Next.js Versions

Different Versions of Next.js and its Features

In this blog, we will be discussing different Next.js Versions but first, let’s understand Next.js!
Next.js is a framework of JavaScript and you can build interactive, superfast, and very user-friendly websites and web applications by using it. It has an Automatic Static Optimization feature that helps to build dynamic and mixed applications containing statically and server-rendered pages.

Next.js is clever enough to handiest load the Javascript and CSS which are wanted for any given web page. This makes for a good deal quicker page loading instances, as a person’s browser doesn’t have to download JS and CSS that it would not want for the specific web page the consumer is viewing. This will increase overall performance as there is much less for the consumer’s browser to download and the user blessings from seeing the page content material quicker.

Next.js also can assist you with ISR(incremental static regeneration) and SSG( static website technology) – every other search engine optimization pleasant manner of creating websites and applications. In this situation, in preference to at some point of runtime, your HTML is generated for the duration of build time. When the consumer requests a page, a pre-made static HTML web page is sent to them which makes the website very fast. All the benefits and potential makes Next.js an important part of React.

New features in Version 12

1. Tracing of the Output file

It has been improved by bringing Vercel’s @verce/nft package to Next.js 12. With this, Next.js can robotically trace the documents wished by using each web page and API route and output these trace outcomes subsequent to the output. This permits integrators to routinely leverage the strain’s next offers.

2. Rust compiler.

One of the key capabilities of the Next 12 is performance optimization. To enhance implementation, subsequent.js substituted the Babel compiler with an extensible Rust compiler — SWC — that takes gain of local compilation. In step with the documentation, SWC is 20 instances quicker than Babel on the lone thread and 70 instances faster on four cores.

With the new Rust compiler, Next.js guarantees optimized bundling and compiling with 3 times faster refresh locally and five times faster builds for production. The result of that is quicker build time on production and instant feedback in neighborhood development, main to higher developer experience, and faster improvement time.

3. Middlewares

One of the best functions of the Next.js version 12 is middleware. Consistent with the documentation, middlewares allow us to use code over configuration. This indicates we will run code before a request is completed, and based totally on the request, we are able to adjust the reaction by using rewriting, redirecting, adding headers, and many others.
Middleware isn’t always a brand new idea. Frameworks such as specific.js use middleware to preclude an HTTP request and technique it before it goes to the course handler. And subsequent.js further makes use of middleware to offer us complete flexibility. You should create a _middleware.ts report inside the pages directory if you want to create a middleware in Next.js.

Also, the next middleware characteristic runs before rendering takes the region for each page inside the page listing, and it enables us to get admission to and alter the incoming request. As a result of this, middlewares deliver us an extra green manner to share logic among pages, thereby retaining our code DRY and green.

For example, to verify a user authentication credential on every page, the same old sample is to import the authentication common sense on each web page. However, with middleware, we can simply outline our common sense inside the middleware and it would run on each web page mechanically.

4. URL import and ES module support

Next.js version 12 gives more priority to ES modules than CommonJS. But it nevertheless keeps importing NPM modules that use CommonJS. This facilitates developers to incrementally adopt ES modules without breaking modifications.

Next.js version 12 experimentally helps URL imports of packages that use ES modules.
Because of this a package deal may be imported without delay from a URL and require no installation or separate construct step. Also, these programs are cached domestically to help offline improvement. The result of this is that Next.js can manner far-flung HTTP(S) resources exactly like nearby dependencies.

New features in Version 11

1. Conformance.

Conformance is a period of time used by Google internally. It’s far a system that gives cautiously crafted answers to support optimal UX.

From the revel in of the Google web platform team constructing massive-scale programs (you understand, like Maps, pix, and Google search), they have got proven that frameworks play a vital position in preserving application high-quality and overall performance. While a framework has a reliable machine of settings and protection, builders can attention to their application and merchandise, including functions and scaling.

