Building Scalable Next.js Applications: Best Practices for Project Structure - By Asad Saeed

3 min readAug 5, 2024

Building Scalable Next.js Applications: Best Practices for Project Structure — By Asad Saeed

Introduction

In today’s fast-paced digital world, developing robust and scalable web applications is critical. Next.js, a powerful React framework, offers a variety of features that help developers create dynamic and efficient applications. However, as your Next.js project expands, it becomes increasingly important to maintain a clean and organized codebase.

Optimal Next.js Project Structure for Large-Scale Applications

Here is an ideal directory structure designed for large Next.js projects:

my-nextjs-project/
│
├── app/                       # Core application logic and routing
│   ├── (auth)/                # Authentication-related pages
│   │   ├── login/
│   │   │   ├── page.tsx
│   │   ├── register/
│   │       ├── page.tsx
│   ├── dashboard/
│   │   ├── page.tsx
│   │   ├── layout.tsx
│   ├── api/                   # API routes
│   │   ├── users/
│   │       ├── route.ts
│   ├── layout.tsx             # Main layout file
│   ├── page.tsx               # Home page
│
├── components/                # Reusable components
│   ├── ui/                    # UI components
│   │   ├── Button.tsx
│   │   ├── Card.tsx
│   ├── forms/                 # Form components
│   │   ├── LoginForm.tsx
│   ├── layouts/               # Layout components
│       ├── Header.tsx
│       ├── Footer.tsx
│
├── lib/                       # Core functionality and utilities
│   ├── api.ts
│   ├── utils.ts
│
├── hooks/                     # Custom React hooks
│   ├── useUser.ts
│   ├── useAuth.ts
│
├── types/                     # TypeScript types
│   ├── user.ts
│   ├── api.ts
│
├── styles/                    # Global and component-specific styles
│   ├── globals.css
│
├── public/                    # Static assets
│   ├── images/
│       ├── logo.svg
│
├── next.config.js             # Next.js configuration
├── package.json               # Project dependencies and scripts
├── tsconfig.json              # TypeScript configuration

The `app` Directory: Core Application Logic

The app directory contains the main logic and routing of your application:

(auth): Groups authentication-related pages such as login and registration.
dashboard: Contains dashboard-related pages and layouts.
api: Houses API routes, facilitating serverless functions within your app.
layout.tsx: Defines the main layout shared across multiple pages.
page.tsx: Serves as the main entry point, typically the homepage.

Components: Reusable Building Blocks

Organize components to promote modularity and reusability:

ui: General UI components such as buttons and cards.
forms: Components specifically for handling forms, like LoginForm.
layouts: Layout components such as headers and footers, ensuring consistent UI across pages.

The `lib` Directory: Core Functionality

The lib directory includes core functionalities and utility functions:

api.ts: Sets up the API client and functions for backend interactions.
utils.ts: Contains utility functions used throughout the application.

Custom Hooks: Encapsulating Logic

Store custom React hooks in the hooks directory:

useUser.ts: Manages user-related state and logic.
useAuth.ts: Handles authentication processes.

Types: TypeScript Definitions

Organize TypeScript type definitions in the types directory:

user.ts: Defines user-related types.
api.ts: Includes types related to API responses and requests.

Styles: Global and Component-Specific Styles

Maintain an organized styling approach:

globals.css: Global CSS styles for the entire application.

Public Assets

Store static assets like images and icons in the public directory:

images: Directory for image assets, such as the project logo.

Conclusion

A well-structured Next.js project is crucial for developing scalable, maintainable, and efficient web applications. By organizing your project in a logical manner, you can ensure smoother development and better manageability as your application grows.