Offline Fallback Handler and Offline Page Support for Next.js

[tarunkumar2005]

Goals

1. To introduce an integrated offline fallback handler in Next.js that automatically detects when a user is offline.
2. To provide a customizable offline page (e.g., offline.tsx) that allows developers to set up user-friendly offline experiences without manual Service Worker setup.
3. To simplify and streamline offline support for Next.js developers, making it as straightforward as defining error pages like 404 and 500.

Non-Goals

1. This feature does not aim to replace advanced Service Worker customization for developers who need more control over offline behavior.
2. It does not address content caching or background sync for full offline functionality; the focus is on displaying a fallback page when the user is offline.

Background

In modern web applications, offline support is a crucial user experience element, especially for users with unstable internet connections. Many websites, like YouTube, already display a user-friendly offline page informing users when they’re disconnected and providing a retry button. This experience ensures that users aren’t confused or left waiting indefinitely during connectivity issues.

Currently, implementing offline support in Next.js requires developers to set up Service Workers manually for each project. While Service Workers are powerful, configuring them from scratch can be time-consuming, especially for developers who only need a simple offline fallback message. Additionally, maintaining consistent offline behavior across projects can be challenging.

A built-in offline handler in Next.js would make offline support much more accessible and save developers time and effort. As of now, no major web frameworks provide a streamlined offline fallback feature, so adding this would give Next.js a distinct advantage. (This is from my perspective means as much i have learnt and researched i didn't found any.)

Proposal

The proposed feature would introduce a built-in offline handler in Next.js, which detects when a user goes offline and automatically displays a customizable offline page (e.g., offline.tsx). This page would function similarly to custom error pages (like 404.tsx) but would handle offline status and display when there is no network connection and will reconnect when the users internet is restored providing a seamless user experience on the website and doesn't feel to the user that he doesn't know what is happning because sometimes users with low internet connection try to access a website the spiner is spinning and spining and then eventually there is a default fallback page displayed to the user but developer might want to configure it according to their needs and according to the theme of the website so that the website is consistent over each page.

Key Components:

1. Automatic Offline Detection and Fallback:

• Next.js would use a built-in Service Worker to detect when the user’s device is offline.
• When offline status is detected, Next.js would display offline.tsx or a similar offline fallback component.

2. Offline Page Customization (offline.tsx):

• Developers would define a dedicated offline.tsx file in their project’s pages directory.
• This file could include custom styling, messages, or a “Retry” button for users to reconnect, similar to the offline experience.
• The offline page could display helpful information, such as retrying tips or alternative ways to access content.

3. Unified Developer Experience:

• Similar to 404 and 500 error pages, this offline handler would streamline offline setup. Developers would simply define offline.tsx without needing additional Service Worker configuration.
• This offline support would automatically apply across pages and components without requiring individual configuration, saving time and ensuring consistency.

Example and Comparison with Current Alternatives:

• Currently, a developer would need to set up a custom Service Worker manually to handle offline scenarios. Each time a new project is created, this setup must be repeated, which is labor-intensive and inconsistent for those needing simple offline support.
• By adding this feature, Next.js would offer a seamless, integrated offline experience, especially beneficial for teams or solo developers focused on rapid deployment.

Example Use Case (YouTube):

• When a user is offline on YouTube or some popular websites, the platform displays a message informing the user of the offline status and includes a “Retry” button. This keeps users informed, maintains trust, and prevents them from being left confused by blank or loading screens.
• A similar experience in Next.js would help maintain a positive user experience, particularly in regions with inconsistent internet connectivity.

Proposal Summary:

• Define an offline.tsx page: This page would serve as the user-facing offline handler, providing a friendly message or instructions when offline.
• Service Worker Integration: Next.js would handle the backend logic to display offline.tsx when offline status is detected. This Service Worker would not be developer-facing, keeping setup simple.
• Retry Option: The offline page could include a retry function, similar to YouTube, that checks for connectivity before reloading.

Personal Note and Collaboration Request:

I am Tarun Kumar, currently in 2nd Year BCA, i mostly work with mern stack but i am now shifting towards next js due to its features which are more polished and better as compared to react alone though it depends on what you are building when it comes to choosing the tech stack. So in my learning journey while building projects and working with chatgpt, i got a idea of integrating a offline fallback page just like youtube has means when the user is offline it shows that page which is already downloaded by the users browser and stored in as a cache i think and when the user goes offline it shows that fallback page to reconnect right. So i started working on this i used v0.dev also for this, great tool and helped me a lot in my development process but i am a student so i can't pay that much for single application so i use free messages only but it is great to use. So i started working on that and build a very basic offline fallback page you can say just a offline.html, a service-worker.js and in the main.tsx (in react i am telling) i triggered the service worker at the start of the application so i haven't focused much on the performance and all just tried to build it, then after implmenting this for some days i got a idea like i saw next js tutorial where i saw not-found.tsx where it comes as a fallback for when the page is not found means you access a route that is not defined so i though what if i have to do this much backend for this offline page next js can provide a file like offline.tsx where we just define the structure and it will handle all the things itself when we just want the things to be simpler but if the developer wants to dive deep then they can working with the custom service worker also so both way it will be benificial right, that i though.

Thank you to the Vercel team and community for considering this idea! I hope it can make Next.js even more developer-friendly.

If you can means if you wants to implement this feature into next js please include me in your team which will be working on this i can't work alone but under a guidance of a senior developer i will be able to help in integrating this.

If you wants to know more about me here is my linkedin profile :- https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarunkumar8278