Backend
Next.js (Route Handlers)
Use Next.js route handlers and server actions as your backend.
Monthly cost
Free
Popularity
5/5
LLM knowledge
5/5
Difficulty
Easy
#fullstack#serverless#typescript
What Next.js (Route Handlers) is good at
Strengths
- +One codebase
- +Ships on Vercel instantly
- +Type-safe end to end
Tradeoffs
- −Limited to serverless / edge
- −Long-running jobs need a queue
Coding-agent prompt
Drop into Claude / Cursor to get idiomatic Next.js (Route Handlers) code.
You're working with Next.js (Route Handlers). Use Next.js route handlers and server actions as your backend. Best practices: - Lean on: one codebase - Lean on: ships on vercel instantly - Lean on: type-safe end to end Things to watch for: - Watch out for: limited to serverless / edge - Watch out for: long-running jobs need a queue General guidance: - Follow the official docs — don't invent APIs. - Keep secrets in environment variables, never commit them. - Write TypeScript where the ecosystem supports it; add types to every exported function. - Add tests for the critical paths before declaring the task done. - Read-the-docs is usually faster than guessing — cite the docs page in code comments when you apply a non-obvious pattern.
Beginner's guide to Next.js (Route Handlers)
In one line: Your backend lives in the same project as your frontend.
Next.js can run backend code too — in a folder called `app/api`, each file becomes an API endpoint. Your frontend and backend share one project, one deploy, and one set of types.
Try it in your terminal
mkdir -p src/app/api/helloCreate a folder for your first API route.
# then create route.ts inside itExport GET/POST functions to handle HTTP requests.
Popular pairings with Next.js (Route Handlers)
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