Next.js: useSearchParams with Suspense Pattern

Pattern Overview

The useSearchParams hook requires TWO things:

1. Component must have 'use client' directive
2. Component must be wrapped in a <Suspense> boundary

This is a Next.js requirement, not optional!

Why This Pattern?

useSearchParams reads URL query parameters:

• /search?q=shoes → searchParams.get('q') returns "shoes"
• /products?category=electronics&sort=price → Read multiple params

Why Suspense? Next.js uses React 18's Suspense to handle the async nature of reading URL params during server-side rendering and hydration.

The Pattern

Single-File Pattern (Recommended)

// app/page.tsx
import { Suspense } from 'react';
import SearchComponent from './SearchComponent';

export default function Page() {
  return (
    <Suspense fallback={<div>Loading...</div>}>
      <SearchComponent />
    </Suspense>
  );
}

// app/SearchComponent.tsx
'use client';

import { useSearchParams } from 'next/navigation';

export default function SearchComponent() {
  const searchParams = useSearchParams();
  const query = searchParams.get('q') || '';

  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Search Results for: {query}</h1>
    </div>
  );
}

Inline Pattern (Single File)

Sometimes you want everything in one file:

// app/page.tsx
'use client';

import { Suspense } from 'react';
import { useSearchParams } from 'next/navigation';

function SearchContent() {
  const searchParams = useSearchParams();
  const query = searchParams.get('q') || '';

  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Search: {query}</h1>
      <p>Results for "{query}"</p>
    </div>
  );
}

export default function Page() {
  return (
    <Suspense fallback={<div>Loading search...</div>}>
      <SearchContent />
    </Suspense>
  );
}

TypeScript: NEVER Use any Type

// ❌ WRONG
function Component({ params }: any) { ... }

// ✅ CORRECT
// useSearchParams returns ReadonlyURLSearchParams
function Component() {
  const searchParams = useSearchParams();
  const value: string | null = searchParams.get('key');
}

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Search Interface

// app/search/page.tsx
'use client';

import { Suspense } from 'react';
import { useSearchParams } from 'next/navigation';

function SearchResults() {
  const searchParams = useSearchParams();
  const query = searchParams.get('q') || '';
  const category = searchParams.get('category') || 'all';

  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Search: {query}</h1>
      <p>Category: {category}</p>

      {/* Display search results */}
      <div className="results">
        {/* ... */}
      </div>
    </div>
  );
}

export default function SearchPage() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Suspense fallback={<div>Loading results...</div>}>
        <SearchResults />
      </Suspense>
    </div>
  );
}

Example 2: Product Filters

// app/products/page.tsx
'use client';

import { Suspense } from 'react';
import { useSearchParams, useRouter } from 'next/navigation';

function ProductList() {
  const searchParams = useSearchParams();
  const router = useRouter();

  const category = searchParams.get('category') || 'all';
  const sort = searchParams.get('sort') || 'name';
  const minPrice = searchParams.get('minPrice') || '0';

  const updateFilter = (key: string, value: string) => {
    const params = new URLSearchParams(searchParams.toString());
    params.set(key, value);
    router.push(`?${params.toString()}`);
  };

  return (
    <div>
      <div className="filters">
        <select
          value={category}
          onChange={(e) => updateFilter('category', e.target.value)}
        >
          <option value="all">All Categories</option>
          <option value="electronics">Electronics</option>
          <option value="clothing">Clothing</option>
        </select>

        <select
          value={sort}
          onChange={(e) => updateFilter('sort', e.target.value)}
        >
          <option value="name">Name</option>
          <option value="price">Price</option>
          <option value="rating">Rating</option>
        </select>
      </div>

      <div className="products">
        {/* Product grid filtered by params */}
      </div>
    </div>
  );
}

export default function ProductsPage() {
  return (
    <Suspense fallback={<div>Loading products...</div>}>
      <ProductList />
    </Suspense>
  );
}

