Next.JS 8
Eightth Version of Next.JS
Next.js 8, released in February 2019, introduced features that enhanced performance, scalability, and developer experience. It marked a shift toward serverless computing and better handling of large-scale applications.
Here are the key details and features of Next.js 8:
Key Features of Next.js 8
1. Serverless Mode
- Introduced serverless mode, allowing each page in a Next.js application to be deployed as an independent serverless function.
- Benefits:
- Faster cold starts and better scalability.
- Reduced costs for serverless deployments (e.g., AWS Lambda, Vercel).
- How it works:
- Each page becomes a serverless function that handles its logic, making deployments modular.
2. Improved Build Performance
- Faster build process by parallelizing builds of individual pages.
- Enhanced caching for unchanged pages during the build process.
3. Incremental Compilation
4. Customizable next.config.js.
- Expanded customization options in next.config.js:
- Allowed fine-tuning serverless build configurations.
- Improved support for third-party plugins and custom logic.
5. Static Asset Serving
- Simplified the process for serving static files from the /static directory (later /public in newer versions).
- Example:
- Place files in /static, and they are accessible at /static/filename
- Used for serving images, fonts, or other assets.
6. Support for Web Workers
- Added support for web workers, enabling developers to use multithreading for computationally heavy tasks.
- Example:
const worker = new Worker(./worker.js);worker.postMessage(Hello Worker);7. Preloading for next/link.
- Improved the next/linkcomponent with smarter preloading strategies for linked pages.
- Benefits:
- Reduced navigation time.
- Enhanced user experience through faster transitions.
8. Performance Monitoring with next build.
- Added detailed performance insights during the build process.
- Provided statistics on bundle sizes, build times, and opportunities for optimization.
Other Enhancements
Webpack 4 Integration Improvements
- Fully leveraged Webpack 4 for better code-splitting and tree-shaking.
- Optimized builds for smaller client-side bundles.
Error Handling Improvements
- Clearer error messages and stack traces during development and production.
- Improved error overlay for debugging client-side issues.
Support for React 16.8 (Hooks)
- Fully compatible with React 16.8, enabling the use of React HooksReact Hooks for functional component state and lifecycle management.
Dynamic Routing Enhancements
- Although file-based dynamic routing ([id].js) was not yet introduced, this version made dynamic routing patterns easier with custom server setups.
Performance Enhancements
- Faster cold starts for serverless deployments.
- Optimized page rendering for both SSR and static exports.
- Smarter asset caching strategies.