Getting Started with Next.js 14

Welcome to the world of Next.js! This post will walk you through the essentials of creating a new Next.js 14 application. We'll cover:

• Initializing a new project
• Understanding the App Router
• Integrating Tailwind CSS for styling
• Basic component creation

Project Initialization

To start, ensure you have Node.js (version 18.17 or later) installed. Then, run the following command in your terminal:

npx create-next-app@latest my-next-app

Follow the prompts, selecting options like TypeScript, ESLint, and Tailwind CSS.

App Router Explained

The App Router, introduced in Next.js 13, offers a new paradigm for building applications with React Server Components and nested layouts. Key features include:

• app directory for routing
• layout.tsx for shared UI
• page.tsx for unique UI per route
• Server Components by default for better performance

Tailwind CSS Integration

If you selected Tailwind CSS during setup, tailwind.config.ts and globals.css will be pre-configured. You can start using Tailwind utility classes immediately.

<h1 class="text-3xl font-bold underline">
  Hello world!
</h1>

Tune In 🎶

Here's a little something to listen to while you code:

This is just the beginning. Next.js offers powerful features like Server Actions, Route Handlers, and advanced image optimization. Dive in and explore!

Here's a meme for your troubles:

And a screenshot of some code: