Prerequisites & Setup
What you should already know before starting Next.js, and what tools you need installed.
Knowledge Prerequisites
Next.js sits directly on top of React and modern JavaScript, so this course assumes the following coming in.
- JavaScript fundamentals — variables, functions, arrays, objects, async/await, and ES modules.
- Core React — components, JSX, props, state, and the common hooks (useState, useEffect).
- Basic command-line comfort — running npm commands and navigating folders in a terminal.
- Basic HTML & CSS — enough to read and style the components you build.
If hooks or props still feel shaky, it's worth spending time on a React fundamentals course first — everything in this course builds directly on top of that foundation.
Tools You Need
Node.js (LTS)
Next.js runs on Node.js — install the current Long-Term-Support version from nodejs.org.
A Package Manager
npm ships with Node.js. pnpm or yarn work equally well if you prefer them.
A Code Editor
VS Code is the most common choice, with strong TypeScript and Next.js support.
A Modern Browser
Chrome, Firefox, or Edge — with dev tools you're comfortable opening.
Who This Course Is For
React Developers
You know React and want to learn the framework most React jobs actually use.
Full-Stack Learners
You want one project that handles both UI and API endpoints.
Career Switchers
You're building a portfolio and want a framework that shows up in job listings.
FAQs
No — this course uses plain JavaScript by default. TypeScript is covered later as an optional, valuable addition, not a requirement to get started.
Install the current LTS (Long-Term Support) release — Next.js documents its exact minimum version, but the latest LTS is always a safe choice.
Summary
With JavaScript, React basics, and Node.js in place, you have everything you need to start. Next, you'll create your first Next.js project.