nextjs-best-practices

Next.js Best Practices Principles for Next.js App Router development. 1. Server vs Client Components Decision Tree Does it need...? │ ├── useState, useEffect, event handlers │ └── Client Component ('use client') │ ├── Direct data fetching, no interactivity │ └── Server Component (default) │ └── Both? └── Split: Server parent + Client child By Default Type Use Server Data fetching, layout, static content Client Forms, buttons, interactive UI 2. Data Fetching Patterns Fetch Strategy Pattern Use Default Static (cached at build) Revalidate ISR (time-based refresh) No-store Dynamic (every request) Data Flow Source Pattern Database Server Component fetch API fetch with caching User input Client state + server action 3. Routing Principles File Conventions File Purpose page.tsx Route UI layout.tsx Shared layout loading.tsx Loading state error.tsx Error boundary not-found.tsx 404 page Route Organization Pattern Use Route groups (name) Organize without URL Parallel routes @slot Multiple same-level pages Intercepting (.) Modal overlays 4. API Routes Route Handlers Method Use GET Read data POST Create data PUT/PATCH Update data DELETE Remove data Best Practices Validate input with Zod Return proper status codes Handle errors gracefully Use Edge runtime when possible 5. Performance Principles Image Optimization Use next/image component Set priority for above-fold Provide blur placeholder Use responsive sizes Bundle Optimization Dynamic imports for heavy components Route-based code splitting (automatic) Analyze with bundle analyzer 6. Metadata Static vs Dynamic Type Use Static export Fixed metadata generateMetadata Dynamic per-route Essential Tags title (50-60 chars) description (150-160 chars) Open Graph images Canonical URL 7. Caching Strategy Cache Layers Layer Control Request fetch options Data revalidate/tags Full route route config Revalidation Method Use Time-based revalidate: 60 On-demand revalidatePath/Tag No cache no-store 8. Server Actions Use Cases Form submissions Data mutations Revalidation triggers Best Practices Mark with 'use server' Validate all inputs Return typed responses Handle errors 9. Anti-Patterns ❌ Don't ✅ Do 'use client' everywhere Server by default Fetch in client components Fetch in server Skip loading states Use loading.tsx Ignore error boundaries Use error.tsx Large client bundles Dynamic imports 10. Project Structure app/ ├── (marketing)/ # Route group │ └── page.tsx ├── (dashboard)/ │ ├── layout.tsx # Dashboard layout │ └── page.tsx ├── api/ │ └── [resource]/ │ └── route.ts └── components/ └── ui/ Remember: Server Components are the default for a reason. Start there, add client only when needed. When to Use This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.