Getting Started with Next.js 15: A Complete Guide

Next.js 15 brings exciting new features and improvements that make building React applications even more enjoyable. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the key features and walk through setting up your first Next.js 15 project.

What's New in Next.js 15

Next.js 15 introduces several groundbreaking features:

1. Turbopack (Stable)

Turbopack is now stable and provides incredible build performance improvements:

# Enable Turbopack for development
npm run dev --turbo

2. React 19 Support

Full support for React 19 features including:

• React Compiler
• Server Components improvements
• Enhanced Suspense capabilities

3. Improved Caching

Better caching strategies with more granular control:

// app/page.tsx
export const revalidate = 3600; // Revalidate every hour

export default function HomePage() {
  return <div>Welcome to Next.js 15!</div>;
}

Setting Up Your Project

Getting started with Next.js 15 is straightforward:

# Create a new Next.js app
npx create-next-app@latest my-app

# Navigate to your project
cd my-app

# Start the development server
npm run dev

Project Structure

Here's what your project structure will look like:

my-app/
├── app/
│   ├── globals.css
│   ├── layout.tsx
│   └── page.tsx
├── public/
├── next.config.js
└── package.json

Key Features to Explore

App Router

The App Router provides a powerful way to structure your application:

// app/blog/page.tsx
export default function BlogPage() {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Blog Posts</h1>
      {/* Your blog content */}
    </div>
  );
}

Server Components

Leverage Server Components for better performance:

// app/posts/page.tsx
async function getPosts() {
  // Fetch data on the server
  const res = await fetch('https://api.example.com/posts');
  return res.json();
}

export default async function PostsPage() {
  const posts = await getPosts();

  return (
    <div>
      {posts.map(post => (
        <article key={post.id}>
          <h2>{post.title}</h2>
          <p>{post.excerpt}</p>
        </article>
      ))}
    </div>
  );
}

Styling Options

Next.js 15 works great with various styling solutions:

Tailwind CSS (Recommended)

npm install -D tailwindcss postcss autoprefixer
npx tailwindcss init -p

CSS Modules

// styles/Home.module.css
.container {
  padding: 2rem;
}

// app/page.tsx
import styles from './Home.module.css';

export default function Home() {
  return <div className={styles.container}>Hello World</div>;
}

Best Practices

1. Use TypeScript

TypeScript provides excellent developer experience:

interface Post {
  id: string;
  title: string;
  content: string;
  publishedAt: Date;
}

export default function PostCard({ post }: { post: Post }) {
  return (
    <div>
      <h3>{post.title}</h3>
      <p>{post.content}</p>
    </div>
  );
}

2. Optimize Images

Use the built-in Image component:

import Image from 'next/image';

export default function Hero() {
  return (
    <Image
      src="/hero.jpg"
      alt="Hero image"
      width={800}
      height={400}
      priority
    />
  );
}

3. Implement Proper SEO

Use metadata API for better SEO:

// app/blog/[slug]/page.tsx
export async function generateMetadata({ params }) {
  const post = await getPost(params.slug);

  return {
    title: post.title,
    description: post.excerpt,
    openGraph: {
      title: post.title,
      description: post.excerpt,
      images: [post.image],
    },
  };
}

Performance Tips

1. Use Suspense for Loading States

import { Suspense } from 'react';

export default function Page() {
  return (
    <Suspense fallback={<div>Loading...</div>}>
      <AsyncComponent />
    </Suspense>
  );
}

2. Implement Route Groups

Organize your routes effectively:

app/
├── (marketing)/
│   ├── about/
│   └── contact/
└── (dashboard)/
    ├── settings/
    └── profile/

Deployment

Deploy your Next.js 15 app to Vercel:

# Install Vercel CLI
npm i -g vercel

# Deploy your app
vercel --prod

Conclusion

Next.js 15 provides an excellent foundation for building modern web applications. With its improved performance, React 19 support, and developer-friendly features, it's never been easier to create fast, scalable applications.

Start building your next project with Next.js 15 today and experience the future of React development!

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Ready to dive deeper? Check out our Next.js documentation and explore more advanced patterns and techniques.