feat(nuxt): allow defining triggers for prefetching links (#27846)

docs/3.api/1.components/4.nuxt-link.md

@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ When not using `external`, `<NuxtLink>` supports all Vue Router's [`RouterLink`
 - `noRel`: If set to `true`, no `rel` attribute will be added to the link
 - `external`: Forces the link to be rendered as an `a` tag instead of a Vue Router `RouterLink`.
 - `prefetch`: When enabled will prefetch middleware, layouts and payloads (when using [payloadExtraction](/docs/api/nuxt-config#crossoriginprefetch)) of links in the viewport. Used by the experimental [crossOriginPrefetch](/docs/api/nuxt-config#crossoriginprefetch) config.
+- `prefetchOn`: Allows custom control of when to prefetch links. Possible options are `interaction` and `visibility` (default). You can also pass an object for full control, for example: `{ interaction: true, visibility: true }`. This prop is only used when `prefetch` is enabled (default) and `noPrefetch` is not set.
 - `noPrefetch`: Disables prefetching.
 - `prefetchedClass`: A class to apply to links that have been prefetched.
 
@@ -185,8 +186,13 @@ interface NuxtLinkOptions {
   externalRelAttribute?: string;
   activeClass?: string;
   exactActiveClass?: string;
-  prefetchedClass?: string;
   trailingSlash?: 'append' | 'remove'
+  prefetch?: boolean
+  prefetchedClass?: string
+  prefetchOn?: Partial<{
+    visibility: boolean
+    interaction: boolean
+  }>
 }
 function defineNuxtLink(options: NuxtLinkOptions): Component {}
 ```
@@ -195,7 +201,9 @@ function defineNuxtLink(options: NuxtLinkOptions): Component {}
 - `externalRelAttribute`: A default `rel` attribute value applied on external links. Defaults to `"noopener noreferrer"`. Set it to `""` to disable
 - `activeClass`: A default class to apply on active links. Works the same as [Vue Router's `linkActiveClass` option](https://router.vuejs.org/api/interfaces/RouterOptions.html#Properties-linkActiveClass). Defaults to Vue Router's default (`"router-link-active"`)
 - `exactActiveClass`: A default class to apply on exact active links. Works the same as [Vue Router's `linkExactActiveClass` option](https://router.vuejs.org/api/interfaces/RouterOptions.html#Properties-linkExactActiveClass). Defaults to Vue Router's default (`"router-link-exact-active"`)
-- `prefetchedClass`: A default class to apply to links that have been prefetched.
 - `trailingSlash`: An option to either add or remove trailing slashes in the `href`. If unset or not matching the valid values `append` or `remove`, it will be ignored.
+- `prefetch`: Whether or not to prefetch links by default.
+- `prefetchOn`: Granular control of which prefetch strategies to apply by default.
+- `prefetchedClass`: A default class to apply to links that have been prefetched.
 
 :link-example{to="/docs/examples/routing/pages"}

packages/nuxt/src/app/components/nuxt-link.ts

@@ -59,6 +59,13 @@ export interface NuxtLinkProps extends Omit<RouterLinkProps, 'to'> {
    * When enabled will prefetch middleware, layouts and payloads of links in the viewport.
    */
   prefetch?: boolean
+  /**
+   * Allows controlling when to prefetch links. By default, prefetch is triggered only on visibility.
+   */
+  prefetchOn?: 'visibility' | 'interaction' | Partial<{
+    visibility: boolean
+    interaction: boolean
+  }>
   /**
    * Escape hatch to disable `prefetch` attribute.
    */
@@ -71,7 +78,7 @@ export interface NuxtLinkProps extends Omit<RouterLinkProps, 'to'> {
  */
 export interface NuxtLinkOptions extends
   Partial<Pick<RouterLinkProps, 'activeClass' | 'exactActiveClass'>>,
-  Partial<Pick<NuxtLinkProps, 'prefetchedClass'>> {
+  Partial<Pick<NuxtLinkProps, 'prefetch' | 'prefetchedClass'>> {
   /**
    * The name of the component.
