Building a Blog with MDX#

MDX is a powerful format that lets you write JSX in your Markdown files. Combined with Next.js and Shiki for syntax highlighting, you can create beautiful, interactive blog posts.

What is MDX?#

MDX is Markdown for the component era. It allows you to:

• Write Markdown with embedded JSX components
• Use React components directly in your content
• Create interactive and dynamic content

Setting Up MDX with Next.js#

To use MDX with Next.js, we'll use next-mdx-remote:

Basic Setup#

Here's how to set up MDX rendering:

Syntax Highlighting with Shiki#

Shiki is a syntax highlighter that uses the same TextMate grammars as VS Code. It's perfect for Server Components because it works at build time.

Installing Shiki#

Creating a Code Block Component#

Creating Custom Components#

One of the best parts of MDX is creating custom components for your content. Let's create a Callout component:

Now you can use it in your MDX files:

Example: Using Callouts#

Here are different types of callouts you can use:

Code Examples#

Here's a complete example of a blog post structure:

Best Practices#

1. Organize your content: Keep all MDX files in a dedicated content/blog directory
2. Use frontmatter: Store metadata like title, date, and tags in frontmatter
3. Create reusable components: Build a library of components for common patterns
4. Optimize images: Use Next.js Image component for better performance
5. Add syntax highlighting: Use Shiki for beautiful code blocks

Conclusion#

Building a blog with MDX, Next.js, and Shiki gives you:

• Flexibility: Write content in Markdown with React components
• Performance: Server-side rendering and build-time syntax highlighting
• Developer Experience: Great tooling and type safety
• Customization: Create any component you need for your content

Happy blogging! ✨

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