What is getStaticProps?
Interviewer Expectations for this Question
01
Core Competency
Assesses fundamental understanding of Next.js conventions, runtime behavior, and memory/performance considerations.
02
Evaluation Criteria
Hiring managers look for precision, avoidance of ambiguous jargon, and ability to explain trade-offs under real production conditions.
Comprehensive Model Answer
Verified Solution
A function that runs at build time to fetch data for a page.
export async function getStaticProps(context) {
const res = await fetch(`https://...`);
const data = await res.json();
if (!data) {
return {
notFound: true,
};
}
return {
props: { data }, // will be passed to the page component as props
};
}
Candidate Response Strategy & Interview Tips
- Start with a concise one-sentence summary: Deliver a direct, confident answer first before expanding into nuances.
- Demonstrate real-world trade-offs: Discuss where this approach excels and when you would avoid it in production systems.
- Discuss complexity & edge cases: Proactively explain time/space complexity or boundary conditions (null values, scale limits).
- Prepare for interviewer follow-ups: Technical hiring panels frequently probe deeper into concurrency, backward compatibility, or alternative libraries.