A Complete Guide - Nextjs Deploying to Other Platforms Netlify

Last Updated: 03 Jul, 2025   
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Deploying Next.js Applications to Netlify: Detailed Guide

Prerequisites

  1. Node.js and npm Installed: Ensure that Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager) are installed on your machine. You can download and install them from the .

Step 1: Prepare Your Next.js Application

Before deploying your application, you need to ensure that everything is correctly set up:

  • Build Output: Ensure your application is configured to output the build files to the correct directory. Normally, Next.js outputs to the .next directory, with static files in out if you configure it that way.
  • Environment Variables: Store your environment variables in a .env file at the root of your project, if you have any. You can access them in your application using the process.env object.

Example .env file:

NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=
SECRET_API_KEY=mysecretapikey

Step 2: Configure Netlify

  • New Site from Git: Login to your Netlify account, click on the "New site from Git" button, and follow the prompts to connect your GitHub, Bitbucket, or GitLab repository where your Next.js application is hosted.
  • Build Command and Publish Directory:
    • Build Command: Specify the build command that will compile your application. For Next.js, it will typically be npm run build or yarn build.
    • Publish Directory: Set the publish directory where the static files are located. For Next.js, you can set it to out with the next export command, but more commonly, you'll need to use the default Netlify adapter which handles the .next directory.

For a standard Next.js application:

  • Build Command: npm run build
  • Publish Directory: .next

For Next.js applications using static export (next export):

  • Build Command: npm run build && npm run export
  • Publish Directory: out

Step 3: Handling Environment Variables in Netlify

Netlify allows you to define environment variables directly in the Netlify UI, which is useful for sensitive data or variables that differ between environments (e.g., development vs. production):

  1. Go to your Netlify site dashboard.
  2. Click on "Settings" in the left sidebar.
  3. Navigate to the "Build & deploy" section, then click on "Environment variables".
  4. Add variables by clicking on the "New variable" button, specifying the key and value for each variable.

Step 4: Advanced Configuration (Optional)

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Implement Nextjs Deploying to Other Platforms Netlify

Step 1: Prepare Your Next.js Application

  1. Create a Next.js App: If you haven't already created a Next.js application, you can do so using the following command:

    npx create-next-app@latest my-next-app
cd my-next-app

  2. Run the Application: To ensure your application is working locally, run:

    npm run dev

    Open in your web browser to verify it.

Step 2: Install Dependencies and Build the Application

  1. Install Dependencies: Your package.json should already include the necessary dependencies for a Next.js app. You can install them using:

    npm install

  2. Build the Application: Build the application for production:

    npm run build

    This will create a /.next directory with all the static files.

Step 3: Create a Netlify Account

  1. Sign Up for Netlify: If you don't have a Netlify account, go to git init git remote add origin git add . git commit -m "Initial commit" git push -u origin main

  2. Connect to Netlify:

    • Go to your Netlify dashboard and click on "New site from Git".
    • Choose your Git provider (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket).
    • Authorize Netlify to access your account.
    • Select your repository from the list and click "Install & Import".

Step 5: Configure Netlify Deployment Settings

  1. Build Settings:

    • Build Command: Set this to npm run build.
    • Publish Directory: Set this to out. (Next.js uses the out directory for static exports, but for Next.js deployments, Netlify will handle it automatically).

  2. Environment Variables: If your application relies on environment variables, you can set them in the Netlify dashboard under "Settings" -> "Build & deploy" -> "Environment variables".

  3. Deploy Site: After setting the build settings, Netlify will automatically start the deployment process.

Step 6: Verify Your Deployment

  1. View Deployed Site: Once the deployment is complete, you can find the URL of your deployed application in the Netlify dashboard under "Deploys".

  2. Test the Site: Open the URL in your web browser and test your application to ensure it works as expected.

Example package.json Scripts

Here's what your package.json might look like, including scripts for deployment:

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Top 10 Interview Questions & Answers on Nextjs Deploying to Other Platforms Netlify

Top 10 Questions and Answers: Deploying Next.js Applications to Netlify

1. Can I deploy a Next.js application directly to Netlify?

2. How do I prepare my Next.js app for deployment on Netlify?

Answer: If your Next.js app is purely static, you can use the next export command. Run npm run build && npm run export, which will create a out folder containing all your static files. You should then configure Netlify to serve this folder rather than the default build one.

  • Modify your package.json to include an export script:
"scripts": { "dev": "next dev", "build": "next build", "start": "next start", "export": "next export"
}
  • In the Netlify dashboard, set the publish directory to out by adding it to the deploy settings.

For apps that require server-side capabilities, Netlify has a lesser-known feature called Functions that can be used to host API routes.

Note: When using next export, ensure there are no dynamic elements or features of Next.js like getServerSideProps or getInitialProps in your application as these don't work with static builds.

3. How do I handle routing in a Next.js static deployment on Netlify?

Answer: In a pure static deployment using next export to Netlify, routing should generally work as expected due to the file-based routing system of Next.js. Each page becomes an HTML file in the out folder with corresponding routing paths.

However, if you need custom _app.js, or _document.js for some reason, they won’t be effective during a static export. Also, be cautious about client-side-only routes that aren’t generated during the build process; these would result in 404 errors if accessed directly. One workaround is to add redirects to _redirects at the root level of your project that catch client-side only routes. Example:

/* /index.html 200

4. What are the limitations of deploying a static Next.js app to Netlify?

Answer:

  • Dynamic Features: You cannot use getServerSideProps or getInitialProps because these need server-side computation.
  • API Routes: These are supported using Netlify functions but require additional setup.
  • Custom Server Logic: Any custom server logic in a server.js file is unsupported.
  • Build Size Limitations: Be mindful of the 1GB file size limit and the free tier plan's 300 builds per month.
  • Real-time Databases and Webhooks: Real-time data fetching or webhooks might be cumbersome without SSR capabilities as everything needs to be pre-rendered during the build time.

5. How can I deploy API routes in a Next.js app to Netlify?

Answer: Netlify supports deploying serverless functions that can act as API endpoints. Follow these steps:

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