Guiding users through your website or application can enhance engagement and boost satisfaction. driver.js is a lightweight JavaScript library designed to create interactive tours and feature introductions that help users quickly understand your UI.

What is driver.js?

driver.js enables you to highlight specific page elements and display popovers with titles and descriptions. It’s perfect for scenarios like:

  1. Onboarding: Walk new users through key features.
  2. Feature Rollouts: Spotlight new or updated functionality.
  3. Product Tours: Provide step-by-step guidance through your application.

When to Use driver.js

Use driver.js when you need to:

  1. Educate users quickly about your app’s layout.
  2. Highlight important changes following updates.
  3. Enhance user engagement with a clear, guided experience.

Basic Example

Here’s a quick example demonstrating how to set up a guided tour:

// Define tour steps
const tourSteps = [
  {
    element: '#navbar',
    popover: {
      title: 'Navigation',
      description: 'Easily find your way around.',
      position: 'bottom'
    }
  },
  {
    element: '#hero',
    popover: {
      title: 'Hero Section',
      description: 'Discover our key features.',
      position: 'bottom'
    }
  },
  {
    element: '#feature',
    popover: {
      title: 'Features',
      description: 'Learn more about what we offer.',
      position: 'top'
    }
  }
];

// Initialize and start the tour
import Driver from 'driver.js';
import 'driver.js/dist/driver.min.css';

const driver = new Driver();
driver.defineSteps(tourSteps);
driver.start();

Integrating driver.js in Next.js

Due to Next.js’s server-side rendering (SSR), ensure driver.js runs only on the client-side:

  • Install driver.js: 
npm install driver.js
# or
yarn add driver.js
  • Create a Tour Component: 
// src/components/Tour.tsx
"use client"

import { useEffect } from 'react';

import 'driver.js/dist/driver.css';

import { driver } from "driver.js"

const Tour = () => {
  useEffect(() => {
     const driverObj = driver({
      steps: [
        {
          element: "#navbar",
          popover: {
            title: "Navigation",
            description: "Easily find your way around.",
          },
        },
        {
          element: "#hero",
          popover: {
            title: "Hero Section",
            description: "Discover our key features.",
          },
        },
        {
          element: "#feature",
          popover: {
            title: "Features",
            description: "Learn more about what we offer.",
          },
        },
      ],
    });

    driverObj.drive();
  }, []);

  return (
    <div>
      <nav id="navbar">Navbar content</nav>
      <section id="hero">Hero content</section>
      <section id="feature">Feature content</section>
    </div>
  );
};

export default Tour;
  • Use the Component in Your Page: 
// src/app/page.ts
import Tour from './components/Tour';

export default function Home() {
  return (
    <div>
      <Tour />
    </div>
  );
}

Conclusion

driver.js offers a simple yet effective solution for creating guided tours on your website. Whether you’re onboarding users, rolling out new features, or highlighting key areas, driver.js enhances the overall user experience with minimal setup.

Happy coding!