What are the best practices for using navigation guards in Vue.js?

What are the best practices for using navigation guards in Vue.js?

When using navigation guards in Vue.js, it's important to keep your code organized and maintainable. Here are some best practices:

1. Use global guards for authentication checks.
2. Keep route-specific logic within the route definitions.
3. Avoid heavy computations in guards to prevent delays.
4. Use named routes for better readability.
5. Handle errors gracefully to improve user experience.

Can you explain how to implement a global before guard?

Sure! To implement a global before guard in Vue.js, you can use the beforeEach method of the router instance. Here's a simple example:

router.beforeEach((to, from, next) => {
  const isAuthenticated = // your logic to check authentication;
  if (to.meta.requiresAuth && !isAuthenticated) {
    next({ name: 'Login' }); // redirect to login if not authenticated
  } else {
    next(); // proceed to the route
  }
});

What should I do if a guard fails?

If a guard fails, you should handle it gracefully. You can redirect the user to a different route, show an error message, or log the error for debugging. For example, in a navigation guard, you can use next(false) to cancel the navigation or redirect to an error page.

Are there any performance considerations I should keep in mind?

Yes, performance is crucial. Avoid heavy computations or API calls in your guards, as they can slow down navigation. Instead, consider using asynchronous guards or loading data in components after navigation.