Getting Started with Next.js 14

Next.js 14 is the latest version of the popular React framework that brings significant improvements in performance, developer experience, and features. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore everything you need to know to get started with Next.js 14.

What's New in Next.js 14?

Next.js 14 introduces several groundbreaking features that make it the most powerful version yet:

App Router: A new file-system based routing system
Server Components: React components that run on the server
Streaming: Progressive rendering for better user experience
Turbopack: A new bundler written in Rust for faster builds

Prerequisites

Before diving into Next.js 14, make sure you have:

Node.js 18.17 or later
Basic knowledge of React and JavaScript
Familiarity with modern web development concepts

Installation

Getting started with Next.js 14 is straightforward:

npx create-next-app@latest my-nextjs-app
cd my-nextjs-app
npm run dev

The CLI will ask you a few questions about your preferences:

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? → Yes
Would you like to use App Router? → Yes
Would you like to customize the default import alias? → No

Project Structure

With the App Router, your project structure will look like this:

my-nextjs-app/
├── src/
│   ├── app/
│   │   ├── page.tsx
│   │   ├── layout.tsx
│   │   └── globals.css
│   ├── components/
│   └── lib/
├── public/
├── package.json
└── next.config.js

Key Concepts

1. App Router

The App Router is a new paradigm that uses file-system based routing. Each folder represents a route segment, and special files like page.tsx define the UI for that route.

// src/app/about/page.tsx
export default function AboutPage() {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>About Us</h1>
      <p>Learn more about our company.</p>
    </div>
  );
}

2. Server Components

Server Components are React components that run on the server and can access backend resources directly:

// src/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>
      {posts.map(post => (
        <article key={post.id}>
          <h2>{post.title}</h2>
          <p>{post.excerpt}</p>
        </article>
      ))}
    </div>
  );
}

3. Layouts

Layouts allow you to share UI between routes:

// src/app/layout.tsx
export default function RootLayout({
  children,
}: {
  children: React.ReactNode;
}) {
  return (
    <html lang="en">
      <body>
        <header>
          <nav>Navigation</nav>
        </header>
        <main>{children}</main>
        <footer>Footer</footer>
      </body>
    </html>
  );
}

Styling with Tailwind CSS

Next.js 14 works seamlessly with Tailwind CSS for rapid UI development:

export default function HeroSection() {
  return (
    <div className="min-h-screen bg-gradient-to-br from-blue-50 to-indigo-100 flex items-center justify-center">
      <div className="text-center">
        <h1 className="text-6xl font-bold text-gray-900 mb-6">
          Welcome to Next.js 14
        </h1>
        <p className="text-xl text-gray-600 mb-8">
          Build the future of the web with React and Next.js
        </p>
        <button className="bg-indigo-600 hover:bg-indigo-700 text-white px-8 py-3 rounded-lg font-medium transition-colors">
          Get Started
        </button>
      </div>
    </div>
  );
}

TypeScript Integration

Next.js 14 has built-in TypeScript support. Create type definitions for your data:

interface Post {
  id: string;
  title: string;
  excerpt: string;
  content: string;
  publishedAt: string;
  author: string;
}

interface PostsPageProps {
  posts: Post[];
}

export default function PostsPage({ posts }: PostsPageProps) {
  return (
    <div>
      {posts.map(post => (
        <article key={post.id}>
          <h2>{post.title}</h2>
          <p>{post.excerpt}</p>
        </article>
      ))}
    </div>
  );
}

Performance Features

1. Automatic Image Optimization

Next.js automatically optimizes images using the next/image component:

import Image from 'next/image';

export default function OptimizedImage() {
  return (
    <Image
      src="/hero-image.jpg"
      alt="Hero Image"
      width={1200}
      height={600}
      priority
      className="rounded-lg"
    />
  );
}

2. Font Optimization

Optimize web fonts with the next/font module:

import { Inter } from 'next/font/google';

const inter = Inter({ subsets: ['latin'] });

export default function RootLayout({
  children,
}: {
  children: React.ReactNode;
}) {
  return (
    <html lang="en" className={inter.className}>
      <body>{children}</body>
    </html>
  );
}

Deployment

Deploying your Next.js 14 application is simple:

Vercel (Recommended)

npm install -g vercel
vercel

Other Platforms

For other platforms, build your application first:

npm run build
npm start

Best Practices

Use Server Components by default: Only use Client Components when you need interactivity
Implement proper error boundaries: Handle errors gracefully
Optimize images and fonts: Use Next.js built-in optimizations
Implement proper SEO: Use metadata API for dynamic SEO
Test thoroughly: Write tests for critical functionality

Conclusion

Next.js 14 represents a significant leap forward in React development. With its new App Router, Server Components, and performance improvements, it's the perfect choice for building modern web applications.

The framework continues to evolve rapidly, so make sure to:

Follow the official documentation
Join the Next.js community
Stay updated with the latest features and best practices

Start building with Next.js 14 today and experience the future of React development!

Getting Started with Next.js 14: A Complete Guide