---

name: scaffold-nextjs-app locale: caveman-ultra source_locale: en source_commit: 82c77053 fence_basis_commit: 82c77053 translator: "Julius Brussee homage — caveman" translation_date: "2026-05-03" description: > Scaffold new Next.js app → App Router, TS, modern defaults. Project create, dir structure, routing, init config. Use → start new web app, React frontend w/ SSR, full-stack w/ API routes, TS web from scratch. license: MIT allowed-tools: Read Write Edit Bash Grep Glob metadata: author: Philipp Thoss version: "1.0" domain: web-dev complexity: basic language: TypeScript tags: nextjs, react, typescript, app-router, scaffold

Scaffold Next.js App

Create new Next.js w/ App Router, TS, prod-ready defaults.

Use When

• New web app project
• React frontend w/ SSR
• Full-stack w/ API routes
• TS web from scratch

In

• Required: App name
• Required: Pkg mgr (npm|yarn|pnpm)
• Optional: Tailwind (default yes)
• Optional: ESLint (default yes)
• Optional: src/ structure (default yes)

Do

Step 1: Create Project

npx create-next-app@latest my-app \
  --typescript \
  --tailwind \
  --eslint \
  --app \
  --src-dir \
  --import-alias "@/*"

Answer prompts or use flags non-interactive.

→ Project dir created w/ all deps installed.

If err: check Node ver (node --version, must ≥18.17). npx available. Hangs on prompts → add --use-npm (or --use-pnpm|--use-yarn).

Step 2: Verify Structure

my-app/
├── src/
│   ├── app/
│   │   ├── layout.tsx        # Root layout
│   │   ├── page.tsx          # Home page
│   │   ├── globals.css       # Global styles
│   │   └── favicon.ico
│   └── lib/                  # Shared utilities (create manually)
├── public/                   # Static assets
├── next.config.ts            # Next.js configuration
├── tailwind.config.ts        # Tailwind configuration
├── tsconfig.json             # TypeScript configuration
├── package.json
└── .eslintrc.json

→ All listed dirs+files present.

If err: src/ missing → --src-dir not passed. Re-run or move files manually → src/app/.

Step 3: Configure Next.js

Edit next.config.ts:

import type { NextConfig } from "next";

const nextConfig: NextConfig = {
  // Enable React strict mode
  reactStrictMode: true,

  // Image optimization domains
  images: {
    remotePatterns: [
      {
        protocol: "https",
        hostname: "example.com",
      },
    ],
  },
};

export default nextConfig;

→ Saved w/o TS errs.

If err: .js instead of .ts → rename. Ensure NextConfig imported from "next".

Step 4: Dir Conventions

mkdir -p src/app/api
mkdir -p src/components
mkdir -p src/lib
mkdir -p src/types

→ All 4 dirs under src/.

If err: no src/ → create first or adjust paths (non-src layout uses app/ at root).

Step 5: Base Layout

Edit src/app/layout.tsx:

import type { Metadata } from "next";
import { Inter } from "next/font/google";
import "./globals.css";

const inter = Inter({ subsets: ["latin"] });

export const metadata: Metadata = {
  title: "My Application",
  description: "Application description",
};

export default function RootLayout({
  children,
}: {
  children: React.ReactNode;
}) {
  return (
    <html lang="en">
      <body className={inter.className}>{children}</body>
    </html>
  );
}

→ Layout renders w/ Inter font, wraps all pages.

If err: font fails → check net. Replace Inter w/ system fallback temp.

Step 6: Example API Route

Create src/app/api/health/route.ts:

import { NextResponse } from "next/server";

export async function GET() {
  return NextResponse.json({ status: "ok", timestamp: new Date().toISOString() });
}

→ File created at path.

If err: ensure api/health/ exists. Must export named HTTP method handlers (GET, POST, etc.), not default.

Step 7: Run Dev Server

cd my-app
npm run dev

→ App at http://localhost:3000.

If err: check Node ≥18.17. Run npm install if deps missing.

Check

• npm run dev starts w/o errs
• Home page loads localhost:3000
• TS compile succeeds
• Tailwind classes applied
• API route responds /api/health
• ESLint clean (npm run lint)

Traps

• Node ver: Needs ≥18.17. Check node --version.
• Port conflict: 3000 in use → npm run dev -- -p 3001.
• Import alias confusion: @/* → src/*. Don't confuse w/ node_modules.
• Pages vs App Router: Use App Router (src/app/) not Pages (src/pages/).

→

• setup-tailwind-typescript — detailed Tailwind + TS config
• deploy-to-vercel — deploy scaffold
• configure-git-repository — version control