Example 3: Pagination

// app/blog/page.tsx
'use client';

import { Suspense } from 'react';
import { useSearchParams, useRouter } from 'next/navigation';

function BlogPosts() {
  const searchParams = useSearchParams();
  const router = useRouter();

  const page = parseInt(searchParams.get('page') || '1', 10);
  const perPage = 10;

  const goToPage = (newPage: number) => {
    const params = new URLSearchParams(searchParams.toString());
    params.set('page', newPage.toString());
    router.push(`?${params.toString()}`);
  };

  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Blog Posts - Page {page}</h1>

      <div className="posts">
        {/* Blog posts for current page */}
      </div>

      <div className="pagination">
        <button
          disabled={page === 1}
          onClick={() => goToPage(page - 1)}
        >
          Previous
        </button>
        <span>Page {page}</span>
        <button onClick={() => goToPage(page + 1)}>
          Next
        </button>
      </div>
    </div>
  );
}

export default function BlogPage() {
  return (
    <Suspense fallback={<div>Loading posts...</div>}>
      <BlogPosts />
    </Suspense>
  );
}

Working with URLSearchParams

'use client';

import { useSearchParams } from 'next/navigation';

function Component() {
  const searchParams = useSearchParams();

  // Get single value
  const query = searchParams.get('q');           // string | null
  const category = searchParams.get('category'); // string | null

  // Get all values for a key (for multi-select)
  const tags = searchParams.getAll('tag');       // string[]

  // Check if key exists
  const hasSort = searchParams.has('sort');      // boolean

  // Iterate over all params
  searchParams.forEach((value, key) => {
    console.log(`${key}: ${value}`);
  });

  // Convert to regular object
  const paramsObject = Object.fromEntries(searchParams.entries());

  return <div>{/* ... */}</div>;
}

Updating URL Parameters

'use client';

import { useSearchParams, useRouter } from 'next/navigation';

function Component() {
  const searchParams = useSearchParams();
  const router = useRouter();

  const updateParams = (updates: Record<string, string>) => {
    // Create new URLSearchParams from current params
    const params = new URLSearchParams(searchParams.toString());

    // Apply updates
    Object.entries(updates).forEach(([key, value]) => {
      if (value) {
        params.set(key, value);
      } else {
        params.delete(key);  // Remove if value is empty
      }
    });

    // Navigate with new params
    router.push(`?${params.toString()}`);
  };

  return (
    <button onClick={() => updateParams({ sort: 'price', order: 'asc' })}>
      Sort by Price
    </button>
  );
}

Common Patterns

Pattern: Search with Debounce

'use client';

import { Suspense, useState, useEffect } from 'react';
import { useSearchParams, useRouter } from 'next/navigation';

function SearchInput() {
  const searchParams = useSearchParams();
  const router = useRouter();
  const [query, setQuery] = useState(searchParams.get('q') || '');

  useEffect(() => {
    const timer = setTimeout(() => {
      const params = new URLSearchParams(searchParams.toString());
      if (query) {
        params.set('q', query);
      } else {
        params.delete('q');
      }
      router.push(`?${params.toString()}`);
    }, 300); // Debounce 300ms

    return () => clearTimeout(timer);
  }, [query, searchParams, router]);

  return (
    <input
      type="search"
      value={query}
      onChange={(e) => setQuery(e.target.value)}
      placeholder="Search..."
    />
  );
}

export default function Page() {
  return (
    <Suspense fallback={<div>Loading...</div>}>
      <SearchInput />
    </Suspense>
  );
}

Pattern: Multiple Filters

'use client';

import { Suspense } from 'react';
import { useSearchParams, useRouter } from 'next/navigation';

interface Filters {
  category?: string;
  priceMin?: string;
  priceMax?: string;
  inStock?: string;
}

function FilterPanel() {
  const searchParams = useSearchParams();
  const router = useRouter();

  const currentFilters: Filters = {
    category: searchParams.get('category') || undefined,
    priceMin: searchParams.get('priceMin') || undefined,
    priceMax: searchParams.get('priceMax') || undefined,
    inStock: searchParams.get('inStock') || undefined,
  };

  const updateFilters = (newFilters: Partial<Filters>) => {
    const params = new URLSearchParams(searchParams.toString());