    * @default "NuxtLink"
@@ -86,6 +93,11 @@ export interface NuxtLinkOptions extends
    * If unset or not matching the valid values `append` or `remove`, it will be ignored.
    */
   trailingSlash?: 'append' | 'remove'
+
+  /**
+   * Allows controlling default setting for when to prefetch links. By default, prefetch is triggered only on visibility.
+   */
+  prefetchOn?: Exclude<NuxtLinkProps['prefetchOn'], string>
 }
 
 /* @__NO_SIDE_EFFECTS__ */
@@ -239,6 +251,14 @@ export function defineNuxtLink (options: NuxtLinkOptions) {
         default: undefined,
         required: false,
       },
+      prefetchOn: {
+        type: [String, Object] as PropType<NuxtLinkProps['prefetchOn']>,
+        default: options.prefetchOn || {
+          visibility: true,
+          interaction: false,
+        } satisfies NuxtLinkProps['prefetchOn'],
+        required: false,
+      },
       noPrefetch: {
         type: Boolean as PropType<NuxtLinkProps['noPrefetch']>,
         default: undefined,
@@ -299,10 +319,27 @@ export function defineNuxtLink (options: NuxtLinkOptions) {
       const el = import.meta.server ? undefined : ref<HTMLElement | null>(null)
       const elRef = import.meta.server ? undefined : (ref: any) => { el!.value = props.custom ? ref?.$el?.nextElementSibling : ref?.$el }
 
+      function shouldPrefetch (mode: 'visibility' | 'interaction') {
+        return !prefetched.value && (typeof props.prefetchOn === 'string' ? props.prefetchOn === mode : (props.prefetchOn?.[mode] ?? options.prefetchOn?.[mode])) && (props.prefetch ?? options.prefetch) !== false && props.noPrefetch !== true && props.target !== '_blank' && !isSlowConnection()
+      }
+
+      async function prefetch (nuxtApp = useNuxtApp()) {
+        if (prefetched.value) { return }
+
+        prefetched.value = true
+
+        const path = typeof to.value === 'string'
+          ? to.value
+          : isExternal.value ? resolveRouteObject(to.value) : router.resolve(to.value).fullPath
+        await Promise.all([
+          nuxtApp.hooks.callHook('link:prefetch', path).catch(() => {}),
+          !isExternal.value && !hasTarget.value && preloadRouteComponents(to.value as string, router).catch(() => {}),
+        ])
+      }
+
       if (import.meta.client) {
         checkPropConflicts(props, 'prefetch', 'noPrefetch')
-        const shouldPrefetch = props.prefetch !== false && props.noPrefetch !== true && props.target !== '_blank' && !isSlowConnection()
+        if (shouldPrefetch('visibility')) {
-        if (shouldPrefetch) {
           const nuxtApp = useNuxtApp()
           let idleId: number
           let unobserve: (() => void) | null = null
@@ -314,15 +351,7 @@ export function defineNuxtLink (options: NuxtLinkOptions) {
                   unobserve = observer!.observe(el.value as HTMLElement, async () => {
                     unobserve?.()
                     unobserve = null
-
+                    await prefetch(nuxtApp)
-                    const path = typeof to.value === 'string'
-                      ? to.value
-                      : isExternal.value ? resolveRouteObject(to.value) : router.resolve(to.value).fullPath
-                    await Promise.all([
-                      nuxtApp.hooks.callHook('link:prefetch', path).catch(() => {}),
-                      !isExternal.value && !hasTarget.value && preloadRouteComponents(to.value as string, router).catch(() => {}),
-                    ])
-                    prefetched.value = true
                   })
                 }
               })
@@ -355,6 +384,8 @@ export function defineNuxtLink (options: NuxtLinkOptions) {
             replace: props.replace,
             ariaCurrentValue: props.ariaCurrentValue,
             custom: props.custom,
+            onPointerenter: shouldPrefetch('interaction') ? prefetch.bind(null, undefined) : undefined,
+            onFocus: shouldPrefetch('interaction') ? prefetch.bind(null, undefined) : undefined,
           }
 
           // `custom` API cannot support fallthrough attributes as the slot

packages/schema/src/config/experimental.ts

