Getting Started with MDX in Next.js

MDX is a powerful combination of Markdown and JSX that allows you to write content using markdown syntax while seamlessly embedding React components.

Why Use MDX?

MDX gives you the best of both worlds:

1. Easy content authoring with Markdown
2. Component flexibility with React
3. Dynamic content through JSX expressions

When building a blog or documentation site, MDX enables you to create rich, interactive content without sacrificing the simplicity of Markdown.

Basic Syntax

MDX syntax is just like Markdown, but with support for JSX:

# This is a heading

This is a paragraph with **bold text** and *italic text*.

<Button onClick={() => alert('Hello!')}>Click me</Button>

This allows you to mix and match traditional Markdown elements with custom React components.

Code Examples

Here's how you might implement a blog with MDX:

// src/app/blog/[slug]/page.tsx
import fs from 'fs'
import path from 'path'
import matter from 'gray-matter'
import { MDXRemote } from 'next-mdx-remote/rsc'

export default async function Post({ params }) {
  const source = fs.readFileSync(`content/posts/${params.slug}.mdx`, 'utf8')
  const { content, data } = matter(source)
  
  return (
    <article>
      <h1>{data.title}</h1>
      <MDXRemote source={content} />
    </article>
  )
}

Custom Components

One of the most powerful features of MDX is the ability to use custom components. Here's an example:

// components/Alert.tsx
export function Alert({ children, type = 'info' }) {
  return (
    <div className={`alert alert-${type}`}>
      {type === 'info' && <InfoIcon />}
      {type === 'warning' && <WarningIcon />}
      <p>{children}</p>
    </div>
  )
}

// Using in your MDX file:
<Alert type="warning">
  This is a warning message!
</Alert>

Advanced Features

You can also:

• Import components from other files
• Export metadata for your posts
• Use remark/rehype plugins for syntax highlighting, table of contents, etc.
• Build dynamic content based on props or state

Styling MDX Content

To style your MDX content, you have several options:

1. Global styles: Apply styles to all MDX content using a global CSS file
2. Component-specific styles: Style individual components using CSS modules or styled-components
3. Tailwind Typography: Use the @tailwindcss/typography plugin for beautiful typographic defaults

Example with Tailwind Typography:

<article className="prose prose-lg dark:prose-invert">
  <MDXRemote source={content} />
</article>

Conclusion

MDX opens up endless possibilities for creating rich, interactive content with Next.js. It bridges the gap between writing simple content and building complex interactive components.

Give it a try in your next project!