Dev Note

React Server Components: Complete Guide to Modern React Architecture
React Server Components (RSC) represent a paradigm shift in how we build React applications. This comprehensive guide covers everything from basic concepts to advanced patterns for leveraging RSC in production.
What Are React Server Components?
React Server Components allow you to write components that render on the server, reducing the JavaScript sent to the client while maintaining React’s component model.
Key Benefits
Zero client-side JavaScript for server components
Direct database/filesystem access without APIs
Automatic code splitting at the component level
Improved initial page load performance
Better SEO with server-rendered content
Server vs Client Components
Server Components (Default)
// app/users/page.tsx (Server Component by default)
import { db } from '@/lib/database';
async function UsersPage() {
  // Direct database access - no API needed
  const users = await db.user.findMany();
  
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Users</h1>
      <ul>
        {users.map(user => (
          <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>
        ))}
      </ul>
    </div>
  );
}
export default UsersPage;
Client Components
// components/Counter.tsx
'use client';
import { useState } from 'react';
export function Counter() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);
  
  return (
    <button onClick={() => setCount(c => c + 1)}>
      Count: {count}
    </button>
  );
}
When to Use Each
Feature
      Server Component
      Client Component
    
Fetch data
      ✅ Direct access
      ❌ Needs API
    
Access backend resources
      ✅
      ❌
    
Use hooks (useState, useEffect)
      ❌
      ✅
    
Event handlers
      ❌
      ✅
    
Browser APIs
      ❌
      ✅
    
Reduce bundle size
      ✅
      ❌
    
Data Fetching Patterns
Async Server Components
// app/products/[id]/page.tsx
import { notFound } from 'next/navigation';
import { getProduct } from '@/lib/products';
interface Props {
  params: { id: string };
}
async function ProductPage({ params }: Props) {
  const product = await getProduct(params.id);
  
  if (!product) {
    notFound();
  }
  
  return (
    <article>
      <h1>{product.name}</h1>
      <p>{product.description}</p>
      <span>${product.price}</span>
    </article>
  );
}
export default ProductPage;
Parallel Data Fetching
// Fetch data in parallel for better performance
async function Dashboard() {
  // Start all fetches simultaneously
  const [user, orders, notifications] = await Promise.all([
    getUser(),
    getOrders(),
    getNotifications()
  ]);
  
  return (
    <div>
      <UserProfile user={user} />
      <OrdersList orders={orders} />
      <NotificationsBadge count={notifications.length} />
    </div>
  );
}
Streaming with Suspense
import { Suspense } from 'react';
async function SlowComponent() {
  const data = await fetchSlowData(); // Takes 3 seconds
  return <div>{data}</div>;
}
function Page() {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Dashboard</h1>
      {/* Fast content renders immediately */}
      <QuickStats />
      
      {/* Slow content streams in when ready */}
      <Suspense fallback={<LoadingSkeleton />}>
        <SlowComponent />
      </Suspense>
    </div>
  );
}
Component Composition Patterns
Mixing Server and Client Components
// Server Component (parent)
// app/page.tsx
import { InteractiveChart } from '@/components/InteractiveChart';
import { getChartData } from '@/lib/analytics';
async function AnalyticsPage() {
  const data = await getChartData();
  
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Analytics</h1>
      {/* Pass server data to client component */}
      <InteractiveChart data={data} />
    </div>
  );
}
// Client Component (child)
// components/InteractiveChart.tsx
'use client';
import { useState } from 'react';
import { Chart } from '@/lib/charts';
interface Props {
  data: ChartData[];
}
export function InteractiveChart({ data }: Props) {
  const [selectedRange, setSelectedRange] = useState('7d');
  
  return (
    <div>
      <select 
        value={selectedRange}
        onChange={(e) => setSelectedRange(e.target.value)}
      >
        <option value="7d">7 Days</option>
        <option value="30d">30 Days</option>
        <option value="90d">90 Days</option>
      </select>
      <Chart data={data} range={selectedRange} />
    </div>
  );
}
Children Pattern for Interactivity
// Client Component wrapper
// components/Modal.tsx
'use client';
import { useState } from 'react';
export function Modal({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
  const [isOpen, setIsOpen] = useState(false);
  
  return (
    <>
      <button onClick={() => setIsOpen(true)}>Open</button>
      {isOpen && (
        <div className="modal">
          {children} {/* Server component can be passed here */}
          <button onClick={() => setIsOpen(false)}>Close</button>
        </div>
      )}
    </>
  );
}
// Usage in Server Component
import { Modal } from '@/components/Modal';
import { getProductDetails } from '@/lib/products';
async function ProductPage() {
  const details = await getProductDetails();
  
  return (
    <Modal>
      {/* This is a Server Component rendered inside Client Component */}
      <ProductDetails data={details} />
    </Modal>
  );
}
Server Actions
Form Handling
// app/contact/page.tsx
import { submitContact } from './actions';
function ContactPage() {
  return (
    <form action={submitContact}>
      <input name="email" type="email" required />
      <textarea name="message" required />
      <button type="submit">Send</button>
    </form>
  );
}
// app/contact/actions.ts
'use server';
import { revalidatePath } from 'next/cache';
import { redirect } from 'next/navigation';
import { db } from '@/lib/database';
export async function submitContact(formData: FormData) {
  const email = formData.get('email') as string;
  const message = formData.get('message') as string;
  
