How to Set Up Next.js with Node.js

Install Node.js on Windows

Step 1: Download Node.js

Download the LTS installer from nodejs.org.

Step 2: Run the installer

Open the file and follow the wizard. Keep the default options.

Step 3: Check the installation

Open a new terminal:

node -v
npm -v

(On Linux and macOS use your package manager or nvm.)

Create a Next.js project

Step 1: Create the app

npx create-next-app@latest my-nextjs-app

Answer the questions (TypeScript, ESLint, Tailwind CSS, the App Router and so on). The tool installs the packages.

Step 2: Go to the folder

cd my-nextjs-app

Step 3: Start the development server

npm run dev

Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser.

Step 4: Look at the project

• app/ (or pages/ in the older Pages Router) holds your pages. Each file becomes a route.
• public/ holds static files such as images and fonts.
• styles/ or app/globals.css holds the global CSS.
• package.json lists the scripts and packages.

Build for production

npm run build
npm run start

npm run start runs the production server on port 3000.

Features of Next.js

• Server-side rendering and static generation for fast pages and good SEO.
• File-based routing. No router setup.
• API routes and server actions for back-end code.
• Image optimization and built-in CSS support.
• Hot reload while you develop.

Quick recap

• Install Node.js, run npx create-next-app@latest, then npm run dev.