Next.js offers two routing systems. Let’s compare them to help you make the right choice for your project. App Router (Recommended) Built on React Server Components Improved performance Better developer experience Nested layouts support Pages Router (Legacy) Traditional React approach Simpler mental model Extensive ecosystem support For new projects, App Router is the way to […]

React Server Components revolutionize how we build React applications. Here’s everything you need to know. Benefits of Server Components Zero bundle size impact Direct database access Improved SEO Better performance Example Server Component // app/posts/page.tsx async function Posts() { const posts = await fetch(‘https://api.example.com/posts’) const data = await posts.json() return ( <div> {data.map(post => ( […]

Next.js API Routes allow you to build full-stack applications with ease. Let’s explore how to create powerful APIs. Creating API Routes // app/api/users/route.ts export async function GET() { const users = await db.user.findMany() return Response.json(users) } export async function POST(request: Request) { const body = await request.json() const user = await db.user.create({ data: body }) […]

The Next.js Image component provides automatic optimization and better performance. Here’s how to use it effectively. Basic Usage import Image from ‘next/image’ export default function Profile() { return ( <Image src=”/profile.jpg” width={500} height={500} alt=”Profile picture” /> ) } Optimization Features Automatic WebP/AVIF conversion Lazy loading by default Responsive images Blur placeholder support Always use the […]

Middleware in Next.js allows you to run code before a request is completed. Perfect for authentication, redirects, and more. Creating Middleware // middleware.ts import { NextResponse } from ‘next/server’ import type { NextRequest } from ‘next/server’ export function middleware(request: NextRequest) { if (request.nextUrl.pathname.startsWith(‘/admin’)) { return NextResponse.redirect(new URL(‘/login’, request.url)) } } export const config = { […]

Understanding when to use SSG vs SSR is crucial for optimal performance. Let’s break down both approaches. Static Site Generation (SSG) // Pre-rendered at build time export default function Blog({ posts }) { return ( <div> {posts.map(post => ( <article key={post.id}> <h2>{post.title}</h2> </article> ))} </div> ) } export async function getStaticProps() { const posts = […]

Turbopack is Next.js’s new bundler written in Rust. It’s incredibly fast and will eventually replace Webpack. Enabling Turbopack # Development npm run dev — –turbo # Or in package.json { “scripts”: { “dev”: “next dev –turbo” } } Performance Benefits 10x faster than Webpack Incremental compilation Better caching Improved HMR (Hot Module Replacement) Turbopack is […]

MDX combines Markdown with JSX, making it perfect for content-rich applications. Here’s how to set it up in Next.js. Installation npm install @next/mdx @mdx-js/loader @mdx-js/react Configuration // next.config.js const withMDX = require(‘@next/mdx’)({ extension: /.mdx?$/, }) module.exports = withMDX({ pageExtensions: [‘js’, ‘jsx’, ‘ts’, ‘tsx’, ‘md’, ‘mdx’], }) Creating MDX Content # My Blog Post This is […]

Deploying Next.js applications is straightforward with multiple hosting options. Let’s explore the best practices. Vercel Deployment (Recommended) # Install Vercel CLI npm i -g vercel # Deploy vercel # Production deployment vercel –prod Other Deployment Options Netlify: Great for static sites AWS: Full control and scalability Docker: Containerized deployments Self-hosted: Complete control Build Optimization # […]