Next.js Full Tutorial for Beginners | Next.js 13 Full Stack App Using App Router

Next.js is a popular React framework that allows developers to build server-rendered React applications effortlessly. It provides a seamless way to create powerful web applications with an excellent developer experience.

In this tutorial, we will cover the basics of Next.js and walk you through the process of building a full stack application using Next.js 13 and its recently introduced App Router.

Before we begin, make sure you have Node.js and npm installed on your machine.

Step 1: Setting up a new Next.js project

To get started, you need to create a new Next.js project. Open your terminal and run the following commands:

“`
npx create-next-app your-app-name
cd your-app-name
“`

This will set up a basic Next.js project with all the necessary dependencies installed. You can replace “your-app-name” with the name you want for your project.

Step 2: Creating a basic layout

Next, let’s create a basic layout for our application. Inside the “pages” directory, create a file called “index.js” with the following content:

“`jsx
import Head from ‘next/head’

export default function Home() {
return (

)
}
“`

This is the default homepage for our application. We have added some meta tags using the `Head` component provided by Next.js.

Step 3: Adding a new page

To demonstrate how Next.js handles routing, let’s create a new page. Inside the “pages” directory, create a file called “about.js” with the following content:

“`jsx
import Head from ‘next/head’

export default function About() {
return (

)
}
“`
In this page, we have added a simple heading and a paragraph to demonstrate the content of an about page.

Step 4: Adding App Router

Next.js 13 introduced a built-in router called App Router. It simplifies the process of setting up routes for your application.

To use App Router, open the “pages” directory and create a file called “_app.js” with the following content:

“`jsx
import ‘../styles/globals.css’

function MyApp({ Component, pageProps }) {
return
}

export default MyApp
“`

Next, let’s add the actual routes. Create a directory called “routes” inside the “pages” directory. Inside this directory, create a file called “index.js” with the following content:

“`jsx
import { useRouter } from ‘next/router’

export default function Routes() {
const router = useRouter()

return (

)
}
“`

Here, we import the `useRouter` hook from Next.js and use it to navigate to different pages based on button clicks.

Step 5: Testing the application

To test our application, run the following command in your terminal:

“`
npm run dev
“`

This will start the development server. Open your browser and visit `http://localhost:3000`. You should see the homepage of your Next.js application.

Click on the “About” button to navigate to the about page. You can easily switch between the two pages using the App Router we set up.

Congratulations! You have successfully built a full stack application using Next.js and its App Router.

Conclusion

Next.js is a powerful framework for building server-rendered React applications. In this tutorial, we covered the basics of Next.js and walked you through the process of setting up a new Next.js project and using the App Router for navigation.

Feel free to explore Next.js further and try building more complex applications using its extensive features. Happy coding!