Getting Started with Next.js 16

Prerequisites

Before diving in, make sure you have Node.js 20+ installed. You can verify with:

node -v

Scaffold the project

The fastest way to spin up a new Next.js 16 app is with create-next-app:

npx create-next-app@latest my-app --typescript --tailwind --app
cd my-app
npm run dev

Your dev server will start on http://localhost:3000 with Turbopack enabled by default.

Project structure

Next.js 16 uses the App Router. The key directories are:

• src/app/ — routes and layouts
• src/app/layout.tsx — the root layout wrapping every page
• src/app/page.tsx — the home route (/)

Your first page

Create a new route by adding a folder under src/app/:

// src/app/hello/page.tsx
export default function HelloPage() {
  return <h1>Hello from Next.js 16!</h1>;
}

Visit /hello and you'll see the page rendered instantly thanks to React Server Components.

What's next

From here you can explore:

• Dynamic routes with [slug] folders
• Server Actions for form handling
• MDX for content-driven pages
• Middleware for auth and redirects

Happy building!