[REQUEST NEW CONTENT] Next.js 15 Route Handlers - 3 Advanced Use Cases You Should Apply in Your Application #1639
Description
Next.js route handlers in versions > 13.2 offer an alternative architecture to API routes we are used to in the legacy page router set up. Route handlers utilize a much more straight forward approach with Request and Response Web APIs in its architecture. While they underpin the React based views in the page.tsx | jsx file, they are also commonly used to build JSON APIs with HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD and OPTIONS.
In addition, Next.js route handlers are a good place to implement advanced server side logic that can be run around the app router request-response lifecycle. Common use cases include implementing typical business stakes with custom middleware logic within HOCs that can wrap any endpoint in a REST API. Sophisticated use cases involve implementing non-UI features such as delivering files for downloads, route / context forwarding, proxies for delegating additional tasks like third party data fetching or transformation, streaming data via web sockets, handlers for third party web hooks and more.
In this post, with a few real world features in a Next.js based REST API, I intend to demonstrate some advanced use cases for Next.js route handlers typically implemented in production.
Content Brief:
Target audience
Advanced Next.js developers, particularly who want to implement advanced / production level features in Vercel / Edge Runtime.
Keywords
Next.js, Route Handlers, Next.js 15, Next.js App Router
Content objective:
Here are the learning goals:
- Understand how route handlers work in Next.js app router architecture.
- Get familiar with working code on how Next.js route handlers are used to build REST APIs.
- Get familiar with the common use cases for Next.js route handlers.
- Get familiar with how HTTP methods are used in Next.js route handlers.
- Get familiar with how
Request,Response,NextRequestandNextResponseAPIs are used in Next.js route handlers. - Get familiar with how Next.js route handlers are used for delivering JSON data via REST APIs.
- Get familiar with how headers and cookies are used in Next.js route handlers.
- Understand the architectural aspects of Next.js route handlers that grant room for implementing sophisticated server side logic behind / outside of React / JSON views.
- Make sense of how Next.js shared middleware logic is implemented via HOCs inside route handlers.
- Understand how route handlers facilitate implementing additional, behind the scene server side logic in Next.js REST APIs and React applications.
- Learn with example of a file downloads feature how to implement non-UI functionalities from a route handler.
- Learn with example of a Vercel Edge config based redirects management feature how route forwarding / redirect handling can be implemented with route handlers.
- Learn with example of a data transformation proxy how to use Next.js route handlers for separating concerns while implementing complex business logic.
- Relate to other similar themed advanced use cases of route handlers.
- Discuss pitfalls and best practices related to implementing advanced route handlers.
Content outline:
Here is a tentative outline of the article with intended sections:
0.0 Introduction
Introduces the post and Next.js 15 Route Handlers. Describes briefly the common use of route handlers as a replacement of API routes that are part of legacy pages router. Relates how route handlers are also the place to implement complex custom server side logic.
1.0 Overview
Give a top-level overview of the post content.
2.0 Prerequisites
- Lists knowledge and technical requirements needed for following this post.
3.0 The Starter Code - A Usual JSON APIs with Next.js 15 Route Handlers
Explains the basics of Next.js route handlers with code snippets from an existing demo REST API application.
Analyzes the common use cases of Request, Response, NextRequest and NextResponse APIs. Highlights how HTTP methods are utilized in route handlers for building REST endpoints. Explains implementation of route handler level middleware logic.
4.0 Next.js 15 Route Handlers - Advanced Use Cases
Discusses how Next.js route handlers are a good place to implement behind the scene custom server side logic. Explains the app router architecture that facilitates such implementations. Discusses the common patterns in using advanced route handlers like implementing non-UI functionalities, route forwarding, proxies, websocket streaming, handling web hooks, etc.
4.1 Next.js 15 Route Handlers - Implementing a File Downloads Feature
- Demonstrates & discusses with example from the demo application how to implement a file downloads feature from a Next.js 15 route handler
4.2 Advanced Next.js Route Handlers - Adding Redirects Management with Vercel Edge Config
- Demonstrates & discusses with example from the demo application how to implement a redirects management handler in a production environment that uses Vercel Edge Config SDK & APIs.
4.3 Implementing a Data Transformation Proxy in Next.js 15 Route Handler
- Demonstrates & discusses with example from the demo app how to implement a data transformation proxy within a Next.js Route Handler.
4.4 Next.js Route Handlers - Other Advanced Use Cases
Discusses other advanced use cases of Next.js route handlers.
5.0 Next.js 15 Route Handlers - Pitfalls & Best Practices
5.1 Next.js Route Handlers Drawbacks
- Discusses the drawbacks related to Next.js route handlers.
5.2 Advanced Next.js 15 Route Handlers Best Practices
- Discusses similar examples & best practices related to implementing custom server side logic with Next.js route handlers.
6.0 Summary
Summarizes the achievements.
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