Nuxt•3w ago

Code splitting and auto-import

How I can split complex layouts/pages to separated components without auto-imports? I have a layout in ~/layouts/default.vue and I want to move header and footer to separate files as standalone components (for code clarify). Header and footer only used in that layout and anywhere else, so placing it in ~/components is a bad idea, because of header and footer will be autoimported in the whoole app (I think, ~/components must be used only for reusable components). If I place header.vue and footer.vue inside ~/layouts near layout file (default.vue), nuxt will interpreate it as a standalone layouts. My solution is to place layout files inside non autoimported folder and reexport it in ~/layouts, so I created folder ~/import/layouts/default and three files header.vue, footer.vue and layout.vue (main layout file where footer and header are manually imported), then I create default.ts inside ~/layouts directory and reexport layout like this:

<script setup lang="ts">
// ~/import/layouts/default/layout.vue
import Header from "./header.vue"
import Footer from "./fotter.vue"
</script>
<template>
  <div>
    <Header />
    <main>
      <slot />
    </main>
    <Footer />
  </div>
</template>

<script setup lang="ts">
// ~/import/layouts/default/layout.vue
import Header from "./header.vue"
import Footer from "./fotter.vue"
</script>
<template>
  <div>
    <Header />
    <main>
      <slot />
    </main>
    <Footer />
  </div>
</template>

// ~/layouts/default.ts
import { default as DefaultLayout } from '~/import/layouts/default/layout.vue'
export default DefaultLayout

// ~/layouts/default.ts
import { default as DefaultLayout } from '~/import/layouts/default/layout.vue'
export default DefaultLayout

This solution is works fine for layouts but not fully worked for pages. I tried to split some complex pages to separated components (only used on exactly that page, i.e. non reusable), but I failed to use definePageMeta macro. It's just do nothing if I call it in any file that is not inside ~/pages directory. Or working but produce scare warning if I call it before reexport page (inside ~/pages/index.ts) like this:

// ~/pages/index.ts
import { default as MainPage } from '~/import/pages/main/page.vue'
definePageMeta({
  layout: 'custom'
})
export default MainPage

// ~/pages/index.ts
import { default as MainPage } from '~/import/pages/main/page.vue'
definePageMeta({
  layout: 'custom'
})
export default MainPage

2 Replies

kapa.ai•3w ago

Hi @Fitch24. I'm kapa.ai, your friendly support bot. I will try to answer your question by searching through the knowledge base. :wave: ---------------------- Your approach to splitting complex layouts and pages into separate components without auto-imports is a valid strategy, but there are some nuances to consider in Nuxt 3. Let's address your concerns and provide some alternative solutions. 1. Regarding layouts: Your solution for layouts is a good workaround. By placing the components in a non-auto-imported folder and re-exporting them, you avoid the auto-import behavior while keeping your code organized. This approach works well for layouts. 2. Regarding pages and definePageMeta: The issue you're facing with definePageMeta is because it's designed to work specifically within the pages/ directory. As per the Nuxt documentation on definePageMeta (https://nuxt.com/docs/api/utils/define-page-meta#defining-layout), this function is meant to be used directly in page components. To solve this while maintaining your desired structure, you have a couple of options: a. Keep the definePageMeta call in the ~/pages/index.ts file:

// ~/pages/index.ts
import { default as MainPage } from '~/import/pages/main/page.vue'

definePageMeta({
  layout: 'no-search-bar'
})

export default MainPage

// ~/pages/index.ts
import { default as MainPage } from '~/import/pages/main/page.vue'

definePageMeta({
  layout: 'no-search-bar'
})

export default MainPage

This approach will work, but as you mentioned, it might produce warnings. b. Use the <script> block in your page component:

<!-- ~/import/pages/main/page.vue -->
<script setup lang="ts">
definePageMeta({
  layout: 'no-search-bar'
})
</script>

<template>
  <!-- Your page content -->
</template>

<!-- ~/import/pages/main/page.vue -->
<script setup lang="ts">
definePageMeta({
  layout: 'no-search-bar'
})
</script>

<template>
  <!-- Your page content -->
</template>

This approach keeps the definePageMeta call within the actual page component, which is the recommended way. 3. Alternative approach for components: Instead of creating a separate import structure, you can disable auto-imports for specific directories within the components/ folder. This allows you to keep your components organized without them being auto-imported throughout the app. You can configure this in your nuxt.config.ts file:

export default defineNuxtConfig({
  components: [
    {
      path: '~/components',
      pathPrefix: false,
    },
    {
      path: '~/components/global',
      global: true
    },
    {
      path: '~/components/layout',
      global: false
    }
  ],
})

export default defineNuxtConfig({
  components: [
    {
      path: '~/components',
      pathPrefix: false,
    },
    {
      path: '~/components/global',
      global: true
    },
    {
      path: '~/components/layout',
      global: false
    }
  ],
})

In this configuration: - Components in ~/components/global will be auto-imported globally. - Components in ~/components/layout will not be auto-imported, but can be manually imported where needed. - Other components in ~/components will follow the default behavior. This approach is mentioned in the Nuxt documentation on component auto-imports (https://nuxt.com/docs/guide/directory-structure/components#component-names). By using this configuration, you can keep your layout-specific components in ~/components/layout/ and manually import them in your layout files, achieving the separation you desire without creating a separate import structure. Remember, the goal is to balance code organization with the conventions and features provided by Nuxt. The approach you choose should align with your project's needs and your team's preferences. ---------------------- Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon: ----------------------

kapa.ai•3w ago

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Code splitting and auto-import