Welcome to Next.js! Next.js is a powerful React framework that makes building full-stack web applications easier. It provides essential features like server-side rendering, static site generation, file-based routing, and built-in optimizations. Think of it as React plus superpowers for production-ready applications.
Let's set up your first Next.js project! First, make sure you have Node.js version 14 or higher installed. Then use the create-next-app command to generate a new project. Navigate to your project folder and start the development server with npm run dev. Your application will be available at localhost port 3000.
One of Next.js's most powerful features is file-based routing. Instead of configuring routes manually, you simply create files in the pages directory. The file structure automatically becomes your URL structure. For example, index.js becomes the home page, about.js becomes the about page, and dynamic routes use square brackets for parameters.
Now let's add animations to your Next.js app! You can use CSS modules for scoped animations, global CSS files, or libraries like Framer Motion. Here's a simple fade-in animation using CSS keyframes. The animation smoothly transitions the opacity from zero to one, creating a nice entrance effect for your components.
Congratulations! You've learned the basics of Next.js and how to add animations. Your journey is just beginning. Continue by exploring data fetching, API routes, authentication, and deployment. Practice by building real projects and check out the official Next.js documentation and Vercel Learn platform for more advanced topics. Happy coding!