The Google net platform group has started out exploring Conformance within the JavaScript framework surroundings, presently open-sourcing their gadget with Conformance for Next.js.

So now Next.js will be incorporating many best practices from Conformance which can be intended to assist developers by preserving matters in taking a look at—like performance, safety, accessibility, and many others.—without the developer having to keep song of all of it.

2. Script Optimization

Next.js launched a brand new sort of factor referred to as the Script component for optimization functions. It allows builders to set the loading priority of third–birthday celebration scripts to keep developer time and enhance loading overall performance.
considering websites once in a while need to integrate with 0.33–celebration scripts like analytics, ads, and many others., we developers frequently war deciding where to locate the scripts in our application for the most reliable loading and proper execution.

3. Image development

In Next.js 11, new features had been introduced to next/photo issues, reducing Cumulative format Shift and developing a truthful visible enjoyment for the cease person.

Automated Size Detection for Static pics

Till now, the height and width props were required while rendering photographs using the photo element. These props allow Next.js to discover the scale of the photo and render a placeholder, fending off format shift, and a disorganized person interface.

Check out this blog about Next.js Image Optimization!!

New features in Version 10

1. Commerce.

Next.js 10 has banded with BigCommerce to liberate subsequent.js trade which is an
all-in-one kit to get began deploying eCommerce websites with just a few clicks. The fine element is that we get all the suitable components of Next.js out of the field whilst we set up an eCommerce web page using the Next.js trade.

The simplest prerequisite for deploying a Next.js trade website is that we need to have a BigCommerce store configured. However in case you do not have that but, and nevertheless want to give this a try, you may head over to the subsequent.js trade home page and click on Clone & set it up in an effort to will let you install your personal example of the website.

2. Internationalization

React utility running all over the world desires support for Internationalization. Even if you build for a single locale, it’s secure to preserve the provision for language help.
However, language help isn’t a brand new aspect of React and it is able to get problematic while serving a React app that supports a couple of languages because of Routing.

Next.js 10 has aid for built-internationalized route building and language detection, which matches with both Static generation or Server-Render integrated. These functions may be easily enabled by including a small configuration built into the next.config.js record.

3. Analytics

Performance is a vital issue in the usability of net packages, and it may be measured as compared to the usage of extraordinary kinds of matrices. With this modern-day launch, NextJS now gives a real-time metric that tracks your internet site’s perceived loading pace, responsiveness, and visible balance, all three crucial for the website’s average health. Additionally, you could have real-time and continuous assessments as opposed to checking as soon as or performing checks.

4. Image Component

In most cases, those pics aren’t optimized in keeping with the gadgets, so they’re rendered out of doors of an application’s point of view. The Next.js crew and the Google Chrome group have grouped to discover an answer for those problems with the aid of introducing a photo factor that handles computerized lazy-loading, preloading of vital photographs, accurate sizing throughout devices, and mechanically helps present-day formats like Webp.

New features in Version 9

1. Automatic Static Optimization

It’s far an apparent reality that Static websites are faster and do now not require server-facet computation. Also, they may be streamed from CDN locations to the cease–user. Though Server-side Rendering also has its blessings, it relies upon the applications.
While a marketing page or a homepage includes static content that’s why an extremely good seize for static optimization, then again, a product dashboard where the content adjustments often can gain from server-facet rendering.

But with the introduction of the Next version 9, customers will now not need to select between absolutely server rendering or static exporting. You may revel in both worlds now on an according-to-web page foundation.

2. TypeScript Support

With automated TypeScript assistance and incorporated type-checking, it’s been very easy to construct packages. However, the plugin couldn’t integrate kind-checking or the types had been provided by means of the Next.js center. This means a separate community package deal became needed to integrate TypeScript code into the existing or new codebase. Hence, integrated TypeScript help turned into included into the Next core to enhance the system speed.

Check out our course “Advanced Next.js Concepts“.