Intercepting routes in Next.js allow you to modify the default routing behavior to present an alternate view or component while preserving the intended route for scenarios like page reloads. This feature is particularly useful for displaying components like modals that should maintain the context of the current page.
- Modals: Display a login modal without navigating away from the current page. On page reload or explicit URL navigation, the user is taken to the actual page with the full background design.
- Context Preservation: Show a route while keeping the context of the current page, allowing for seamless transitions and interactions.
Next.js provides specific conventions for intercepting routes, allowing you to match segments at different levels:
- (.): Match segments on the same level. Useful for intercepting routes within the same directory.
- (..): Match segments one level above. Allows you to intercept routes from a parent directory.
- (..)(..): Match segments two levels above. Useful for intercepting routes from a grandparent directory.
- (...): Match segments from the root app directory. This enables you to intercept routes at the highest level of the application.
Consider a scenario where you want to display a login modal without navigating away from the current page:
- Intercepting Route: Use the intercepting route conventions to display the login modal when a user clicks a "Login" button. The modal appears without changing the URL or losing the current page context.
- Page Reload: On page reload or direct URL navigation to the login route, the user is taken to the full login page with its background design.
By using intercepting routes in Next.js, you can create more dynamic and interactive user experiences, allowing for flexible navigation patterns that maintain the context and continuity of the application.