Fixing Next.js Error when Importing SVGs: A Step-by-Step Guide

Understanding the Cause of SVG Import Errors

When working with Next.js, especially from version 13 and above, you may encounter an error when trying to import SVG files. This is typically due to Next.js not having a built-in loader for SVG files. While traditional create-react-app projects may include SVG support out of the box, Next.js requires additional configuration to properly handle SVG imports.

Enabling SVG Imports Using next-svg

To resolve SVG import errors in Next.js, one way is to use next-svg, which is a plugin for Next.js that allows you to import SVGs as React components. You can start by installing next-svg using NPM or Yarn. Once installed, you need to include it in your next.config.js, thereby extending your Next.js configuration to properly recognize and handle SVG files.

As you integrate next-svg into your Next.js app, SVG files will be transformed into React components, which you can then import and use throughout your project just as you would with any other component.

Using Built-in Image Component with SVGs

Next.js also provides a built-in Image component optimized for static images, which includes support for SVG files. You can use this component to include SVGs in your app by simply importing the Image component from next/image and using it as a wrapper for your SVG assets. By specifying the src attribute with the path to your SVG file, you can render it within your Next.js application while taking advantage of the Image component’s optimizations.

Customizing Next.js Webpack Configuration

If you seek more control over how SVGs are handled, you may consider customizing your Next.js Webpack configuration. This involves editing the next.config.js file and adding rules to manage the inclusion of SVG files. By crafting a custom Webpack rule, you have the ability to define exactly how you want SVG files to be processed, whether that involves using a specific loader or transformer.

Comprehensive Code Example

Here’s a simplified code example that shows you how to configure a Next.js project version 13 or newer to correctly handle SVG files.

// next.config.js
const nextConfig = {
  webpack(config) {
    config.module.rules.push({
      test: /\.(svg)$/,
      use: [{
        loader: 'svg-url-loader',
        options: { limit: 10000 }
      }]
    });

    return config;
  },
};

module.exports = nextConfig;

In the above code snippet, you’re adding a custom Webpack rule to handle .svg files using svg-url-loader. With this setup, you can then import SVGs in your components like so:

// SomeComponent.jsx
import React from 'react';
import MyIcon from './icons/my-icon.svg';

const SomeComponent = () => (/*...*/);

export default SomeComponent;

This configuration allows SVGs to be treated as React components, which you can then include in your component’s JSX.