Redirecting Unauthenticated Users with Protected Routes in Next.js 13 App Directory

In many web applications, there are pages or routes that should only be
accessible to authenticated users. In a Next.js 13 app directory, you can
implement protected routes and redirect unauthenticated users to a login
page or another location of your choice.

To create protected routes in a Next.js 13 app directory, you can make use
of the built-in authentication features such as the{” “}
getServerSideProps function and custom routing logic.

Using getServerSideProps for Authentication

The getServerSideProps function allows you to fetch data on
the server-side before the page is rendered. This makes it a suitable
place to perform authentication checks and redirect unauthenticated users
to the login page if necessary.

        
          export async function getServerSideProps(context) {
            // Perform authentication check
            const isAuthenticated = checkIfUserIsAuthenticated(context.req);
    
            if (!isAuthenticated) {
              return {
                redirect: {
                  destination: "/login",
                  permanent: false,
                },
              };
            }
    
            // Fetch page data
            const pageData = await fetchPageData();
    
            return {
              props: { pageData },
            };
          }
        
      

In the above example, the getServerSideProps function checks
if the user is authenticated using a custom
checkIfUserIsAuthenticated function. If the user is not
authenticated, a redirect object is returned to redirect the user to the
login page. If the user is authenticated, the page data is fetched and
passed to the page component as props.

Using Custom Routing Logic

Another approach to implementing protected routes in a Next.js 13 app
directory is to use custom routing logic in the page components. You can
create a higher-order component or a custom hook to handle authentication
checks and redirection.

        
          export const ProtectedRoute = ({ children }) => {
            const isAuthenticated = checkIfUserIsAuthenticated();
    
            if (!isAuthenticated) {
              // Redirect to login page
              return <Redirect to="/login" />;
            }
    
            return <>{children}</>;
          };
        
      

In this example, the ProtectedRoute component checks if the
user is authenticated using a custom
checkIfUserIsAuthenticated function. If the user is not
authenticated, the component redirects to the login page. If the user is
authenticated, the children of the component are rendered.

Conclusion

Implementing protected routes in a Next.js 13 app directory allows you to
control access to certain pages and routes based on user authentication
status. By using features such as getServerSideProps and
custom routing logic, you can redirect unauthenticated users to a login
page or another location of your choice, providing a secure and seamless
user experience.