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Getting Started with Next.js 14

Getting Started with Next.js 14

Published on October 15, 2023 · 10 min read

Next.js 14 brings exciting new features and improvements to the already powerful React framework. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore what makes Next.js 14 special and how to get started building modern web applications.

📋 Table of Contents

What is Next.js?

Next.js is a powerful React framework that enables you to build full-stack web applications with features like:

  • Server-Side Rendering (SSR) - Render pages on the server for better SEO and performance
  • Static Site Generation (SSG) - Pre-render pages at build time
  • API Routes - Build your backend API within the Next.js app
  • File-based Routing - Automatic routing based on file structure
  • Image Optimization - Automatic image optimization and lazy loading

💡 Pro Tip: Next.js is production-ready out of the box and powers some of the world's largest websites including TikTok, Twitch, and Nike.

Why Choose Next.js 14?

Next.js 14 introduces several groundbreaking features:

🚀 Performance Improvements

  • Turbopack (Beta) - Up to 700x faster than Webpack
  • Server Actions - Simplified data mutations
  • Partial Prerendering - Faster page loads with streaming

🎨 Developer Experience

  • Improved Error Messages - More helpful and actionable
  • Better TypeScript Support - Enhanced type inference
  • Enhanced DevTools - Better debugging capabilities

🔒 Built-in Security

  • Automatic CSRF Protection - For Server Actions
  • Content Security Policy - Easy CSP configuration
  • Secure Headers - Security headers by default

Getting Started

Let's create a new Next.js 14 project from scratch.

Prerequisites

Make sure you have Node.js 18.17 or later installed:

node --version
# Should output v18.17.0 or higher

Creating a New Project

Use the create-next-app command to set up a new project:

npx create-next-app@latest my-nextjs-app

You'll be prompted with several questions:

✔ Would you like to use TypeScript? Yes
✔ Would you like to use ESLint? Yes
✔ Would you like to use Tailwind CSS? Yes
✔ Would you like to use `src/` directory? No
✔ Would you like to use App Router? Yes
✔ Would you like to customize the default import alias? No

⚠️ Important: Choose "Yes" for App Router to use Next.js 14's latest features. The Pages Router is still supported but the App Router is the recommended approach.

Project Structure

After creation, your project will have this structure:

my-nextjs-app/
├── app/
│   ├── layout.tsx      # Root layout
│   ├── page.tsx        # Home page
│   └── globals.css     # Global styles
├── public/
│   └── images/         # Static assets
├── next.config.js      # Next.js configuration
├── package.json
└── tsconfig.json       # TypeScript config

Running the Development Server

Navigate to your project and start the dev server:

cd my-nextjs-app
npm run dev

Open http://localhost:3000 (opens in a new tab) in your browser. You should see your new Next.js app running!

App Router vs Pages Router

Next.js 14 supports two routing systems:

Pages Router (Legacy)

pages/
├── index.tsx           # Route: /
├── about.tsx           # Route: /about
└── blog/
    └── [slug].tsx      # Route: /blog/:slug

App Router (Recommended)

app/
├── page.tsx            # Route: /
├── layout.tsx          # Shared layout
├── about/
│   └── page.tsx        # Route: /about
└── blog/
    └── [slug]/
        └── page.tsx    # Route: /blog/:slug

The App Router offers several advantages:

  1. Layouts - Persistent layouts that don't re-render
  2. Server Components - Components that run on the server
  3. Streaming - Progressive rendering of UI
  4. Colocation - Components, tests, and styles in the same folder

Server Components

One of the most powerful features in Next.js 14 is React Server Components.

What are Server Components?