    Object.entries({ ...currentFilters, ...newFilters }).forEach(
      ([key, value]) => {
        if (value) {
          params.set(key, value);
        } else {
          params.delete(key);
        }
      }
    );

    router.push(`?${params.toString()}`);
  };

  const clearFilters = () => {
    router.push(window.location.pathname); // Remove all params
  };

  return (
    <div className="filters">
      <select
        value={currentFilters.category || ''}
        onChange={(e) => updateFilters({ category: e.target.value })}
      >
        <option value="">All Categories</option>
        <option value="electronics">Electronics</option>
      </select>

      <input
        type="number"
        placeholder="Min Price"
        value={currentFilters.priceMin || ''}
        onChange={(e) => updateFilters({ priceMin: e.target.value })}
      />

      <button onClick={clearFilters}>Clear Filters</button>
    </div>
  );
}

export default function Page() {
  return (
    <Suspense fallback={<div>Loading filters...</div>}>
      <FilterPanel />
    </Suspense>
  );
}

Common Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1: Missing 'use client'

// ❌ WRONG - Missing 'use client'
import { useSearchParams } from 'next/navigation';

export default function Page() {
  const searchParams = useSearchParams(); // ERROR!
  return <div>{searchParams.get('q')}</div>;
}

// ✅ CORRECT
'use client';  // Added!

import { useSearchParams } from 'next/navigation';

export default function Page() {
  const searchParams = useSearchParams();
  return <div>{searchParams.get('q')}</div>;
}

❌ Mistake 2: Missing Suspense Wrapper

// ❌ WRONG - Missing Suspense
'use client';

import { useSearchParams } from 'next/navigation';

export default function Page() {
  const searchParams = useSearchParams(); // Will cause issues!
  return <div>{searchParams.get('q')}</div>;
}

// ✅ CORRECT
'use client';

import { Suspense } from 'react';
import { useSearchParams } from 'next/navigation';

function SearchContent() {
  const searchParams = useSearchParams();
  return <div>{searchParams.get('q')}</div>;
}

export default function Page() {
  return (
    <Suspense fallback={<div>Loading...</div>}>
      <SearchContent />
    </Suspense>
  );
}

❌ Mistake 3: Using in Server Component

// ❌ WRONG - Trying to use in server component
import { useSearchParams } from 'next/navigation';

export default async function Page() {  // async = server component
  const searchParams = useSearchParams(); // ERROR! Hooks don't work in server components
  return <div>...</div>;
}

// ✅ CORRECT - Use searchParams prop in server components
export default async function Page({
  searchParams,
}: {
  searchParams: Promise<{ q?: string }>;
}) {
  const { q } = await searchParams;
  return <div>Query: {q}</div>;
}

Server vs Client searchParams

Feature	Server Component	Client Component
Access method	searchParams prop	useSearchParams() hook
Requires 'use client'	❌ No	✅ Yes
Requires Suspense	❌ No	✅ Yes
Can be async	✅ Yes	❌ No
Can update params	❌ No (use Link/redirect)	✅ Yes (use router.push)
Best for	Initial load, SEO	Dynamic filters, real-time updates

Quick Checklist

When using useSearchParams:

• Add 'use client' directive at top of file
• Import Suspense from 'react'
• Import useSearchParams from 'next/navigation'
• Wrap component using useSearchParams in <Suspense>
• Provide a fallback to Suspense
• Call useSearchParams() inside wrapped component
• Use .get(), .has(), or .getAll() to read params

Summary

useSearchParams with Suspense:

• ✅ Requires 'use client' directive
• ✅ Requires <Suspense> wrapper
• ✅ Use for client-side URL param reading
• ✅ Combine with useRouter() for updating params
• ✅ Best for filters, search, pagination
• ❌ NOT for server components (use searchParams prop instead)

This is the recommended pattern for client-side URL parameter handling in Next.js App Router.