getting-started-with-nextjs

Next.js is a popular React framework that makes it easy to build server-rendered React applications. In this post, we'll go through the basics of setting up a Next.js project and explore its key features.

What is Next.js?

Next.js is a React framework that provides a structure for building server-rendered React applications. It comes with built-in features like file system routing, API routes, and static site generation, making it a powerful tool for building modern web applications.

Setting up a Next.js Project

To create a new Next.js application, you can use the create-next-app command:

npx create-next-app my-next-app

This will set up a new Next.js project with all the necessary configurations and dependencies.

Key Features of Next.js

1. File System Routing

Next.js uses the file system for routing. Any file inside the pages directory becomes a route that's automatically processed and rendered.

2. Pre-rendering

Next.js pre-renders every page by default, which means it generates HTML for each page in advance rather than using client-side JavaScript. This results in better performance and SEO.

3. API Routes

Next.js allows you to create API endpoints as serverless functions by adding files to the pages/api directory.

Conclusion

Next.js is a powerful framework that simplifies the process of building React applications. With its built-in features and optimizations, it's a great choice for building modern, performant web applications.