Server Components are React components that run only on the server. They offer several benefits:

  • Reduced bundle size - Component code doesn't ship to the client
  • Direct database access - Query databases directly in components
  • Better security - Keep sensitive data on the server
  • Improved performance - No client-side JavaScript needed

Example: Server Component

// app/posts/page.tsx
async function getPosts() {
  const res = await fetch('https://api.example.com/posts')
  return res.json()
}
 
export default async function PostsPage() {
  const posts = await getPosts()
  
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Blog Posts</h1>
      {posts.map(post => (
        <article key={post.id}>
          <h2>{post.title}</h2>
          <p>{post.excerpt}</p>
        </article>
      ))}
    </div>
  )
}

Client Components

When you need interactivity, use Client Components:

'use client'
 
import { useState } from 'react'
 
export default function Counter() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0)
  
  return (
    <button onClick={() => setCount(count + 1)}>
      Count: {count}
    </button>
  )
}

✅ Best Practice: Use Server Components by default and only use Client Components when you need interactivity, browser APIs, or React hooks.

Data Fetching

Next.js 14 simplifies data fetching with new patterns:

Fetching in Server Components

// Automatic request deduplication
async function getData() {
  const res = await fetch('https://api.example.com/data', {
    next: { revalidate: 3600 } // Revalidate every hour
  })
  return res.json()
}
 
export default async function Page() {
  const data = await getData()
  return <div>{data.title}</div>
}

Caching Strategies

Next.js 14 offers multiple caching strategies:

// Static - Cache indefinitely (default)
fetch('https://api.example.com/data')
 
// Revalidate - Cache with time-based revalidation
fetch('https://api.example.com/data', {
  next: { revalidate: 60 }
})
 
// No cache - Fetch fresh data every time
fetch('https://api.example.com/data', {
  cache: 'no-store'
})

Server Actions

Server Actions enable you to mutate data on the server:

// app/actions.ts
'use server'
 
export async function createPost(formData: FormData) {
  const title = formData.get('title')
  const content = formData.get('content')
  
  // Insert into database
  await db.posts.create({
    data: { title, content }
  })
}
// app/new-post/page.tsx
import { createPost } from '../actions'
 
export default function NewPostPage() {
  return (
    <form action={createPost}>
      <input name="title" placeholder="Title" required />
      <textarea name="content" placeholder="Content" required />
      <button type="submit">Create Post</button>
    </form>
  )
}

Best Practices

Here are some essential best practices for Next.js 14 development:

1. Component Organization

app/
└── products/
    ├── page.tsx              # Route component
    ├── layout.tsx            # Layout
    ├── loading.tsx           # Loading UI
    ├── error.tsx             # Error handling
    └── components/           # Local components
        ├── ProductCard.tsx
        └── ProductList.tsx

2. Image Optimization

Always use the Next.js Image component:

import Image from 'next/image'
 
export default function Avatar() {
  return (
    <Image
      src="/avatar.jpg"
      alt="Avatar"
      width={200}
      height={200}
      priority
    />
  )
}

3. Metadata and SEO

Define metadata for better SEO:

import { Metadata } from 'next'
 
export const metadata: Metadata = {
  title: 'My Page Title',
  description: 'My page description',
  openGraph: {
    title: 'My Page Title',
    description: 'My page description',
    images: ['/og-image.jpg'],
  },
}
 
export default function Page() {
  return <div>Content</div>
}

4. Error Handling

Create error boundaries for better error handling:

// app/error.tsx
'use client'
 
export default function Error({
  error,
  reset,
}: {
  error: Error
  reset: () => void
}) {
  return (
    <div>
      <h2>Something went wrong!</h2>
      <button onClick={() => reset()}>Try again</button>
    </div>
  )
}

5. Loading States

Provide loading UI for better UX:

// app/loading.tsx
export default function Loading() {
  return <div>Loading...</div>
}

Conclusion

Next.js 14 represents a significant leap forward in web development. With features like Server Components, improved performance, and simplified data fetching, it's easier than ever to build fast, scalable web applications.

Key Takeaways

  • ✅ Next.js 14 offers significant performance improvements
  • ✅ Server Components reduce bundle size and improve performance
  • ✅ App Router is the recommended routing approach
  • ✅ Built-in optimizations for images, fonts, and scripts
  • ✅ Simplified data fetching and mutations with Server Actions

Next Steps

Ready to dive deeper? Here are some resources:

📚 Official Documentation

Explore the complete Next.js documentation

Visit Docs →

🎥 Video Tutorial

Watch the official Next.js 14 announcement

Watch Video →

Resources

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