Getting Started with Next.js App Router

The Next.js App Router represents a paradigm shift in how we build React applications. With server components as the default, nested layouts, and streaming, it gives you the tools to build fast, scalable web apps.

Why the App Router?

The App Router was introduced in Next.js 13 and has become the recommended way to build new Next.js applications. Here's why:

  • Server Components by default — Less JavaScript sent to the client
  • Nested Layouts — Share UI between routes without re-rendering
  • Streaming — Progressive rendering for better perceived performance
  • Simplified Data Fetching — Use async/await directly in components

Your First Route

Creating a route is as simple as adding a page.tsx file inside the app directory:

// app/about/page.tsx
export default function AboutPage() {
  return <h1>About Us</h1>;
}

This automatically creates a route at /about. No configuration needed.

Layouts

Layouts let you wrap routes with shared UI. The root layout is required and wraps your entire application:

// app/layout.tsx
export default function RootLayout({
  children,
}: {
  children: React.ReactNode;
}) {
  return (
    <html lang="en">
      <body>{children}</body>
    </html>
  );
}

What's Next?

In upcoming posts, we'll dive deeper into data fetching patterns, server actions, and how to combine the App Router with tools like Prisma and Stripe. Stay tuned!