Gain insights into using NuxtJS for server-side rendered Vue apps. Explore configuration, rendering modes, and components. Discover strategies to optimize SEO and performance for content-rich projects.

Build a Modern Server Side Rendered Vue Application with NUXT JS.png

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NuxtJS is a framework built on top of Vue that offers additional features and benefits, especially for large-scale and content-driven projects. It provides server-side rendering, which can improve performance and SEO.

In this course, you’ll get briefly introduced to Vue, covering components, views, routing, state management, and others. Then, you’ll get acquainted with NuxtJS and learn about configuration and structure for NuxtJS projects. Further, you’ll learn about different NuxtJS rendering modes and the key factors to consider when choosing a mode for the example survey application project. You’ll work with NuxtJS components, pages, layouts, plugins, and middleware. You’ll then develop a complete server-side rendered Vue.js application using NuxtJS and learn about optimizing server-side rendered applications for SEO and performance.

By the end of the course, you’ll possess the skills to develop, deploy, and optimize a feature-rich, server-side rendered web application utilizing Vue and NuxtJS.

Build a Modern Server-Side Rendered Vue Application with NuxtJS

In this course, we covered the fundamentals of building an application using the Nuxt framework. We discussed the different rendering modes, component types, and delved into the intricacies of state management. As we wrap up this course, let's reflect on the key takeaways and insights we've gained along the way.

# Survey application
Below is the widget containing the complete survey application consisting of all the pages as requested by the user story:

import React from 'react';
import { shallow, configure } from 'enzyme';
import Adapter from 'enzyme-adapter-react-16';

configure({ adapter: new Adapter() });

import HelloWorld from './app';

var TestResult = function() {
    this.succeeded = false;
    this.reason = "";
    this.input = "";
    this.expected_output = "";
    this.actual_output = "";
}

export const executeTests = function() {

  var results = [];

  result = new TestResult();
  result.input = 'HelloWorld Component';
  result.expected_output = "span containing text 'Hello World'"

  let wrapper = shallow(<HelloWorld />);

  // Call your Challenge function here.

  let type = wrapper.type();
  let testSuccessful = true;
  let failureReason;

  if (type !== 'span') {
    testSuccessful = false;
    failureReason = "You need to render exactly one span HTML element";
  } else if (wrapper.props().children != "Hello World") {
     testSuccessful = false;
     failureReason = "You have rendered wrong message in your span element";
  }

  result.actual_output = wrapper.html();

  if (testSuccessful) {
    result.succeeded = true;
    result.reason = "Succeeded"
  } else {
    result.succeeded = false;
    result.reason = failureReason;
  }

  results.push(result);

  return results;
}


React

Dart

GoJS React

Typescript React

Vue.js

Through the development of the survey application, we have had the opportunity to put into practice the key concepts covered in this course. To recap, here are some of the essential concepts we've explored and applied within the app:

## Rendering mode

Nuxt is a powerful framework built on top of Vue, designed to simplify the process of building server-side rendered (SSR) and single-page applications (SPA). One of the primary distinctions we explored were the rendering modes. Nuxt offers the following modes: universal (server-side) rendering mode, client-side rendering mode, hybrid rendering mode, and Static Site Generation rendering mode. 

We chose to use the universal mode, or SSR, for the survey application due to its ability to improve SEO, optimize initial page load times, and enhance the user experience by serving prerendered HTML from the server.

## Components, layouts, and pages

Components form the building blocks of any Vue application, and Nuxt provides us with several types. For the survey application, we explored layouts, pages, and reusable components, each serving specific roles in our application structure. 

Layouts acted as wrappers for pages, enabling us to maintain consistent page structures across the survey application. Pages, representing individual routes, were automatically generated by Nuxt based on the folder structure of the `pages` directory, simplifying route handling. Reusable components, meanwhile, helped enhance code reusability and maintainability across the application. We also discussed how we can customize the rendered content based on the environment using client-only and server-only components. 

## Plugins and middleware

Plugins and middlewares are essential components that enhance the capabilities of our Nuxt applications. Through the use of plugins, we were able to integrate Vuetify, a third-party component library, into the survey application. We also used plugins extensively to define asynchronous functions that were used for making requests on behalf of the client to the server.
 

On the other hand, middlewares played a vital role in controlling the flow of our application. In the survey application, we successfully implemented an authentication route guard using a middleware. This middleware was strategically placed on routes that demanded admin access. It performed a critical check to verify if the user attempting to access the route possessed the necessary privileges. In cases where the user lacked the required access, the middleware swiftly redirected them to the authentication page. Understanding how to employ middlewares effectively empowers us to craft robust and secure applications that cater to the needs of our users.

## State management

State management plays a critical role in large applications and is often considered the backbone of their functionality. It serves as the central hub where data is stored and shared among various components, ensuring that they remain in sync and provide a consistent user experience. 

Vue provides several ways to set up state management. However, for the survey application, we opted to utilize the `useAuthState` composable that Nuxt provides. It stood out as the only option that remained simple enough for the application’s scale while also ensuring data consistency on both the client and server sides.

# Summary

Our journey through this Nuxt course has equipped us with the knowledge and skills needed to build dynamic, SEO-friendly applications. Whether we choose SSR or CSR, we have the tools to create applications that cater to diverse use cases. As we move forward in our development journey, the fundamentals we've learned here will serve as a solid foundation for building complex, real-world applications using the Nuxt framework.

Inspect the final result of the survey application as we put together all the concepts discussed in this course.

Introduction

Introduction to Vue.js

Getting Started with NuxtJS

NuxtJS Rendering Modes

Routing

Plugins

Layouts

Pages

Components

API Endpoints, Middleware, and Server-Side State Management

Putting It All Together

Deployment

Create a Stock Monitor Application Using NuxtJS

Conclusion

Appendix

The Complete Survey Application