Next.js Tutorial

This Next.js tutorial will cover all the fundamentals of Next.js, including its installation, project setup, routing, route handlers, authentication, debugging, testing, and deployment. This Next.js tutorial is designed for beginners and professionals who want to learn Next.js step by step.

What is Next.js?

Next.js is a React-based framework for building web applications. It's an open-source tool that provides additional features to React, such as server-side rendering, static generation, and optimization strategies. Unlike React, Next.js has the capability to build full-stack web applications using API routes. To create a better user interface, you can stick with React, but Next.js is for additional features and customizations.

Why to Use Next.js?

Next.js is capable of configuring tools needed in React applications, so you can be more productive and focus on development rather than the configurations. Next.js solved the common application requirements like routing, data fetching, and caching and improved the development experience.

Key Features of Next.js

Next.js was invented to reduce the load on web browsers and provide enhanced security. There are some other features as listed below.

Feature	Description
Advanced Routing	Next.js uses file-system based router. Whenever we add any page to the pages directory, it is automatically available via url.
Multiple Renderings	Next.js supports on two side rendering(client and server side) on user's browser and the server. So this makes faster by pre-building some pages and creating others as per requirements.
Data Fetching	Server Components can now fetch data more easily using async/await, and have better ways to save, cache, and update data using an improved fetch API.
Styling Support	Next.js supports tailwind css and inbuilt css-in-js library for styling. It allows to write CSS within a React component and these styles will be scoped to component.
Optimizations	Next.js have builtin optimization tools to optimize images, fonts, and scripts, that will help your app to perform better and improve the SEO of your web applications.
TypeScript Support	Next.js support TypeScript, so there is better type checking and more efficient compilation compared to JavaScript.

How to Setup Next.js?

Next.js runs on Node.js server, so to setup a Next.js project, first you need to install Node.js (version 14.6.0 or newer) on your system. To create a application, open your terminal/powershell in the folder where you want to build app. Then run the following command (same for mac/linux/windows).

>> npx create-next-app@latest

After running this, you will be prompted to give a name for your project. Enter a suitable name, and then you will be asked to select tools to be installed along with Next.js. Using the left arrow, right arrow and enter key, select Typescript, Tailwind CSS and ESlint. Use the image below as a reference.

Getting Started With Next.js

To begin with Next.js, you can start with the following topics. This Next.js tutorial will help you to learn Next.js at your own pace and to get the best out of this, we recommend you to do coding practice with each lesson.

Next.js Basics

Before diving deep into any tutorial, always prepare yourself from the basics.

Next.js Routing

Next.js creates website links automatically based on how you organize your files. If you add a new file in the pages folder, it will be a new page on your website. You can also create dynamic routes, where the URL depends on what link user the clicks.

Next.js Rendering Methods

Next.js supports multiple rendering methods like server-side rendering, client-side rendering, static site generation, pre-rendering and partial pre-rendering. Learn when and how to use these rendering methods.

Next.js API Routes

API Routes is a way to create REST API inside Next.js application itself. You can create API routes by creating a file inside the API folder. These routes can be used to fetch data from the database, external APIs, or to perform any other server-side operations.

Next.js Styling

Next.js supports multiple ways of styling using CSS. You can apply component-specific styles, global styles, and use CSS-in-JS libraries like styled-components, emotion, and tailwind CSS.

Next.js CSS
Next.js Global CSS

Prerequisites to Learn Next.js

Before proceeding with this Next.js tutorial, you should have a good understanding of the JavaScript language. Next.js is a superset of React.js, so it is recommended to have basic knowledge of React.js as well. Next.js uses Node.js server, so it is good to have basic understanding of Node.js as well.

Audience: Who Can Learn Next.js?

This Next.js tutorial is designed for aspiring web designers and frontend developers who want to learn Next.js from scratch. This Next.js tutorial is also suitable for those who want to enhance their knowledge of React.js and build full-stack web applications.

FAQs on Next.js

There are some very Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ) about Next.js

What is NextJS used for?

Next.js is a React framework for building full-stack web applications.

Is NextJS better than React?

Next. js is more opinionated than react but less flexible than React. Use Next.js for configuring tools needed in React applications.

Is NextJS frontend or backend?

It can be used for both but recommended to use as a frontend.

Is NextJS the same as Nodejs?

No, both are different - Next.js is React based framework and Node.js JavaScript runtime environment.

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