Server Actions
Priority: P1 (HIGH)
Handle form submissions and mutations without creating API endpoints.
Implementation
- Directive: Add
'use server' at the top of an async function.
- Usage: Pass to
action prop of <form> or invoke from event handlers.
// actions.ts
'use server';
export async function createPost(formData: FormData) {
const title = formData.get('title');
await db.post.create({ title });
revalidatePath('/posts'); // Refresh UI
}
Client Invocation
- Form:
<form action={createPost}> (Progressive enhancements work without JS).
- Event Handler:
onClick={() => createPost(data)}.
- Pending State: Use
useFormStatus hook (must be inside a component rendered within the form).
Validation & Error Handling
- Zod: Always validate
FormData or arguments on the server.
- Return Values: Return serializable objects
{ success: boolean, error?: string } to handle feedback on Client.
Security
- Authentication: Check
auth() (e.g., NextAuth) session inside every Server Action.
- Closure: Be careful with closures in Server Actions defined inside Components (they capture context encrypted). Prefer defining actions in separate files (
actions.ts).