Modern JavaScript and React Ecosystem

No, it is not conventional to use jQuery in a Next.js (or Next.ts, which is Next.js with TypeScript) project. Here’s why:

1. Modern JavaScript and React Ecosystem

• Next.js is built on top of React, which provides a component-based architecture and a declarative way to handle the DOM. React’s virtual DOM and state management make jQuery’s DOM manipulation largely unnecessary.
• Modern JavaScript (ES6+) provides many features (e.g., querySelector, fetch, classList, etc.) that jQuery was traditionally used for, making jQuery redundant in most cases.

2. Performance Concerns

• jQuery is a relatively large library (around 30KB minified) and adds unnecessary bloat to your project. Next.js emphasizes performance optimization, and including jQuery can negatively impact bundle size and load times.
• React’s virtual DOM is optimized for performance, whereas jQuery directly manipulates the DOM, which can lead to inefficiencies.

3. Server-Side Rendering (SSR) and Static Site Generation (SSG)

• Next.js is designed for server-side rendering (SSR) and static site generation (SSG). jQuery is a client-side library and does not work well with server-side rendering, leading to potential issues like ”hydration mismatches” or errors when the server-rendered HTML does not match the client-rendered DOM.

4. Alternatives to jQuery in Next.js

• DOM Manipulation: Use React’s state and refs to manage DOM elements.
• AJAX Requests: Use the native fetch API or libraries like axios.
• Event Handling: Use React’s built-in event system (e.g., onClick, onChange).
• Animations: Use CSS animations, libraries like framer-motion, or React-specific animation libraries.
• Utility Functions: Use modern JavaScript or utility libraries like lodash if needed.

5. When Might jQuery Be Used?

• Legacy Code Integration: If you’re migrating an old project that heavily relies on jQuery, you might temporarily include it. However, the goal should be to gradually replace jQuery with React-compatible solutions.
• Third-Party Libraries: Some third-party libraries or plugins might depend on jQuery. In such cases, you can include jQuery, but it’s better to look for alternatives that are React-compatible.

How to Avoid jQuery in Next.js

• Use React’s state and props for dynamic UI updates.
• Use useEffect and useRef for DOM interactions.
• Use CSS-in-JS libraries like styled-components or emotion for styling.
• Use modern JavaScript features or lightweight utility libraries.

Conclusion

Using jQuery in a Next.js project is not recommended and goes against the conventions of modern web development. Instead, leverage React’s capabilities and modern JavaScript features to build efficient, maintainable, and performant applications. If you’re working with an older codebase that uses jQuery, consider refactoring it to align with React’s best practices.