If you've been keeping up with the React ecosystem, you've probably heard about Next.js 16. It's the latest version of the popular React framework, and it brings some really exciting changes that make building web applications smoother and more intuitive.

I've been working with Next.js for a while now, and when version 16 came out, I was curious to see what had changed. The framework has matured significantly, and the App Router is now the standard way of building applications. This isn't just a small update—it's a refined approach that makes development more straightforward.

What's the App Router all about?

The App Router uses a file-system based routing approach. Instead of having a pages directory where each file becomes a route, you have an app directory. Each folder inside app becomes a route, and you put your page.tsx file inside it. It sounds simple, and honestly, once you get used to it, it feels more natural than the old way.

One thing I really appreciate is how layouts work now. You can create a layout.tsx file in any folder, and it wraps all the pages in that section. This means you can have different layouts for different parts of your site without duplicating code. For example, you might want a different layout for your blog section compared to your main pages.

Server Components are the default

The default in Next.js 16 is Server Components. This means your components run on the server by default, which is great for performance. You don't have to think about it—your components just work faster. If you need client-side interactivity, you add "use client" at the top of your component. It's that simple.

I found this particularly helpful when building pages that fetch data. Instead of using useEffect and useState to load data on the client, you can just fetch it directly in your Server Component. The data is available immediately when the page loads, which makes everything feel snappier.

What's new in Next.js 16?

Next.js 16 brings some nice improvements. The developer experience has gotten even better—error messages are clearer, build times are faster, and the overall workflow feels more polished. When something goes wrong, you get better feedback about what happened and where.

TypeScript support has also improved. The framework now has better type inference, which means you spend less time fighting with types and more time building features. The integration with React 19 is seamless, and you get access to all the latest React features.

Improved performance

One of the things I've noticed with Next.js 16 is that performance is even better. The framework handles optimization automatically, so you don't have to think about it too much. Server Components mean less JavaScript sent to the browser, which makes pages load faster.

The caching strategies are smarter too. Next.js 16 handles data fetching and caching more intelligently, which means your applications feel faster without you having to configure much.

Getting started

If you're new to Next.js 16, the best way to get started is to create a new project using the create-next-app command. The CLI will set up everything for you with the App Router by default. From there, you can start building your pages in the app directory.

The documentation is really solid too. I've found that most questions I had were answered in the Next.js docs, and the examples they provide are practical and easy to follow.

My takeaway

Next.js 16 feels like a mature, polished framework. The App Router might take a bit of getting used to if you're coming from the Pages Router, but once you understand the patterns, it makes building applications more straightforward.

The focus on Server Components and better performance out of the box means you can build faster applications without having to think too hard about optimization. And that's what I want from a framework—to handle the complex stuff so I can focus on building features.

If you haven't tried Next.js 16 yet, I'd recommend giving it a shot. Start with a small project, experiment with the App Router, and see how it feels. You might find that it changes how you think about building React applications.