Chapter 1: Introduction to Next.js

• What is Next.js?
  • Overview of Next.js and its features.
  • Why choose Next.js over other frameworks?
  • Real-world applications of Next.js.
• Prerequisites
  • Basic knowledge of JavaScript, React, and Node.js.
  • Required software (Node.js, npm/yarn).
  • Development environment setup (VS Code or any preferred editor).

Chapter 2: Setting Up the Next.js Project

• Installing Next.js
  • Creating a new Next.js project with npx create-next-app.
  • Directory structure overview.
  • Using TypeScript with Next.js.
• Understanding the File Structure
  • Pages directory and routing system.
  • Public directory for static assets.
  • API directory for backend routes.

Chapter 3: Building Your First Page

• Creating Pages
  • Introduction to the Pages folder.
  • Creating and linking pages.
  • Navigating between pages with next/link.
• Dynamic Routing
  • Creating dynamic routes with [param].
  • Nested routing and its use cases.
• Understanding Pre-rendering
  • Static Generation vs. Server-side Rendering.
  • How to use getStaticProps and getServerSideProps.

Chapter 4: Styling in Next.js

• CSS Modules
  • How to use CSS Modules for scoped styling.
  • Managing global CSS.
• Styled Components
  • Setting up Styled Components in Next.js.
  • Theme management.
• Using Sass with Next.js
  • Installing and configuring Sass.
  • Best practices for using Sass in a Next.js project.

Chapter 5: Fetching Data in Next.js

• Client-side Data Fetching
  • Using fetch and axios to fetch data in the component.
• Server-side Data Fetching
  • Using getServerSideProps for server-side rendering.
• Static Data Fetching
  • Using getStaticProps and getStaticPaths for static generation.
  • Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR) for dynamic content.

Chapter 6: API Routes in Next.js

• Creating API Routes
  • Overview of the API directory.
  • Creating simple RESTful APIs.
• Handling API Requests
  • Understanding request and response objects.
  • Error handling and response codes.

Chapter 7: Using Next.js with a CMS

• Setting Up a CMS
  • Why use a CMS with Next.js?
  • Integrating with popular CMS options (WordPress, Contentful, Sanity, etc.).
• Fetching CMS Data in Next.js
  • How to connect your CMS to Next.js.
  • Managing dynamic content with a CMS.

Chapter 8: Next.js and Authentication

• Implementing Authentication
  • Authentication strategies in Next.js.
  • Using JWT tokens, cookies, and session management.
• Third-party Authentication
  • Setting up OAuth providers (Google, GitHub).
  • Using libraries like NextAuth.js for authentication.

Chapter 9: Optimizing Performance

• Image Optimization
  • Using Next.js Image component for optimized images.
  • Lazy loading images.
• Script Optimization
  • Understanding Next.js Script component.
  • Defer and async script loading.
• Code Splitting and Lazy Loading
  • How Next.js handles code splitting automatically.
  • Implementing dynamic imports for better performance.

Chapter 10: SEO in Next.js

• Understanding SEO in Next.js
  • Importance of SEO for Next.js applications.
• Meta Tags and Open Graph
  • Using next/head for SEO tags.
  • Setting up Open Graph and Twitter Card tags.
• Generating Sitemaps and Robots.txt
  • Creating dynamic sitemaps.
  • Using robots.txt for crawlers.

Chapter 11: Deploying Next.js

• Deployment Platforms
  • Vercel: the recommended platform for Next.js.
  • Other platforms: AWS, Netlify, and DigitalOcean.
• Deploying to Vercel
  • Step-by-step guide to deploy your app to Vercel.
• Configuring for Production
  • Environment variables in Next.js.
  • Best practices for a production-ready Next.js app.

Chapter 12: Advanced Configuration and Customization

• Customizing Webpack Configuration
  • Using next.config.js for advanced configuration.
  • Adding custom Webpack loaders and plugins.
• Custom Server
  • When to use a custom server.
  • Implementing a custom server with Express.

Chapter 13: State Management in Next.js

• Introduction to State Management
  • When and why to use state management in Next.js.
  • Options for state management (React Context, Redux, Recoil, Zustand).
• Using React Context API
  • Setting up global state with React Context.
  • Passing state between components.
• Integrating Redux with Next.js
  • Setting up Redux with Next.js.
  • Handling state in server-side and client-side environments.

Chapter 14: Testing in Next.js

• Why Test Next.js Applications?
  • Importance of testing and different types of testing.
  • Overview of testing tools (Jest, React Testing Library, Cypress).
• Unit Testing with Jest
  • Setting up Jest in a Next.js project.
  • Writing unit tests for components and utility functions.
• Integration Testing with React Testing Library
  • Testing components and pages with React Testing Library.
  • Mocking data fetching and API calls.

Conclusion

• Final Thoughts
  • Summary of key takeaways.
  • Resources for further learning.
  • Encouraging readers to explore and experiment with Next.js.

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