Next.js Project Structure

Introduction

Next.js is a powerful framework for building server-side rendered React applications. When creating a project with Next.js, it's important to have a well-defined project structure to manage your codebase effectively. A good project structure will make your code more reusable, maintainable, and scalable.

Basic structure

The basic structure of a Next.js project includes the following folders and files:

./
├── pages/
│   ├── index.js
│   ├── about.js
│   ├── ...
├── public/
│   ├── favicon.ico
│   ├── ...
├── components/
│   ├── Layout.js
│   ├── ...
├── styles/
│   ├── global.css
│   ├── ...
├── package.json
├── next.config.js

Explanation

• pages/: This folder contains all the pages of your application. Each file in this folder corresponds to a route in your application. For example, pages/index.js is the home page of your application. Each page file should export a default React component that represents the content of the page.
• public/: This folder contains all the static assets of your application, such as images, fonts, and videos. These assets can be referenced in your pages using the /public URL path. For example, <img src="/public/logo.png" />.
• components/: This folder contains all the reusable React components of your application. These components should be designed to be composable and independent of your application's business logic. Ideally, each component should be written in a way that makes it easy to test it in isolation.
• styles/: This folder contains all the global styles of your application. These styles will be applied to all the pages and components of your application. You can use any CSS preprocessor or postprocessor that you prefer: Sass, Less, PostCSS, etc.
• package.json: This file lists all the dependencies of your application.
• next.config.js: This file contains the configuration of the Next.js framework.

Use

Next.js project structure makes it easy to manage your codebase effectively. You can organize your code in a way that makes sense for your particular application, and you can use the different folders and files to create a modular and composable codebase.

Important Points

• Follow the conventions of the Next.js framework to ensure your code is compliant, maintainable, and scalable.
• Keep your components reusable and independent of your application's business logic.
• Write unit tests for your components to ensure they are functioning correctly.
• Use CSS preprocessors and postprocessors to make your styles more maintainable.
• Follow best practices for web application development, such as using semantic HTML, optimizing your images, and ensuring your pages are accessible.

Summary

Next.js project structure provides a well-defined way to structure your codebase when building server-side rendered React applications. By following the conventions of the framework, you can create a modular and composable codebase that is easy to manage, maintain, and scale.