Getting Started with Next.js
Next.js is a React framework that enables you to build full-stack web applications. It's built on top of React and provides additional features like server-side rendering, static site generation, and API routes.
Why Next.js?
Next.js offers several advantages over plain React:
- Zero Configuration: Start building immediately without complex setup
- Hybrid Rendering: Choose between SSR, SSG, or client-side rendering per page
- File-based Routing: Pages are automatically routed based on file structure
- API Routes: Build API endpoints alongside your frontend
- Built-in Optimization: Automatic code splitting, image optimization, and more
Installation
Getting started with Next.js is simple:
npx create-next-app@latest my-app
cd my-app
npm run dev
Project Structure
A typical Next.js project has this structure:
my-app/
├── app/
│ ├── layout.tsx
│ ├── page.tsx
│ └── globals.css
├── public/
├── next.config.js
└── package.json
Creating Your First Page
In the App Router, create a new page by adding a page.tsx
file:
export default function About() {
return (
<div>
<h1>About Page</h1>
<p>This is the about page.</p>
</div>
);
}
Styling
Next.js supports various styling approaches:
- CSS Modules: Scoped CSS with
.module.css
files - Tailwind CSS: Utility-first CSS framework
- Styled Components: CSS-in-JS library
- Global CSS: Traditional CSS files
Deployment
Deploy your Next.js app easily with Vercel:
npm install -g vercel
vercel
Next.js makes building modern web applications a breeze with its powerful features and excellent developer experience.