Skip to main content

Next.js Starter Templates

Introduction​

When starting a new Next.js project, you might find yourself repeatedly setting up the same configurations, installing the same packages, and creating the same folder structures. This can be time-consuming and tedious. This is where Next.js starter templates come to the rescue!

Next.js starter templates are pre-configured project setups that provide a foundation for your applications. They include the basic structure, essential dependencies, and often include common configurations for styling, state management, testing, and more. They allow you to skip the initial boilerplate setup and jump straight into developing your application's unique features.

In this guide, we'll explore:

  • What Next.js starter templates are
  • Benefits of using starter templates
  • Popular starter templates in the ecosystem
  • How to use these templates to kickstart your projects
  • Creating your own custom starter template

What Are Next.js Starter Templates?​

Next.js starter templates (sometimes called boilerplates or scaffolds) are pre-built project structures that give you a head start when creating new Next.js applications. They typically include:

  1. A base Next.js configuration
  2. Folder structure following best practices
  3. Pre-installed and configured dependencies
  4. Development tooling (linting, formatting, testing)
  5. Common UI components or styling solutions
  6. Documentation and usage examples

These templates can range from minimal setups to fully featured applications with authentication, database connections, and complex state management patterns.

Benefits of Using Starter Templates​

1. Productivity Boost​

Starting with a template eliminates repetitive setup tasks, allowing you to focus on building your application's unique features right away.

2. Best Practices Built In​

Most templates follow community best practices for code organization, performance optimizations, and security configurations.

3. Learning Resource​

For beginners, templates provide real-world examples of well-structured Next.js applications that you can learn from.

4. Consistency​

Templates help maintain consistency across multiple projects or within teams by standardizing project structure and tooling.

5. Pre-configured Tooling​

Many templates come with pre-configured testing frameworks, linters, and other development tools that might be complex to set up correctly.

1. Official Next.js Templates​

The Next.js team provides several official templates to get you started:

Creating a new project with an official template​

bash
npx create-next-app@latest my-app --example <example-name>

Popular official examples include:

  • blog-starter: A simple blog with markdown content
  • with-typescript: Next.js with TypeScript configuration
  • with-tailwindcss: Next.js with Tailwind CSS
  • with-jest: Next.js configured with Jest for testing
  • with-mongodb: Next.js with MongoDB integration

2. Next.js + Tailwind CSS Starter​

One of the most popular combinations is Next.js with Tailwind CSS for styling:

bash
npx create-next-app@latest my-app --template tailwindcss

This template provides:

  • Next.js 13+ with App Router
  • Tailwind CSS configured
  • ESLint and Prettier setup
  • Basic component structure

3. T3 Stack​

The T3 Stack is a popular opinionated full-stack template that includes:

bash
npm create t3-app@latest

Features:

  • Next.js
  • TypeScript
  • tRPC for type-safe APIs
  • Prisma for database access
  • NextAuth.js for authentication
  • Tailwind CSS for styling

4. Next.js Commerce​

For e-commerce projects, Next.js Commerce provides a comprehensive starting point:

bash
npx create-next-app@latest -e https://github.com/vercel/commerce

This template includes:

  • Product listings and detailed pages
  • Shopping cart functionality
  • Checkout process
  • Multiple e-commerce backend integrations

How to Use a Next.js Starter Template​

Let's walk through the process of using a starter template for your next project:

Step 1: Choose a Template​

Select a template based on your project requirements. Consider:

  • What features do you need?
  • Which styling solution do you prefer?
  • Do you need authentication, database integration, etc.?
  • How complex is the template? (Some may have steep learning curves)

Step 2: Create Your Project​

For most templates, you can use the Next.js create command:

bash
npx create-next-app@latest my-project --example with-tailwindcss

Or clone a Git repository:

bash
git clone https://github.com/author/template-name.git my-project
cd my-project
npm install

Step 3: Understand the Template Structure​

Before diving into coding, take some time to explore and understand the template:

my-project/
├── .github/            # GitHub workflows and configurations
├── components/         # Reusable UI components
├── lib/                # Utility functions and helpers
├── pages/              # Pages or routes (in Pages Router)
├── app/                # App Router structure (Next.js 13+)
├── public/             # Static assets
├── styles/             # Global styles
├── .eslintrc.js        # ESLint configuration
├── .gitignore          # Git ignore rules
├── next.config.js      # Next.js configuration
├── package.json        # Dependencies and scripts
├── README.md           # Documentation
└── tsconfig.json       # TypeScript configuration (if applicable)

