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Next.js

NextJS 13 Folder Structure: Best Practices

By Filip on 10/05/2024

Learn about Next.js 13's new folder structure and discover best practices for organizing your application for optimal performance and maintainability.

NextJS 13 Folder Structure: Best Practices

Table of Contents

Introduction

Next.js 13 provides flexibility for project structure, but a well-organized system is crucial for maintainability and scalability. This guide explores a practical approach to organizing your Next.js 13 project, covering core folders like 'app' for routing and UI logic, 'public' for static assets, and 'styles' for global stylesheets. It also delves into component organization, suggesting a dedicated 'components' folder with subfolders for categorization. Data fetching strategies are discussed, recommending 'lib' or 'utils' folders for utility functions and API routes. Additional considerations include folders for tests, hooks, and context. The guide emphasizes consistency, modularity, separation of concerns, and scalability as key principles. Remember, this is a suggested structure, and you can adapt it to your specific project needs.

Step-by-Step Guide

While Next.js offers flexibility in structuring your project, establishing a clear and organized system is crucial for maintainability and scalability as your application grows. Let's explore a practical approach to organizing your Next.js 13 project:

1. Core Folders:

  • app: This directory houses your application's routing and UI logic.
    • page.js: The root layout component, often containing shared elements like headers and footers.
    • Feature-specific folders: Create folders for different sections of your app (e.g., dashboard, products, blog). Each folder can contain:
      • page.js: The main page component for that feature.
      • Subfolders: For nested routes and components within the feature.
  • public: Store static assets like images, fonts, and favicons.
  • styles: Global stylesheets and CSS modules.

2. Component Organization:

  • components: A dedicated folder for reusable components.
    • Categorization: Consider subfolders based on component type (e.g., ui, layout, features).
    • Component-specific files: Each component should have its own file (e.g., Button.js, Card.js).

3. Data Fetching:

  • lib or utils: Create a folder for utility functions, including data fetching logic.
    • API routes: If using API routes, place them in pages/api.
    • Data fetching functions: Organize functions for fetching data from external sources or databases.

4. Additional Considerations:

  • tests: A dedicated folder for unit and integration tests.
  • hooks: A folder for custom React hooks.
  • context: A folder for React context providers and consumers.

Example (JavaScript):

// app/dashboard/page.js
import Layout from '../../components/layout/Layout';

export default function DashboardPage() {
  // ... your dashboard logic
  return (
    <Layout>
      {/* Dashboard content */}
    </Layout>
  );
}

Key Points:

  • Consistency: Maintain a consistent naming convention and folder structure throughout your project.
  • Modularity: Break down components into smaller, reusable units.
  • Separation of Concerns: Keep data fetching logic separate from UI components.
  • Scalability: Choose a structure that can accommodate future growth and complexity.

Remember, this is a suggested structure, and you can adapt it to your specific project needs and preferences. The most important aspect is to establish a clear and organized system that works for you and your team.

Code Example

This code presents a basic Next.js 13 application structure using the app directory. It includes a root layout (app/page.js) for shared elements, a dashboard page (app/dashboard/page.js) that utilizes a reusable layout component (app/components/layout/Layout.js) for consistent structure and styling. The example highlights component nesting and code reusability within the app directory, serving as a starting point for building more complex applications.

This example demonstrates a basic implementation of the folder structure described in the article, focusing on the app directory and component organization.

