Getting Started with Next.js 14: A Complete Guide

Introduction to Next.js 14

Next.js 14 represents a significant evolution in the React framework landscape. With the stable App Router, React Server Components, and improved performance, it's the go-to choice for building modern web applications.

Why Next.js 14?

Here's why Next.js 14 stands out:

• App Router — A new routing paradigm built on React Server Components
• Server Components — Render components on the server for better performance
• Streaming — Progressive rendering with Suspense boundaries
• Turbopack — Blazing-fast bundler for development

Step 1: Project Setup

Let's start by creating a new Next.js project:

npx create-next-app@latest my-app --typescript --app --src-dir
cd my-app
npm run dev

This creates a new project with TypeScript, the App Router, and a src directory structure.

Step 2: Understanding the App Router

The App Router uses a file-system based routing approach. Each folder in the app directory represents a route segment:

src/app/
├── layout.tsx        # Root layout
├── page.tsx          # Homepage (/)
├── blog/
│   ├── page.tsx      # Blog listing (/blog)
│   └── [slug]/
│       └── page.tsx  # Blog post (/blog/my-post)
└── api/
    └── route.ts      # API route (/api)

Step 3: Server vs Client Components

By default, all components in the App Router are Server Components. This means they run on the server and send HTML to the client. For interactive components, add the "use client" directive:

"use client";

import { useState } from "react";

export default function Counter() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);
  return <button onClick={() => setCount(count + 1)}>Count: {count}</button>;
}

Step 4: Data Fetching

In Server Components, you can fetch data directly using async/await:

async function getPosts() {
  const res = await fetch('https://api.example.com/posts');
  return res.json();
}

export default async function BlogPage() {
  const posts = await getPosts();
  return <ul>{posts.map(post => <li key={post.id}>{post.title}</li>)}</ul>;
}

Conclusion

Next.js 14 provides everything you need to build production-ready web applications. With Server Components, the App Router, and excellent developer experience, it's the perfect foundation for your next project.

Start building something amazing today. The best way to learn is by doing!