Next.js is a React framework that allows you to build server-side rendered React applications. It is a great tool for building web applications, but it can be difficult to scale your application as it grows. In this article, we will look at some of the best Next.js boilerplates for building scalable web applications.

The community of Next.js developers has created a lot of boilerplates that you can use to start your project. These boilerplates are great for building scalable web applications. They are also easy to extend and maintain. In this article, we will look at some of the best Next.js boilerplates for building scalable web applications.

Why we need a boilerplate?

A boilerplate is a template that you can use to start a new project. It contains all the necessary files and folders to get started with a project. It is a great way to save time and effort when starting a new project.

By using a boilerplate, you can focus on the core features of your application instead of spending time on setting up the project. It also helps you to follow best practices and patterns that are used by the community.

What is a scalable Next.js application?

A scalable application is one that can handle a large number of users and requests. It is also easy to maintain and extend. It is important to build a scalable application from the beginning to avoid refactoring the code later.

Scalability is a very important factor when building a web application. It is important to choose the right tools and architecture to build a scalable application. We always need to keep in mind that our application will grow in the future, not just becoming a garbage that we bury in the GitHub repository.

The best boilerplate for building scalable Next.js applications

There are many boilerplates available for building scalable Next.js applications. Here are some of the best boilerplates that you can use to start your project.

Next.js Boilerplate by alexeagleson

This boilerplate is a great starting point for building a Next.js application. It is built with TypeScript and uses Next.js 12. It also uses Tailwind CSS for styling. It is a great boilerplate for building a scalable web application.

Feature highlights:

• Next.js 12 (you can help to upgrade to Next.js 13 in the repo)
• TypeScript
• Engine Locking
• ESLint
• Prettier
• Git Hooks (Husky)
• VS Code Config
• VS Code Debugging
• Storybook
• Component template
• Commit linting

We can easily start a new project by cloning the repo and running the following commands:

gh repo clone alexeagleson/nextjs-fullstack-app-template
# or
git clone git@github.com:alexeagleson/nextjs-fullstack-app-template.git
# or
git clone https://github.com/alexeagleson/nextjs-fullstack-app-template.git
# or you can also use degit if you want to use the template without git at first

If you need TailwindCSS or any styling framework, you still need to install it manually. But, it's pretty good to kickstart with this project, it has a lot of help especially when we start with a team. It has a lot of good practices and it's easy to maintain. It's also easy to extend and add new features. We can follow the guide to create new component or write our own CLI to automate the process.

All sort of linting and formatting are already set up. We can also use the VS Code config to make it easier to work with the project. It also has a Storybook config that we can use to build our components. This boilerplate has commit-msg hook that we can use to lint our commit message. We can easily document our component by using the Storybook.

Repository: alexeagleson/nextjs-fullstack-app-template
Blog: How to Build Scalable Architecture for your Next.js Project

Next.js Boilerplate by ipenywis

He said in his explanation video of this boilerplate, it's The Senior React Project Setup You Need as a Junior Developer. You can easily create an architecture like a Senior.

In today's fast-paced world of web development, it's essential to have the right tools and frameworks at your disposal. That's where the Next.js app with Turborepo, Zustand, TailwindCSS, and TypeScript stack comes in - a powerful combination of cutting-edge technologies that can make your development process smoother, faster, and more efficient.

One of the key benefits of this stack is Next.js, a top-tier framework for building server-side rendered React applications. It provides automatic code splitting, optimized performance, and easy deployment, making it an ideal choice for developers who want to focus on building robust and scalable web applications without worrying about the underlying infrastructure.

Turborepo is another tool that can significantly improve your workflow by optimizing monorepo development. It enables developers to work with multiple packages within a single repository, saving tons of time and energy while making it easier to manage and maintain your codebase.

Zustand is a lightweight state management library that offers a simple and intuitive approach to managing state in React applications. It can help you keep your codebase clean and organized while making it easy to work with and update your app's state.

TailwindCSS is a utility-first CSS framework that can help you design responsive and customizable user interfaces with ease. With its intuitive utility classes and flexible customization options, you can create stunning designs that look great on any device or screen size.

Finally, TypeScript adds static typing to the language, providing better type safety and developer experience. This can help catch bugs early and ensure that your codebase is clean and organized.

Overall, the Next.js app with Turborepo, Zustand, TailwindCSS, and TypeScript stack is a powerful and modern choice for any developer looking to build cutting-edge web applications. While there may be a bit of a learning curve, the benefits are well worth the effort, including faster development times, improved performance, and easier maintenance of codebases. So why not give it a try and see for yourself?

Just give it a shot, it's really good. It's easy to extend and maintain.

Repository: ipenywis/your-react-boilerplate
Youtube: The Senior React Project Setup You Need as a Junior Developer

Next.js Boilerplate by T3

Create T3 App (CT3A) is a starter kit for building web applications using a specific set of modern technologies that form the T3 stack. The T3 stack consists of TypeScript, Express.js, and TypeORM. CT3A takes this stack and adds additional technologies to create a powerful and easy-to-use platform for building web applications.

One of the standout features of CT3A is the use of TypeScript. The creators of CT3A believe that TypeScript provides a more consistent and less frustrating experience than vanilla JavaScript, especially for developers new to web development. With TypeScript, developers get live feedback as they write code, which helps prevent errors and saves time in the long run.

Another key technology used in CT3A is Next.js, a popular web framework for building React-based applications. Next.js offers a lightly opinionated and heavily optimized approach to creating applications, which makes it easier for developers to make good decisions when building their apps.

CT3A also makes use of tRPC, an alternative to GraphQL that provides a seamless client development experience against a typesafe server, without all the boilerplate. By leveraging TypeScript, tRPC provides an incredible developer experience that is easy to use and highly performant.

In addition to these core technologies, CT3A also includes several other technologies that are commonly used in web development. These include Prisma, which provides end-to-end typesafety from the database to the app and offers a suite of tools to make daily interactions with the database easier. CT3A also uses Tailwind CSS, a popular utility-first CSS framework that makes it easy to create good-looking applications without worrying about naming classes or organizing files. Finally, CT3A includes NextAuth.js, a solution for bringing authentication and security to your Next.js application without the hassle of building it yourself.

Overall, Create T3 App is a great starting point for anyone looking to build modern web applications using a powerful and easy-to-use set of technologies. With TypeScript, Next.js, tRPC, Prisma, Tailwind CSS, and NextAuth.js, CT3A provides a comprehensive and highly performant platform for building modern web applications. If you're looking to build web applications with the latest technologies and best practices, CT3A is definitely worth checking out.

Link: Create T3 App

Conclusion

That's all for today. I hope you find this article useful. If you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know in the comment section below. Thank you for reading.