Next.js: Client Component + Server Action Cookie Pattern

Pattern Overview

This pattern handles a common Next.js requirement: client-side interaction (button click) that needs to set server-side cookies.

Why Two Files?

• Client components ('use client') can have onClick handlers
• Only server code can set cookies (security requirement)
• Solution: Client component calls a server action that sets cookies

The Pattern

Scenario: A button that sets a cookie when clicked

File 1: Client Component (app/CookieButton.tsx)

• Has 'use client' directive
• Has onClick handler
• Imports and calls server action

File 2: Server Action (app/actions.ts)

• Has 'use server' directive
• Uses cookies() from next/headers
• Sets the cookie

Complete Implementation

File 1: Client Component

// app/CookieButton.tsx
'use client';

import { setPreference } from './actions';

export default function CookieButton() {
  const handleClick = async () => {
    await setPreference('dark-mode', 'true');
  };

  return (
    <button onClick={handleClick}>
      Enable Dark Mode
    </button>
  );
}

File 2: Server Action

// app/actions.ts
'use server';

import { cookies } from 'next/headers';

export async function setPreference(key: string, value: string) {
  const cookieStore = await cookies();

  cookieStore.set(key, value, {
    httpOnly: true,
    secure: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production',
    sameSite: 'lax',
    maxAge: 60 * 60 * 24 * 365, // 1 year
  });
}

File Structure

app/
├── CookieButton.tsx    ← Client component
├── actions.ts          ← Server actions
└── page.tsx            ← Uses CookieButton

TypeScript: NEVER Use any Type

This codebase has @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any enabled.

// ❌ WRONG
async function setCookie(key: any, value: any) { ... }

// ✅ CORRECT
async function setCookie(key: string, value: string) { ... }

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Theme Toggle

// app/ThemeToggle.tsx
'use client';

import { useState } from 'react';
import { setTheme } from './actions';

export default function ThemeToggle() {
  const [theme, setLocalTheme] = useState('light');

  const toggle = async () => {
    const newTheme = theme === 'light' ? 'dark' : 'light';
    setLocalTheme(newTheme);
    await setTheme(newTheme);
  };

  return (
    <button onClick={toggle} className={theme}>
      {theme === 'light' ? '🌙' : '☀️'} Toggle Theme
    </button>
  );
}

// app/actions.ts
'use server';

import { cookies } from 'next/headers';

export async function setTheme(theme: 'light' | 'dark') {
  const cookieStore = await cookies();
  cookieStore.set('theme', theme, {
    httpOnly: false, // Allow client to read it
    maxAge: 60 * 60 * 24 * 365,
  });
}

Example 2: Accept Cookies Banner

// app/components/CookieBanner.tsx
'use client';

import { useState } from 'react';
import { acceptCookies } from '../actions';

export default function CookieBanner() {
  const [visible, setVisible] = useState(true);

  const handleAccept = async () => {
    await acceptCookies();
    setVisible(false);
  };

  if (!visible) return null;

  return (
    <div className="cookie-banner">
      <p>We use cookies to improve your experience.</p>
      <button onClick={handleAccept}>Accept</button>
    </div>
  );
}

// app/actions.ts
'use server';

import { cookies } from 'next/headers';

export async function acceptCookies() {
  const cookieStore = await cookies();
  cookieStore.set('cookies-accepted', 'true', {
    httpOnly: true,
    secure: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production',
    maxAge: 60 * 60 * 24 * 365,
  });
}

Example 3: Language Preference

// app/LanguageSelector.tsx
'use client';

import { setLanguage } from './actions';

export default function LanguageSelector() {
  const languages = ['en', 'es', 'fr', 'de'];

  return (
    <select onChange={(e) => setLanguage(e.target.value)}>
      {languages.map((lang) => (
        <option key={lang} value={lang}>
          {lang.toUpperCase()}
        </option>
      ))}
    </select>
  );
}

// app/actions.ts
'use server';

import { cookies } from 'next/headers';

export async function setLanguage(lang: string) {
  const cookieStore = await cookies();
  cookieStore.set('language', lang, {
    httpOnly: false,
    maxAge: 60 * 60 * 24 * 365,
  });
}

