Hook — why this matters
If you’re building a simple brochure website in React, you want crisp, URL-driven navigation without sacrificing the speed and statefulness of a single-page app. React Router gives you multi-page-like navigation with no full page reloads, letting visitors move between Home, About, Services, and Contact pages quickly and predictably.
This article explains the practical why and how: when to use React Router, what the minimal setup looks like, and a handful of implementation tips to keep your site maintainable and deployable.
When to use React Router for a brochure site
A brochure site is usually a small collection of static-ish pages meant to inform visitors. Even for a 3–6 page site, React Router is useful because it:
- Keeps navigation snappy (no full reloads).
- Maps readable URLs to components.
- Makes your layout and navigation reusable.
- Keeps the door open for future expansion (nested pages, sections).
If you prefer a component-first architecture and plan to add small interactive features later, Router is a future-proof choice.
The minimal setup (conceptually)
You don’t need a lot to get multi-page navigation working:
- Install react-router-dom in your project.
- Wrap your app in a BrowserRouter so routing features are available.
- Define a Routes container and several Route entries that map path strings to components.
- Use Link or NavLink elements instead of native anchor tags for internal navigation.
Think of BrowserRouter as the wiring, Routes/Route as the map, and NavLink/Link as the clickable GPS that updates the URL without leaving the page.
Core concepts (plain language)
- BrowserRouter: the router provider that listens to the browser URL and manages history.
- Routes: a container that chooses which route to render based on the current path.
- Route: a single path => component mapping, like “/about” => AboutPage.
- Link / NavLink: replacements for anchor tags that navigate without reloading; NavLink can automatically mark the active link.
- Outlet: a placeholder inside a parent layout where nested child routes render.
You don’t need to memorize API names, but understand the roles: provider, router map, link helpers, and an outlet for nested content.
Quick checklist before you code
- Node and npm installed; project created (Create React App, Vite, etc.).
- react-router-dom added to your dependencies.
- One BrowserRouter at the app root.
- Routes and Route used to declare pages.
- Navigation built with NavLink for active styling.
- A fallback Route (path=”*”) for 404 handling.
Practical implementation tips (developer-friendly)
- Keep pages as simple components: Home, About, Services, Contact. Put them in src/pages for clarity.
- Use a Layout component that includes your Navbar and Footer and renders child routes with an Outlet. This avoids repeating header/footer code.
- Use NavLink’s className or style-as-function to apply an active state, rather than doing manual path comparisons.
- For deep links under a section (e.g., /services/web-design), use nested routes so the parent layout remains consistent and the child content renders in-place.
- Avoid native anchor tags for internal links; they will cause full reloads and break the SPA experience.
- Add a simple 404 route as the last Route: when no path matches, render a helpful “Page not found” message.
Deployment pointers
Client-side routing needs one extra step on static hosts: configure the host to serve index.html for any route so deep links don’t 404.
- Netlify: add a redirects rule to send all paths to index.html.
- Vercel: it generally handles SPA rewrites automatically, but verify if you customize routing.
Also, set proper meta tags (React Helmet or similar) if SEO matters and consider server-side rendering later for improved SEO if your brochure site needs search visibility.
Best practices summary
- Start small and centralize your route definitions.
- Use semantic HTML for navigation and test keyboard accessibility.
- Keep route paths lowercase and descriptive.
- Plan for growth with nested routes and a layout component.
If you want a full walk-through and example code, there’s a longer guide and resources available. Check the original walkthrough at https://prateeksha.com/blog/react-router-basics-multi-page-navigation-brochure-website and browse related posts on https://prateeksha.com/blog. For agency help or custom builds, visit https://prateeksha.com.
Conclusion
React Router turns a simple React app into a well-structured brochure website with readable URLs, consistent layout, and fast navigation. Use a layout + outlet pattern, NavLink for active styling, and remember to configure your host for client-side routing on deployment. With these basics, your brochure site will be fast, maintainable, and ready to grow.