Web development technologies are constantly evolving, and one of my favorite JavaScript frameworks, Next.js, is keeping up with the pace.
I'm really excited about the recent release of Next.js version 14 by Vercel. This new version brings significant improvements in performance, stability, and more.
Today, I invite you to join me as we explore the future of web development and discover the latest technologies. With the latest version of Next.js, I'll help expand your web development skills and enhance your chances of landing your dream job as a web developer.
So without any delay, let's dive right in and explore all the exciting new features!
Turbopack
Turbopack is an amazing compiler built by Vercel for Next.js using Rust. It is designed to be much faster than traditional alternatives like babel.
When Turbopack was first introduced in Next.js 13, it was an experimental feature with limited capabilities. However, with the release of Next.js 14, the stability of Turbopack has greatly improved. Now, around 90% of the unit tests are passing, which is a huge step forward.
Not only that, but starting up and hot reloading your Next.js application will also be much faster with Turbopack. The Next.js team has reported significant speed improvements:
These improvements are absolutely fantastic and will greatly enhance the developer experience.
Server Actions
I have always been a huge fan of Next.js 13 server actions! So you can imagine how excited I was when they released an update for them.
One of the most exciting things about Next.js 13 was the experimental feature of server actions. But now, with the release of Next.js 14, Server Actions are fully stable and ready to be used in production.
The best part about server actions is that they reduce the need for writing API route code. Plus, they ensure type safety between the client and server, all in just one network roundtrip.
Metadata
In Next.js 14, Vercel has separated blocking and non-blocking metadata to make things easier.
Before your page content is sent from the server, some important meta tags like viewport, colorScheme, and themeColor need to be sent to the client. These meta tags are called blocking metadata, and they have now been separated from the non-blocking metadata.
As a result, the above tags have been deprecated and will be removed in the next version update for Next.js 14. Instead, new tags like the viewport and generateViewport objects will be introduced to take their place.
Conclusion
I really hope that I was able to explain the new major features of Next.js 14 in a way that you understood and that it inspired you to upgrade and enjoy all the benefits that the Vercel team has put forth.