Using Remote Images in Next.js

Next.js offers a powerful way to manage images in your application. While it excels at handling local images within your project directory, using remote images requires some additional configuration. This article will guide you through the process of incorporating remote images into your Next.js project.

Understanding the Challenge

Since Next.js builds your application statically, it doesn't have direct access to remote image URLs during the build process. To ensure proper image display and avoid layout shifts, we need to provide additional information to Next.js.

Adding Remote Images

Here's how to use remote images in your Next.js project:

1. Image Component: Utilize the Image component provided by Next.js. This component offers functionalities specifically designed for image optimization.
2. Remote URL: Within the src prop of the Image component, specify the URL of your remote image.
3. Width and Height: Unlike local images, remote images require you to define their width and height explicitly using the width and height props. This information helps Next.js determine the image's aspect ratio and prevent layout shifts while loading.
4. next.config.js Configuration: Next.js relies on a configuration file named next.config.js to manage various aspects of your application. To enable access to remote images, you'll need to add an entry to the remotePatterns property within the images configuration object. This entry defines the allowed domains or paths from which Next.js can fetch remote images during optimization.

Example:

    <div className="image-container">
      <Image
        src="https://www.example.com/cocktails/margarita.jpg"
        width={300}
        height={200}
        alt="A refreshing margarita cocktail"
        priority
      />
    </div>
  

Explanation:

• This code snippet showcases a basic HTML structure with an <h1> element and an image container.
• The Image component is used to display the remote image.
• The src prop specifies the URL of the remote image.
• The width and height props define the image's dimensions.
• The alt prop provides alternative text for accessibility purposes.
• The priority prop prioritizes the loading of this particular image.

next.config.js Configuration:

    module.exports = {
      images: {
        remotePatterns: [
          {
            protocol: 'https:',
            hostname: 'www.example.com',
            pathname: '/cocktails/*',
          },
        ],
      },
    };
  

This configuration allows Next.js to access images from the /cocktails directory on the www.example.com domain using the HTTPS protocol.

Remember: Restart your development server after making changes to next.config.js for them to take effect.

By following these steps, you can effectively utilize remote images within your Next.js application while ensuring optimal performance and user experience.