Next.js is a React framework for building full-stack web applications. You use React Components to build user interfaces, and Next.js for additional features and optimizations.
Under the hood, Next.js also abstracts and automatically configures tooling needed for React, like bundling, compiling, and more. This allows you to focus on building your application instead of spending time with configuration.
Whether you're an individual developer or part of a larger team, Next.js can help you build interactive, dynamic, and fast React applications.
Main Features
Some of the main Next.js features include:
How to Use These Docs
On the left side of the screen, you'll find the docs navbar. The pages of the docs are organized sequentially, from basic to advanced, so you can follow them step-by-step when building your application. However, you can read them in any order or skip to the pages that apply to your use case.
On the right side of the screen, you'll see a table of contents that makes it easier to navigate between sections of a page. If you need to quickly find a page, you can use the search bar at the top, or the search shortcut (Ctrl+K or Cmd+K).
To get started, checkout the Installation guide.
App Router vs Pages Router
Next.js has two different routers: the App Router and the Pages Router. The App Router is a newer router that allows you to use React's latest features, such as Server Components and Streaming. The Pages Router is the original Next.js router, which allowed you to build server-rendered React applications and continues to be supported for older Next.js applications.
At the top of the sidebar, you'll notice a dropdown menu that allows you to switch between the App Router and the Pages Router features. Since there are features that are unique to each directory, it's important to keep track of which tab is selected.
The breadcrumbs at the top of the page will also indicate whether you're viewing App Router docs or Pages Router docs.
Pre-Requisite Knowledge
Although our docs are designed to be beginner-friendly, we need to establish a baseline so that the docs can stay focused on Next.js functionality. We'll make sure to provide links to relevant documentation whenever we introduce a new concept.
To get the most out of our docs, it's recommended that you have a basic understanding of HTML, CSS, and React. If you need to brush up on your React skills, check out our React Foundations Course, which will introduce you to the fundamentals. Then, learn more about Next.js by building a dashboard application.
Accessibility
For optimal accessibility when using a screen reader while reading the docs, we recommend using Firefox and NVDA, or Safari and VoiceOver.