Step 4: Clean Up and Customize​

Remove any example content or features you don't need, and start customizing the template for your project:

  1. Update the package.json with your project details
  2. Modify the README with your project information
  3. Remove example components or pages you don't need
  4. Update environment variables in .env.example or .env.local

Step 5: Start Development​

With everything set up, you can now run your development server:

bash
npm run dev

Practical Example: Building a Blog with a Starter Template​

Let's use the official blog-starter template to create a simple blog:

Creating the project​

bash
npx create-next-app@latest my-blog --example blog-starter
cd my-blog
npm run dev

Exploring the structure​

The blog starter includes:

  • Markdown processing for blog content
  • A built-in blog index page
  • Individual post pages
  • Basic styling

Creating a new blog post​

In the _posts directory, create a new markdown file:

markdown
---
title: 'My First Blog Post'
excerpt: 'This is an excerpt of my very first blog post.'
coverImage: '/assets/blog/hello-world/cover.jpg'
date: '2023-04-01T05:35:07.322Z'
author:
  name: Jane Doe
  picture: '/assets/blog/authors/jane.jpeg'
ogImage:
  url: '/assets/blog/hello-world/cover.jpg'
---

## Welcome to my blog!

This is my first blog post using the Next.js blog starter template.

- It supports markdown
- Has built-in styling
- Includes image optimization

When you run the development server, your new blog post will automatically appear in the index page and have its own dedicated page.

Creating Your Own Custom Starter Template​

After working on several Next.js projects, you might want to create your own starter template that matches your preferred setup. Here's how:

Step 1: Create a Base Project​

Start with a clean Next.js project and add the configurations and dependencies you commonly use:

bash
npx create-next-app@latest my-custom-template

Step 2: Add Common Dependencies and Configurations​

Install and configure the packages you frequently use:

bash
npm install tailwindcss postcss autoprefixer
npx tailwindcss init -p

Set up configuration files like .eslintrc.js, .prettierrc, etc.

Step 3: Create Basic Components and Utilities​

Add commonly used components and utility functions:

jsx
// components/Button.jsx
export default function Button({ children, onClick, variant = 'primary' }) {
  const baseClasses = 'py-2 px-4 rounded font-medium focus:outline-none focus:ring-2';
  const variantClasses = {
    primary: 'bg-blue-500 text-white hover:bg-blue-600',
    secondary: 'bg-gray-200 text-gray-800 hover:bg-gray-300',
    danger: 'bg-red-500 text-white hover:bg-red-600',
  };
  
  return (
    <button 
      className={`${baseClasses} ${variantClasses[variant]}`} 
      onClick={onClick}
    >
      {children}
    </button>
  );
}

Step 4: Add Documentation​

Create a detailed README.md that explains:

  • What's included in the template
  • How to use it
  • Folder structure
  • Common patterns
  • Customization guidelines

Step 5: Publish to GitHub​

Create a public GitHub repository for your template:

bash
git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit: custom Next.js template"
git remote add origin https://github.com/yourusername/nextjs-custom-template.git
git push -u origin main

Step 6: Use Your Template​

For future projects, you can use your template:

bash
npx create-next-app@latest my-new-project -e https://github.com/yourusername/nextjs-custom-template

Summary​

Next.js starter templates are powerful tools that can significantly speed up your development workflow, help maintain best practices, and provide a solid foundation for your projects.

Whether you're using official templates, community-created boilerplates, or creating your own, these templates allow you to bypass repetitive setup tasks and focus on building features that matter to your application.

As you grow more comfortable with Next.js, consider creating your own custom starter template that matches your workflow and preferences. This investment will save you time on future projects and help maintain consistency across your work.

Additional Resources​

Exercises​

  1. Try creating a new Next.js project using three different starter templates. Compare their structures and features.
  2. Take an existing starter template and customize it to include an additional feature (like dark mode toggle or a newsletter signup form).
  3. Create a minimal custom starter template with your preferred styling solution and a basic layout component.
  4. Fork an existing template and modify it to use a different styling approach (e.g., change from CSS Modules to Tailwind CSS).
  5. Build a small project using a template, then document what you liked and disliked about the template's structure and features.

If you spot any mistakes on this website, please let me know at [email protected]. I’d greatly appreciate your feedback! :)