File Structure:

app/
โ”œโ”€โ”€ page.js
โ”œโ”€โ”€ dashboard/
โ”‚   โ””โ”€โ”€ page.js
โ””โ”€โ”€ components/
    โ””โ”€โ”€ layout/
        โ””โ”€โ”€ Layout.js

app/page.js:

// Root layout component
import './globals.css';

export default function RootLayout({ children }) {
  return (
    <html lang="en">
      <body>
        {/* Shared header, navigation, etc. */}
        {children}
        {/* Shared footer */}
      </body>
    </html>
  );
}

app/dashboard/page.js:

// Dashboard page component
import Layout from '../../components/layout/Layout';

export default function DashboardPage() {
  return (
    <Layout>
      <h1>Dashboard</h1>
      {/* Dashboard content */}
    </Layout>
  );
}

app/components/layout/Layout.js:

// Reusable layout component
export default function Layout({ children }) {
  return (
    <div className="layout">
      {/* Layout structure and styling */}
      {children}
    </div>
  );
}

Explanation:

  • app/page.js: This is the root layout component that wraps all pages. It typically includes shared elements like headers, footers, and global styles.
  • app/dashboard/page.js: This is the page component for the "dashboard" route. It imports and uses the Layout component to maintain a consistent structure.
  • app/components/layout/Layout.js: This is a reusable layout component that defines the basic structure and styling for pages within the application.

Key Points:

  • This example demonstrates the nesting of components and pages within the app directory.
  • The Layout component promotes code reusability and consistency across different pages.
  • You can further expand this structure by adding more feature-specific folders within app and creating additional components as needed.

Remember to adapt this example to your specific project requirements and expand upon it as your application grows.

Additional Notes

Expanding on the Core:

  • app Directory Flexibility:
    • The app directory's structure can be customized to match your application's specific domain and features. Consider using subfolders for different sections or modules of your app, such as auth, admin, or ecommerce.
    • Nested Layouts: You can create nested layouts within the app directory to handle shared UI elements at different levels of your application. For example, you might have a main layout for the entire app and a separate layout for a specific feature section.

Component Considerations:

  • Component Libraries: If you're using a component library like Material UI or Chakra UI, consider creating a separate folder to store custom components built using the library's components. This helps maintain a clear separation between third-party and custom components.
  • Component Naming: Establish a consistent naming convention for your components. This could involve using PascalCase for component names and kebab-case for filenames.

Data Management:

  • Data Fetching Libraries: Explore data fetching libraries like SWR or React Query to simplify data fetching, caching, and state management in your Next.js application.
  • API Routes Organization: For larger applications with numerous API routes, consider grouping them into subfolders based on functionality or domain area.

Testing and Tooling:

  • Testing Frameworks: Choose a testing framework like Jest or React Testing Library to write unit and integration tests for your components and application logic.
  • Linting and Formatting: Utilize tools like ESLint and Prettier to enforce code style consistency and improve code quality.

Advanced Patterns:

  • Dynamic Routing: Leverage Next.js's dynamic routing capabilities to create flexible and data-driven routes.
  • Server-Side Rendering (SSR) and Static Site Generation (SSG): Understand the differences between SSR and SSG and choose the appropriate rendering strategy for different parts of your application.
  • Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR): Explore ISR to keep your static content up-to-date without rebuilding your entire site.

Remember:

  • Documentation: Document your folder structure and organization decisions to ensure clarity and consistency within your team.
  • Evolution: As your project grows and requirements change, be prepared to adapt and evolve your folder structure to maintain optimal organization and efficiency.

Summary

Folder Description
app Contains application routing and UI logic, including pages and feature folders.
public Stores static assets like images, fonts, and favicons.
styles Holds global stylesheets and CSS modules.
components Houses reusable components, potentially categorized into subfolders.
lib or utils Contains utility functions, including data fetching logic.
pages/api (Optional) Location for API routes.
tests (Optional) Dedicated folder for unit and integration tests.
hooks (Optional) Folder for custom React hooks.
context (Optional) Folder for React context providers and consumers.

Conclusion

By following these guidelines and adapting them to your project's unique needs, you can create a Next.js 13 folder structure that promotes organization, maintainability, and scalability. Remember, consistency, modularity, and separation of concerns are key principles to keep in mind. As your project evolves, be prepared to refine your structure to ensure it continues to support efficient development and a positive developer experience. Embrace the flexibility of Next.js 13 while establishing a solid foundation for your application's growth.

References

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