How to create an online store with NextJS – Part 1

NextJS is the perfect tool for building a webshop – it’s like the ultimate power tool for the web. It’s like having a magic wand for creating websites! Let’s dive into the folders and files, and get our hands dirty to build something amazing. We’re on a journey to create a webshop that will blow your mind 🚀. Can’t wait to see what we can accomplish! #NextJS #WebshopBuilding

Initial Setup of the Project 🛠️

The first step in creating a webshop using NextJS is to initialize a new project. To do this, open a new terminal and enter the command that guides through the initialization process. This command will prompt for the project name and whether to use TypeScript and ESLint. Additionally, it provides options for choosing app rter, import aliases, and installing required dependencies. Once the initialization is complete, the project folders and files will be generated, including public, src, pages, API, app, document, index, and more.

Project Structure Overview 📁

After the project is created, it is essential to understand the primary folders and files. The ‘public’ folder holds publicly available files, such as images and favicon. The ‘src’ folder contains the code, while the ‘pages’ folder is for defining subpages of the application. The ‘API’ folder serves as the backend, and the ‘app’ is the main application file. Additionally, files like ‘document’, ‘index’, ‘styles’, ‘package.json’, ‘next.config’, ‘tsconfig.json’, ‘prettier’, and ‘gitignore’ are generated as part of the setup.

Running the Application 🚀

With the project structure in place, the next step is to run the application. Use the terminal to run the command ‘npm run dev’, which will build the application and make it available on ‘localhost:3000’. This default layout signifies the starting point of the application and can be accessed to analyze the initial setup.

Exploring Pages in NextJS 📄

In NextJS, defining new pages is a crucial aspect of creating a webshop. This can be achieved by creating folders and index files or directly adding new page files in the root folder. The ‘pages’ directory plays a vital role in handling and managing different pages of the application, and understanding its structure is essential for building custom items and functionalities later.

Conclusion 🎯

In conclusion, this initial part of creating a webshop using NextJS focused on the project setup, folder structure, running the application, and exploring the page creation process in NextJS. It sets the foundation for the subsequent parts of the series, where further development and functionalities will be added to the webshop. Stay tuned for the next part, where we delve into creating custom items, card functionalities, and more exciting features!

Key Takeaways

• Initialization of a new project using NextJS involves setting up the project structure and defining different directories.
• Understanding the ‘pages’ directory is essential for managing and creating various pages within the application.
• Running the application using ‘npm run dev’ provides the initial layout and starting point for further development.

FAQ

Q: How to initialize a new project in NextJS?
A: To initialize a new project in NextJS, open a new terminal and use the command that guides through the initialization process, providing options for project name, TypeScript usage, and dependencies installation.

References:

1. NextJS Documentation – Creating a New Project
2. Understanding Project Structure in NextJS
3. Running the Application with NextJS
4. NextJS Pages Directory