Web Development

Implementing a Scroll-to-Top Feature in a Next.js App

August 15, 2024

O Wolfson

By default, when navigating between routes in a Next.js application, the scroll position might not reset to the top, especially in single-page applications. This can lead to a disjointed user experience, where users are left confused as they find themselves halfway down a new page, rather than at the top. To address this, developers often implement a scroll-to-top feature that resets the scroll position whenever a new route is loaded. In this article, we’ll explore how to implement this feature in a Next.js app and discuss why it’s important.

The Need for a Scroll-to-Top Feature

When users navigate through different pages on a website, they expect each new page to start from the top. This behavior is intuitive and aligns with the user experience on traditional multi-page websites. However, in SPAs like those built with React or Next.js, the content of different pages is often dynamically loaded into the same single-page structure. This can result in the browser preserving the scroll position from the previous page, leading to confusion as users might not realize they’ve navigated to a new page.

A scroll-to-top feature ensures that every time a user navigates to a new route, they are automatically scrolled to the top of the page, providing a consistent and expected user experience.

Implementing Scroll-to-Top in a Next.js App

Next.js 14 introduced server components and a new approach to routing and rendering, which slightly alters how client-side navigation is handled. Here’s how you can implement a scroll-to-top feature in a Next.js app using a simple custom component.

1. Creating the ScrollToTop Component

First, you’ll create a ScrollToTop component that uses the usePathname hook to detect when the route changes. This component will use a useEffect hook to scroll to the top of the page whenever the pathname changes.

javascript
"use client";

import { useEffect } from "react";
import { usePathname } from "next/navigation";

const ScrollToTop = () => {
  const pathname = usePathname();

  useEffect(() => {
    window.scrollTo(0, 0);
  }, [pathname]);

  return null;
};

export default ScrollToTop;

2. Integrating ScrollToTop in the Root Layout

Next, integrate the ScrollToTop component into your app’s root layout. This ensures that the scroll-to-top behavior is applied across all pages.

javascript
import type { Metadata } from "next";
import "./globals.css";
import ScrollToTop from "@/components/nav/scroll-to-top";

import SiteHeader from "@/components/nav/site-header";
import Footer from "@/components/nav/footer";

export const metadata: Metadata = {
  title: "Create Next App",
  description: "Generated by create next app",
};

export default function RootLayout({
  children,
}: {
  children: React.ReactNode,
}) {
  return (
    <html lang="en">
      <body>
        <ScrollToTop />
        <SiteHeader />
        <main>{children}</main>
        <Footer />
      </body>
    </html>
  );
}

In this layout, the ScrollToTop just before the SiteHeader and Footer components. This ensures that the scroll behavior is applied whenever a new page is rendered.

Why This Technique Is Important

Enhanced User Experience:
- Users expect to start at the top of a new page, and failing to meet this expectation can cause confusion and frustration. By implementing a scroll-to-top feature, you ensure that users always have a consistent experience when navigating through your app.
Maintains Visual Consistency:
- Ensuring that each page loads from the top helps maintain visual consistency and ensures that users see the page as intended, starting from the most important content.
Simple and Effective:
- This technique is straightforward to implement and requires minimal code. Despite its simplicity, it addresses a key usability concern in modern web applications.
Applicable Across Various Applications:
- While this example focuses on a Next.js 14 app, the concept can be applied to any SPA or React-based project where maintaining consistent scroll behavior is important.

Conclusion

In Next.js, managing client-side navigation and ensuring a seamless user experience is crucial. Implementing a scroll-to-top feature using the usePathname hook is a simple yet effective way to enhance your app’s usability. By resetting the scroll position on every route change, you ensure that your users always start each page in the right place, leading to a smoother, more intuitive browsing experience.

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