Cookie Options

cookieStore.set('name', 'value', {
  httpOnly: true,    // Prevents JavaScript access (security)
  secure: true,      // Only send over HTTPS
  sameSite: 'lax',   // CSRF protection
  maxAge: 3600,      // Expires in 1 hour (seconds)
  path: '/',         // Available on all routes
});

Common Variations

With Form Submission

// app/PreferencesForm.tsx
'use client';

import { savePreferences } from './actions';

export default function PreferencesForm() {
  return (
    <form action={savePreferences}>
      <label>
        <input type="checkbox" name="notifications" />
        Enable Notifications
      </label>
      <button type="submit">Save</button>
    </form>
  );
}

// app/actions.ts
'use server';

import { cookies } from 'next/headers';

export async function savePreferences(formData: FormData) {
  const cookieStore = await cookies();
  const notifications = formData.get('notifications') === 'on';

  cookieStore.set('notifications', String(notifications), {
    httpOnly: true,
    maxAge: 60 * 60 * 24 * 365,
  });
}

With Redirect After Setting Cookie

// app/actions.ts
'use server';

import { cookies } from 'next/headers';
import { redirect } from 'next/navigation';

export async function login(email: string, password: string) {
  // Authenticate user
  const session = await authenticate(email, password);

  // Set session cookie
  const cookieStore = await cookies();
  cookieStore.set('session', session.token, {
    httpOnly: true,
    secure: true,
    sameSite: 'lax',
    maxAge: 60 * 60 * 24 * 7, // 1 week
  });

  // Redirect to dashboard
  redirect('/dashboard');
}

Why This Pattern?

Can't client components set cookies directly? No. Client components run in the browser, and modern browsers restrict cookie manipulation for security. Server actions run on the server where cookie-setting is allowed.

Why not use a Route Handler (API route)? You can! But server actions are simpler and more integrated with the Next.js App Router pattern.

// Alternative: Route Handler approach
// app/api/set-cookie/route.ts
export async function POST(request: Request) {
  const { name, value } = await request.json();

  return new Response(null, {
    status: 200,
    headers: {
      'Set-Cookie': `${name}=${value}; HttpOnly; Path=/; Max-Age=31536000`,
    },
  });
}

// Client component
async function setCookie() {
  await fetch('/api/set-cookie', {
    method: 'POST',
    body: JSON.stringify({ name: 'theme', value: 'dark' }),
  });
}

Server actions are preferred because they're:

• More type-safe
• Less boilerplate
• Better integrated with forms
• Easier to test

Reading Cookies

In Server Components:

// app/page.tsx
import { cookies } from 'next/headers';

export default async function Page() {
  const cookieStore = await cookies();
  const theme = cookieStore.get('theme')?.value || 'light';

  return <div className={theme}>Content</div>;
}

In Client Components:

// Can't use next/headers in client components!
// Use document.cookie or a state management library
'use client';

import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';

export default function ThemeDisplay() {
  const [theme, setTheme] = useState('light');

  useEffect(() => {
    // Read from document.cookie
    const cookieTheme = document.cookie
      .split('; ')
      .find(row => row.startsWith('theme='))
      ?.split('=')[1];

    if (cookieTheme) setTheme(cookieTheme);
  }, []);

  return <div>Current theme: {theme}</div>;
}

Quick Checklist

When you need to set cookies from a button click:

• Create client component with 'use client'
• Add onClick handler or form submission
• Create server action file (e.g., app/actions.ts)
• Add 'use server' directive
• Import cookies from next/headers
• Await cookies() (Next.js 15+)
• Call cookieStore.set(name, value, options)
• Import server action in client component
• Call server action from handler

Summary

Client-Server Cookie Pattern:

• ✅ Client component handles user interaction
• ✅ Server action sets the cookie
• ✅ Two files: component + actions
• ✅ Type-safe with proper TypeScript
• ✅ Secure (httpOnly, secure, sameSite options)

This pattern is the recommended way to handle client-triggered cookie operations in Next.js App Router.