Getting Started with Next.js
•
4 min read
# How to Start with Next.js
*A Beginner-Friendly Slide Presentation*
---
### Slide 1: Title Slide
**How to Start with Next.js**
*Build Fast, Scalable React Applications with Ease*
🖼️ **Visual**: Clean tech background with Next.js logo (purple hexagon) and React logo side by side.
> “Next.js is the future of React development.” — Vercel
---
### Slide 2: What Is Next.js?
**Next.js = React + Superpowers**
- A **React framework** created by Vercel (formerly Zeit) in **2016**
- Adds built-in features React doesn’t provide out-of-the-box:
- Server-side rendering (SSR)
- Static site generation (SSG)
- File-based routing
- API routes
- Image & font optimization
🖼️ **Visual**: Venn diagram showing React in one circle, Next.js-specific features in another, with overlap labeled “Full-Stack React Apps.”
---
### Slide 3: A Brief History
**From 2016 to 2025**
- **2016**: Next.js v1 released by Guillermo Rauch & team at Zeit
- **2018**: Zeit rebrands to Vercel; tight Next.js + Vercel integration
- **2020**: Next.js 10 introduces Image Optimization
- **2022**: App Router (React Server Components) in Next.js 13
- **2024–2025**: Full adoption of React 18+ features, Turbopack (Rust-based bundler), and enhanced caching
🖼️ **Visual**: Timeline graphic with key milestones and logos (Zeit → Vercel, React versions).
---
### Slide 4: Why Choose Next.js Over Plain React?
| Feature | Create React App (CRA) | Next.js |
|-----------------------|------------------------|---------|
| Routing | Manual (React Router) | ✅ File-based |
| SSR / SSG | ❌ Not built-in | ✅ Native |
| SEO Optimization | ❌ SPA = poor SEO | ✅ Pre-rendered pages |
| Image Optimization | ❌ Manual | ✅ Automatic |
| API Routes | ❌ Separate backend | ✅ Built-in |
| Performance | Good | ⚡ Excellent |
🖼️ **Visual**: Comparison table with green checkmarks and red X’s. Icons for SEO, speed, routing.
---
### Slide 5: Key Advantages of Next.js
1. **Hybrid Rendering**
- Choose SSR, SSG, or client-side per page
2. **Automatic Code Splitting**
- Only load what’s needed
3. **Zero-Config TypeScript & ESLint**
4. **Fast Refresh**
- Instant feedback during development
5. **Deployment Made Easy**
- One command to Vercel, Netlify, or any Node server
🖼️ **Visual**: Speedometer labeled “Performance” pointing to “Next.js = 95/100”.
---
### Slide 6: Getting Started — Step 1
**Install Node.js**
- Next.js requires **Node.js 18.17+**
- Check your version:
```bash
node -v
```
- Download: [https://nodejs.org](https://nodejs.org)
🖼️ **Visual**: Terminal screenshot showing `node -v` returning `v20.10.0`.
---
### Slide 7: Getting Started — Step 2
**Create a New Next.js App**
Use `create-next-app` (npx):
```bash
npx create-next-app@latest my-next-app
```
- Choose options:
- TypeScript? ✅
- ESLint? ✅
- Tailwind CSS? ✅
- App Router (recommended)? ✅
🖼️ **Visual**: Animated terminal typing the command with colorful output.
---
### Slide 8: Project Structure Overview
```
my-next-app/
├── app/ # App Router (pages go here)
│ ├── layout.tsx # Shared layout
│ ├── page.tsx # Home page
│ └── api/ # API routes
├── public/ # Static assets
├── styles/ # CSS modules
└── package.json
```
> 💡 **Note**: Next.js 13+ uses the **App Router** by default (replaces `pages/` directory).
🖼️ **Visual**: Folder tree with color-coded icons (TSX = blue, folder = yellow).
---
### Slide 9: Your First Page (App Router)
**File**: `app/page.tsx`
```tsx
export default function Home() {
return (
);
}
```
- This becomes your homepage (`/`)
- Automatically server-rendered or statically generated
🖼️ **Visual**: Side-by-side code editor + browser preview showing the rendered page.
---
### Slide 10: Run & Develop
Start the dev server:
```bash
npm run dev
```
- App runs on `http://localhost:3000`
- Changes auto-refresh (Fast Refresh)
- Error overlays help debug instantly
🖼️ **Visual**: Laptop mockup showing localhost:3000 with “Welcome to Next.js!” page.
---
### Slide 11: Deploy in One Click
1. Push your code to **GitHub**
2. Go to [Vercel.com](https://vercel.com)
3. Import your repo → **Deploy!**
✅ Automatic SSL
✅ Global CDN
✅ Preview deployments for every PR
🖼️ **Visual**: Vercel dashboard screenshot with “Deploy” button highlighted.
---
### Slide 12: Next Steps & Learning Resources
- **Official Docs**: [nextjs.org/docs](https://nextjs.org/docs)
- **Learn Next.js (Interactive)**: [nextjs.org/learn](https://nextjs.org/learn)
- **Explore**:
- Dynamic routes (`app/blog/[id]/page.tsx`)
- Middleware
- Data fetching (`fetch`, caching, revalidation)
🖼️ **Visual**: Collage of tutorial thumbnails, Vercel logo, and GitHub repo stars.
---
### Slide 13: Final Thought
**Next.js isn’t just a framework—it’s a complete ecosystem**
for building production-ready React apps **fast**, **secure**, and **scalable**.
> “You don’t need to choose between performance and developer experience.
> With Next.js, you get both.”
🚀 **Start your Next.js journey today!**
🖼️ **Visual**: Abstract background with glowing Next.js logo and “Get Started” button.
---
*Presented on November 10, 2025*
*Made with ❤️ and Next.js*
Welcome to Next.js!
Pre-rendered at build time 🚀