  await db.contact.create({
    data: { email, message }
  });
  
  revalidatePath('/contact');
  redirect('/contact/success');
}
Progressive Enhancement with useFormStatus
// components/SubmitButton.tsx
'use client';
import { useFormStatus } from 'react-dom';
export function SubmitButton() {
  const { pending } = useFormStatus();
  
  return (
    <button type="submit" disabled={pending}>
      {pending ? 'Submitting...' : 'Submit'}
    </button>
  );
}
Optimistic Updates
// components/LikeButton.tsx
'use client';
import { useOptimistic } from 'react';
import { likePost } from '@/app/actions';
interface Props {
  postId: string;
  initialLikes: number;
}
export function LikeButton({ postId, initialLikes }: Props) {
  const [optimisticLikes, addOptimisticLike] = useOptimistic(
    initialLikes,
    (state, _) => state + 1
  );
  
  async function handleLike() {
    addOptimisticLike(null);
    await likePost(postId);
  }
  
  return (
    <form action={handleLike}>
      <button type="submit">
        ❤️ {optimisticLikes}
      </button>
    </form>
  );
}
Caching Strategies
Request Memoization
// This function is automatically memoized during a request
async function getUser(id: string) {
  const res = await fetch(`/api/users/${id}`);
  return res.json();
}
// In a Server Component
async function UserPage() {
  // These calls are deduplicated - only one fetch happens
  const user1 = await getUser('123');
  const user2 = await getUser('123');
  
  return <div>{user1.name}</div>;
}
Data Cache
// Cache for 1 hour
async function getProducts() {
  const res = await fetch('https://api.example.com/products', {
    next: { revalidate: 3600 }
  });
  return res.json();
}
// Never cache (always fresh)
async function getCurrentPrice() {
  const res = await fetch('https://api.example.com/price', {
    cache: 'no-store'
  });
  return res.json();
}
Revalidation
// app/products/actions.ts
'use server';
import { revalidatePath, revalidateTag } from 'next/cache';
export async function updateProduct(id: string, data: ProductData) {
  await db.product.update({ where: { id }, data });
  
  // Revalidate specific path
  revalidatePath(`/products/${id}`);
  
  // Or revalidate by tag
  revalidateTag('products');
}
Error Handling
Error Boundaries
// app/products/error.tsx
'use client';
interface ErrorProps {
  error: Error & { digest?: string };
  reset: () => void;
}
export default function Error({ error, reset }: ErrorProps) {
  return (
    <div>
      <h2>Something went wrong!</h2>
      <p>{error.message}</p>
      <button onClick={reset}>Try again</button>
    </div>
  );
}
Not Found Handling
// app/products/[id]/page.tsx
import { notFound } from 'next/navigation';
async function ProductPage({ params }: { params: { id: string } }) {
  const product = await getProduct(params.id);
  
  if (!product) {
    notFound();
  }
  
  return <ProductDetails product={product} />;
}
// app/products/[id]/not-found.tsx
export default function NotFound() {
  return (
    <div>
      <h2>Product Not Found</h2>
      <p>Could not find the requested product.</p>
    </div>
  );
}
Performance Optimization
Component-Level Code Splitting
import dynamic from 'next/dynamic';
// Only load when needed
const HeavyChart = dynamic(() => import('@/components/HeavyChart'), {
  loading: () => <ChartSkeleton />,
  ssr: false // Skip SSR for this component
});
function Dashboard() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Stats />
      <HeavyChart />
    </div>
  );
}
Preloading Data
import { preload } from 'react-dom';
// Preload critical resources
function ProductPage() {
  preload('/api/recommendations', { as: 'fetch' });
  
  return (
    <div>
      <ProductDetails />
      <Suspense fallback={<Loading />}>
        <Recommendations />
      </Suspense>
    </div>
  );
}
Best Practices
1. Keep Client Components Small
// ❌ Bad: Large client component
'use client';
export function ProductPage({ product }) {
  const [quantity, setQuantity] = useState(1);
  // Lots of static content...
  return (/* large component */);
}
// ✅ Good: Small client component for interactivity only
// Server Component
function ProductPage({ product }) {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>{product.name}</h1>
      <p>{product.description}</p>
      {/* Only interactive part is client */}
      <AddToCartButton productId={product.id} />
    </div>
  );
}
2. Push Client Boundary Down
// ✅ Client boundary at the leaf level
function Layout({ children }) {
  return (
    <div>
      <Header /> {/* Server */}
      <Sidebar /> {/* Server */}
      {children}
      <InteractiveFooter /> {/* Client - only what needs to be */}
    </div>
  );
}
3. Serialize Data at Boundaries
// Server Component
async function UserProfile() {
  const user = await getUser();
  
  // Only pass serializable data to client components
  return (
    <ProfileEditor 
      initialData=
    />
  );
}
Conclusion
React Server Components fundamentally change how we architect React applications. Key takeaways:
Default to Server Components - Only add ‘use client’ when needed
Fetch data in Server Components - Direct database access, no APIs
Use Suspense for streaming - Progressive loading improves UX
Push client boundaries down - Minimize client JavaScript
Leverage Server Actions - Simplified form handling and mutations
Resources
React Server Components RFC
Next.js App Router Documentation
React Documentation

React Server Components: Complete Guide to Modern React Architecture

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