Getting Started with Next.js
# Getting Started with Next.js
Next.js is a powerful React framework that makes it easy to build fast, modern websites. In this guide, we'll explore the key features that make Next.js stand out and learn how to get started with your first project.
## Why Next.js?
Next.js provides several benefits out of the box:
- *Server-Side Rendering (SSR)**: Improve performance and SEO by rendering pages on the server
- **Static Site Generation (SSG)**: Generate static pages at build time for even better performance
- **API Routes**: Build API endpoints within your Next.js application
- **File-System Based Routing**: Create pages by adding files to the `pages` directory
- **Built-in CSS Support**: Import CSS files, use CSS Modules, or styled-jsx
- **Fast Refresh**: See your changes instantly during development
## Setting Up Your First Project
To create a new Next.js project, run:
```bash
npx create-next-app@latest my-next-app
```
This will prompt you with some configuration options. Here are the recommended settings:
- 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
After installation, your project will have the following structure:
```
my-next-app/
├── src/
│ ├── app/
│ │ ├── page.tsx
│ │ ├── layout.tsx
│ │ └── globals.css
│ └── components/
├── public/
├── package.json
└── next.config.mjs
```
## Creating Your First Page
In the App Router, pages are created by adding files to the `src/app` directory. Here's a simple example:
```tsx
// src/app/page.tsx
export default function Home() {
return (
<main className="flex min-h-screen flex-col items-center justify-center p-24">
<h1 className="text-4xl font-bold">Welcome to Next.js!</h1>
</main>
)
}
```
## Next Steps
Now that you have a basic understanding of Next.js, you can:
1. Add more pages to your application
2. Create reusable components
3. Set up API routes
4. Configure your build settings
5. Deploy your application
Stay tuned for more tutorials on advanced Next.js features!