"document is not defined" in Nuxt.js

Question

I am trying to use Choices.js within a Vue component. The component compiles successfully, but then an error is triggered:

[vue-router] Failed to resolve async component default: ReferenceError: document is not defined

In the browser I see:

ReferenceError document is not defined

I think this has something to do with the SSR in Nuxt.js? I only need Choices.js to run on the client, because it's a client only aspect I guess.

nuxt.config.js

build: {
  vendor: ['choices.js']
}

AppCountrySelect.vue

<script>
import Choices from 'choices.js'

export default {
  name: 'CountrySelect',
  created () {
    console.log(this.$refs, Choices)
    const choices = new Choices(this.$refs.select)
    console.log(choices)
  }
}
</script>

In classic Vue, this would work fine, so I'm very much still getting to grips with how I can get Nuxt.js to work this way.

Any ideas at all where I'm going wrong?

Thanks.

Answer 1

It's a common error when you start a Nuxt project ;-)

The Choices.js lib is available only for client-side! So Nuxt tried to renderer from server-side, but from Node.js window.document doesn't exist, then you have an error.
nb: window.document is only available from the browser renderer.

Since Nuxt 1.0.0 RC7, you can use <no-ssr> element to allow your component only for client-side.

<template>
  <div>
    <no-ssr placeholder="loading...">
      <your-component>
    </no-ssr>
  </div>
</template>

take a look at the official example here: https://github.com/nuxt/nuxt.js/blob/dev/examples/no-ssr/pages/index.vue

---

Update:

Since Nuxt >= 2.9.0, you have to use the <client-only> element instead of <no-ssr>:

<template>
  <div>
    <client-only placeholder="loading...">
      <your-component>
    </client-only>
  </div>
</template>

To know more, see nuxt docs: https://nuxtjs.org/docs/2.x/features/nuxt-components#the-client-only-component

Answer 2

The accepted answer (while correct) was too short for me to understand it and use it correctly, so I wrote a more detailed version. I was looking for a way to use plotly.js + nuxt.js, but it should be the same as the OP's problem of Choice.js + nuxt.js.

MyComponent.vue

<template>
  <div>
    <client-only>
      <my-chart></my-chart>
    </client-only>
  </div>
</template>
<script>
export default {
  components: {
    // this different (webpack) import did the trick together with <no-ssr>:
    'my-chart': () => import('@/components/MyChart.vue')
  }
}
</script>

MyChart.vue

<template>
  <div>
  </div>
</template>
<script>
import Plotly from 'plotly.js/dist/plotly'
export default {
  mounted () {
    // exists only on client:
    console.log(Plotly)
  },
  components: {
    Plotly
  }
}
</script>

Update: There is <client-only> tag instead of <<no-ssr> in Nuxt v>2.9.0, see @Kaz's comment.

Answer 3

You need to add it as a plugin and then disable SSR for it.

As the document and window are not defined on the server-side.

Your nuxt.config.js should look like below

plugins: [
  { src: '~/plugins/choices.js' } // both sides
  { src: '~/plugins/client-only.js', mode: 'client' }, // only on client side
  { src: '~/plugins/server-only.js', mode: 'server' } // only on server side
],

Answer 4

I found that now the no-ssr is replace by , i am using echart and have the same problem but now it´s working!

    <client-only>
        <chart-component></chart-component>
    </client-only>

Answer 5

This thread is a bit old, but I will leave my solution here so maybe someone finds it useful.

I had similar issue with vue-star-rating and few other plugins recently.

---

Below steps can be followed and adjusted depending on the plugin name, import / usage settings:

1. Go to your plugins folder and create new js file, in this case vue-star-rating.js, then edit it to setup the plugin:

---

import Vue from 'vue'
import VueStarRating from 'vue-star-rating'

Vue.component('vue-star-rating', VueStarRating); //<--- the name you used to register the plugin will be the same to use when in the component (vue-star-rating)

2. Go to your nuxt.config.js file and add plugin:

---

  plugins: [{
      src: '~/plugins/vue-star-rating', // <--- file name
      mode: 'client'
    },
    //you can simply keep adding plugins like this:
    {
      src: '~/plugins/vue-slider-component',
      mode: 'client'
    }]

3. Now you are ready to use the plugin anywhere in the application. However, to do that you will need to wrap it in the container <client-only>. Example:

---

<client-only placeholder="loading...">
   <vue-star-rating />
</client-only>

---

Notes:

You do not need to import anything locally to the component, simply using it like above should fix the problem.

Please make sure you are naming the plugin the same way in both places, step 1 and step 3. In this case it would be vue-star-rating.

Answer 6

I had this error with lightgallery.js adding mode: 'client' seems helped

nuxt.config.js

 plugins: [
    { src: '~/plugins/lightgallery.js',  mode: 'client' }
  ],

plugins/lightgallery.js

import Vue from 'vue'
import lightGallery from 'lightgallery.js/dist/js/lightgallery.min.js'
import 'lightgallery.js/dist/css/lightgallery.min.css'

Vue.use(lightGallery)

ImageGallery.vue

<template>
  <section class="image-gallery-container">
    <div class="image-gallery-row">
      <div
        ref="lightgallery"
        class="image-gallery"
      >
        <a
          v-for="image in group.images"
          :key="image.mediaItemUrl"
          :href="image.mediaItemUrl"
          class="image-gallery__link"
        >
          <img
            :src="image.sourceUrl"
            :alt="image.altText"
            class="image-gallery__image"
          >
        </a>
      </div>
    </div>
  </section>
</template>

<script>
export default {
  name: 'ImageGallery',
  props: {
    group: {
      type: Object,
      required: true
    }
  },
  mounted() {
    let vm = this;

    if (this.group && vm.$refs.lightgallery !== 'undefined') {
      window.lightGallery(this.$refs.lightgallery, {
        cssEasing: 'cubic-bezier(0.680, -0.550, 0.265, 1.550)'
      });
    }
  }
}
</script>

Answer 7

<script>
import Choices from 'choices.js'

export default {
  name: 'CountrySelect',
  created () {
    if(process.client) {
      console.log(this.$refs, Choices)
      const choices = new Choices(this.$refs.select)
      console.log(choices)
    }
  }
}
</script>

I guess this should help, nuxt will touch insides of computed after it renders on server and window will be defined

Answer 8

if you still want to do it, document object can be taken this way:

const d = typeof document === 'undefined' ? null : document

Answer 9

For completeness, it's worth mentioning that instead of the object syntax in Yusuf Adeyemo answer (which I prefer as it separates out the file from how it is used), you can also set plugins to operate in client or server side only by naming the files like so:

export default {
  plugins: [
    '~/plugins/foo.client.js', // only in client side
    '~/plugins/bar.server.js', // only in server side
    '~/plugins/baz.js' // both client & server
  ]
}

src: https://nuxtjs.org/docs/directory-structure/plugins/#client-or-server-side-only

Answer 10

On top of all the answers here, you can also face some other packages that are not compatible with SSR out of the box (like in your case) and that will require some hacks to work properly. Here is my answer in details.

The TLDR is that you'll sometimes need to:

• use process.client
• use the <client-only> tag (be careful, it will not render but still execute the code inside)
• use a dynamic import if needed later on, like const Ace = await import('ace-builds/src-noconflict/ace')
• load a component conditionally components: { [process.client && 'VueEditor']: () => import('vue2-editor') }

With all of this, you're pretty much covered for every possible case.

Answer 11

I was trying to access document in created hook so when I moved the logic from created hook to mounted hook, my problem was solved.