Metadata API (static metadata) in NextJS - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Next.js Metadata API with Static Metadata

📖 Scenario: You are building a simple Next.js page for a blog. You want to add static metadata like the page title and description to improve SEO and browser tab labels.

🎯 Goal: Create a Next.js page component that uses the Metadata API to define static metadata including title and description.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a page component file named page.tsx

Define a metadata export with title and description properties

Create a default exported React functional component that renders a heading

Use the Next.js Metadata API static metadata pattern

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Static metadata helps search engines and browsers understand your page content, improving SEO and user experience.

💼 Career

Knowing how to use Next.js Metadata API is essential for frontend developers working on modern React apps with good SEO practices.

1

Create the page component file with a basic React component

Create a file named page.tsx and write a default exported React functional component called Page that returns an <h1> with the text Welcome to My Blog.

NextJS

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

Hint

Use a function named Page and return an <h1> element with the exact text.

2

Add a static metadata export with title and description

Add a named export called metadata as a constant object with title set to 'My Blog' and description set to 'A blog about coding and tech.' above the Page component.

NextJS

export const metadata = {
  // Your code here
};

export default function Page() {
  return Welcome to My Blog;
}

Hint

Define metadata as a constant object with the exact title and description values.

3

Ensure the metadata export is static and outside the component

Make sure the metadata export is declared outside and above the Page component function, so it is static and not inside the component body.

NextJS

export const metadata = {
  title: 'My Blog',
  description: 'A blog about coding and tech.'
};

// Your code here
export default function Page() {
  return Welcome to My Blog;
}

Hint

Check that metadata is not inside the Page function but above it.

4

Complete the page with static metadata for Next.js

Confirm the file page.tsx exports the static metadata object with title and description, and the default Page component rendering the heading. This completes the static metadata setup for Next.js.

NextJS

// Confirm the code is complete
// Your code here

Hint

Make sure all parts are present exactly as specified to complete the static metadata setup.

Practice

1. What is the primary purpose of exporting a metadata object in a Next.js page or layout?

easy

A. To provide static information like title and description for SEO and social sharing

B. To define dynamic routes for the page

C. To handle user authentication on the page

D. To style the page with CSS variables

Solution

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

   The metadata object is used to add static information such as page title and description.

2. Step 2: Connect metadata to SEO and social sharing

   This information helps search engines and social media platforms display the page correctly.

3. Final Answer:

   To provide static information like title and description for SEO and social sharing -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Metadata = SEO info [OK]

Hint: Metadata sets page info for SEO and sharing [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing metadata with routing or styling
• Thinking metadata handles user login
• Assuming metadata is dynamic by default

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

easy

A. export default { metadata: { title: 'Home' } }

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

C. export const metadata = { title: 'Home' }

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

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall the syntax for static metadata export

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

2. Step 2: Check each option's syntax

   export const metadata = { title: 'Home' } correctly exports a constant object named metadata. The other options use incorrect export forms or syntax.

3. Final Answer:

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

4. Quick Check:

   Named export of object = export const metadata = { title: 'Home' } [OK]

Hint: Use named export const metadata = {...} [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using default export instead of named export
• Exporting a function instead of an object
• Incorrect export syntax causing errors

3. Given this metadata export in a Next.js page:

export const metadata = { title: 'About Us', description: 'Learn about our team' }

What will be the page's title shown in the browser tab?

medium

A. About Us

B. Learn about our team

C. metadata

D. No title will be shown

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the title property in metadata

   The metadata object has a title set to 'About Us'.

2. Step 2: Understand how Next.js uses metadata

   Next.js uses the title property to set the browser tab's page title.

3. Final Answer:

   About Us -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Page title = metadata.title [OK]

Hint: Page title comes from metadata.title [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing description with title
• Expecting metadata object name as title
• Assuming no title is set without explicit <title> tag

4. You wrote this metadata export:

export const metadata = { title: 'Contact', description: Contact us page }

Why does this cause an error?

medium

A. export keyword is not allowed here

B. Missing quotes around the description string

C. title property cannot be 'Contact'

D. metadata must be a function, not an object

Solution

1. Step 1: Check the syntax of the description value

   The description value is written without quotes, which is invalid for strings in JavaScript.

2. Step 2: Understand JavaScript string syntax

   Strings must be enclosed in quotes (' or ") to be valid. Missing quotes cause a syntax error.

3. Final Answer:

   Missing quotes around the description string -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Strings need quotes [OK]

Hint: Always quote string values in metadata [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Forgetting quotes around strings
• Thinking metadata must be a function
• Misplacing export keyword

5. You want to add static metadata with a title, description, and open graph image to a Next.js layout. Which is the correct way to include all these in the metadata export?

hard

A. export const metadata = { title: 'Blog', description: 'Latest posts', openGraph: { images: { src: '/blog.png' } } }

B. export const metadata = { title: 'Blog', description: 'Latest posts', openGraph: '/blog.png' }

C. export const metadata = { title: 'Blog', description: 'Latest posts', openGraph: { image: '/blog.png' } }

D. export const metadata = { title: 'Blog', description: 'Latest posts', openGraph: { images: [{ url: '/blog.png' }] } }

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand openGraph image format in Next.js metadata

   The openGraph images property expects an array of objects with a url key.

2. Step 2: Check each option's openGraph structure

   export const metadata = { title: 'Blog', description: 'Latest posts', openGraph: { images: [{ url: '/blog.png' }] } } correctly uses an array with an object containing url. The other options use incorrect formats.

3. Final Answer:

   export const metadata = { title: 'Blog', description: 'Latest posts', openGraph: { images: [{ url: '/blog.png' }] } } -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   openGraph images = array of {url} objects [OK]

Hint: Use array of objects with url for openGraph images [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using string instead of array for images
• Using wrong property name like image instead of images
• Not wrapping image url in an object