is not standard in Next.js ES modules. import styles from './styles.css'; imports a CSS file without the .module suffix, so it won't be treated as a module.

3. Final Answer:

   import styles from './styles.module.css'; -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   CSS module import = import styles from './styles.module.css'; [OK]

Hint: CSS modules always use .module.css with import [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using require instead of import
• Importing CSS without .module suffix for modules
• Confusing global CSS import with module import

3. Given this Next.js component using Tailwind CSS:

export default function Button() {
  return <button className="bg-blue-500 hover:bg-blue-700 text-white font-bold py-2 px-4 rounded">Click Me</button>;
}

What will happen when the user hovers over the button?

medium

A. Nothing changes on hover.

B. The button text color changes to black.

C. The button background color changes to a darker blue.

D. The button becomes disabled.

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze the Tailwind CSS classes used

   The class hover:bg-blue-700 means the background color changes to blue-700 shade on hover.

2. Step 2: Understand the effect on the button

   When hovered, the button's background color changes from blue-500 to blue-700, a darker blue shade.

3. Final Answer:

   The button background color changes to a darker blue. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   hover:bg-blue-700 changes background on hover [OK]

Hint: hover:bg-* changes background color on hover [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking text color changes instead of background
• Assuming button disables on hover
• Believing no change happens on hover

4. You wrote this Next.js component with CSS modules:

import styles from './Button.module.css';

export default function Button() {
  return <button className="styles.button">Press</button>;
}

Why does the button not get styled as expected?

medium

A. The CSS module file must be named Button.css, not Button.module.css

B. The className should use curly braces: className={styles.button}

C. You cannot use CSS modules in Next.js components

D. The styles object is not imported correctly

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify how to apply CSS module classes in JSX

   CSS module classes must be used with curly braces to evaluate the JavaScript expression, like className={styles.button}.

2. Step 2: Check the given code for syntax errors

   The code uses className="styles.button" which treats it as a string, not a variable, so styles are not applied.

3. Final Answer:

   The className should use curly braces: className={styles.button} -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Use curly braces for CSS module classes [OK]

Hint: Use curly braces for CSS module classes in JSX [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using quotes instead of curly braces for className
• Renaming CSS module files incorrectly
• Thinking CSS modules are unsupported in Next.js

5. You want to create a responsive Next.js page that changes layout on small screens. Which styling approach best helps you achieve this while keeping styles scoped and easy to maintain?

hard

A. Use CSS modules combined with Tailwind CSS utility classes.

B. Use only global CSS files with media queries.

C. Use inline styles with JavaScript objects for all styles.

D. Use plain CSS files imported in _app.js without modules.

Solution

1. Step 1: Consider maintainability and scoping

   CSS modules scope styles locally, preventing conflicts. Tailwind CSS provides utility classes for responsive design easily.

2. Step 2: Evaluate options for responsiveness and maintainability

   Using CSS modules combined with Tailwind CSS utility classes combines scoped styles with powerful responsive utilities, making it easy to maintain and adapt layouts for different screen sizes.

3. Step 3: Understand drawbacks of other options

   Global CSS can cause conflicts and harder maintenance. Inline styles lack media query support easily. Plain CSS without modules risks style clashes.

4. Final Answer:

   Use CSS modules combined with Tailwind CSS utility classes. -> Option A

5. Quick Check:

   Scoped + responsive utilities = Use CSS modules combined with Tailwind CSS utility classes. [OK]

Hint: Combine CSS modules with Tailwind for scoped responsive styles [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Relying only on global CSS causing style conflicts
• Using inline styles which lack media query support
• Ignoring scoped styles leading to messy CSS