@@ -345,6 +345,10 @@ export default defineUntypedSchema({
       /** @type {typeof import('#app/components/nuxt-link')['NuxtLinkOptions']} */
       nuxtLink: {
         componentName: 'NuxtLink',
+        prefetch: true,
+        prefetchOn: {
+          visibility: true,
+        },
       },
       /**
        * Options that apply to `useAsyncData` (and also therefore `useFetch`)

test/nuxt/components.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+/// <reference path="../fixtures/basic/.nuxt/nuxt.d.ts" />
+
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { mountSuspended } from '@nuxt/test-utils/runtime'
+
+import { nuxtLinkDefaults } from '#build/nuxt.config.mjs'
+
+describe('nuxt-link:prefetch', () => {
+  it('should prefetch on visibility by default', async () => {
+    const component = defineNuxtLink(nuxtLinkDefaults)
+
+    const { observer } = useMockObserver()
+
+    const nuxtApp = useNuxtApp()
+    nuxtApp.hooks.callHook = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve())
+
+    await mountSuspended(component, { props: { to: '/to' } })
+
+    expect(nuxtApp.hooks.callHook).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+    await observer.trigger()
+    expect(nuxtApp.hooks.callHook).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+
+    await observer.trigger()
+    expect(nuxtApp.hooks.callHook).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+  })
+
+  it('should prefetch with custom string `prefetchOn`', async () => {
+    const component = defineNuxtLink(nuxtLinkDefaults)
+    const nuxtApp = useNuxtApp()
+    nuxtApp.hooks.callHook = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve())
+
+    const { observer } = useMockObserver()
+    const wrapper = await mountSuspended(component, { props: { to: '/to', prefetchOn: 'interaction' } })
+
+    await observer.trigger()
+    expect(nuxtApp.hooks.callHook).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+    await wrapper.find('a').trigger('focus')
+    expect(nuxtApp.hooks.callHook).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+
+    await wrapper.find('a').trigger('focus')
+    expect(nuxtApp.hooks.callHook).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+
+    await wrapper.find('a').trigger('pointerenter')
+    expect(nuxtApp.hooks.callHook).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+  })
+
+  it('should prefetch with custom object `prefetchOn`', async () => {
+    const component = defineNuxtLink(nuxtLinkDefaults)
+    const nuxtApp = useNuxtApp()
+    nuxtApp.hooks.callHook = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve())
+
+    const { observer } = useMockObserver()
+    await mountSuspended(component, { props: { to: '/to', prefetchOn: { interaction: true } } })
+
+    await observer.trigger()
+    expect(nuxtApp.hooks.callHook).toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('should prefetch with custom object `prefetchOn` overriding default', async () => {
+    const component = defineNuxtLink(nuxtLinkDefaults)
+    const nuxtApp = useNuxtApp()
+    nuxtApp.hooks.callHook = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve())
+
+    const { observer } = useMockObserver()
+    await mountSuspended(component, { props: { to: '/to', prefetchOn: { interaction: true, visibility: false } } })
+
+    await observer.trigger()
+    expect(nuxtApp.hooks.callHook).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+})
+
+function useMockObserver () {
+  let callback: (entries: Array<{ target: HTMLElement, isIntersecting: boolean }>) => unknown
+  let el: HTMLElement
+  const mockObserver = class IntersectionObserver {
+    el: HTMLElement
+    constructor (_callback?: (entries: Array<{ target: HTMLElement, isIntersecting: boolean }>) => unknown) {
+      callback ||= _callback
+    }
+
+    observe = (_el: HTMLElement) => { el = _el }
+
+    trigger = () => callback?.([{ target: el, isIntersecting: true }])
+    unobserve = () => {}
+    disconnect = () => {}
+  }
+
+  window.IntersectionObserver = mockObserver as any
+
+  const observer = new mockObserver()
+
+  return { observer }
+}