Getting Started with Next.js 15

Next.js 15 brings exciting new features and improvements to help you build better web applications. In this post, we'll explore the key features and how to get started.

What's New in Next.js 15?

Next.js 15 introduces several powerful features:

Improved Server Components: Better performance and developer experience
Enhanced App Router: More flexible routing with improved layouts
Turbopack: Faster builds and hot module replacement
React 19 Support: Latest React features out of the box

Setting Up Your First Project

To create a new Next.js project, run:

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

This will create a new Next.js application with all the latest features enabled.

Key Features

1. Server Components

Server Components allow you to render components on the server, reducing the JavaScript bundle size sent to the client:

// This component runs on the server by default
export default async function Page() {
  const data = await fetch('https://api.example.com/data');
  return <div>{data}</div>;
}

2. App Router

The App Router provides a more intuitive way to structure your application:

File-based routing
Nested layouts
Loading and error states
Streaming

3. Built-in Optimization

Next.js automatically optimizes your application:

Image optimization with next/image
Font optimization with next/font
Script optimization with next/script
Automatic code splitting

Best Practices

Here are some best practices when working with Next.js:

Use Server Components by default: Only use Client Components when needed
Optimize images: Always use the Image component
Implement proper SEO: Use metadata API for SEO tags
Handle errors gracefully: Create error boundaries
Test thoroughly: Write tests for your components and pages

Conclusion

Next.js 15 makes it easier than ever to build fast, modern web applications. With its powerful features and excellent developer experience, it's a great choice for your next project.

Happy coding! 🚀