Customizing the Next.js Build Process: A Beginner's Guide

Next.js is like a magical kitchen that helps you cook up awesome websites. But sometimes, you might want to add your own secret ingredients or change how the kitchen works. Today, we're going to learn how to do just that! We'll explore three ways to customize your Next.js kitchen:

Creating your own recipe book (custom webpack configurations)
Using special cooking techniques (advanced Babel configurations)
Building your own kitchen from scratch (custom Next.js server)

1. Creating Your Own Recipe Book (Custom Webpack Configurations) Imagine you have a recipe book (webpack) that tells you how to bake a cake (build your website). Sometimes, you might want to add your own twist to the recipe. In Next.js, you can do this by creating a special file called next.config.js.

Example:
Let's say you want to add sprinkles to your cake, but the recipe doesn't include them. You can write a note in your recipe book to always add sprinkles. In Next.js, it might look like this:

// next.config.js
module.exports = {
  webpack: (config, { buildId, dev, isServer, defaultLoaders, webpack }) => {
    // Add your special ingredient (plugin) here
    config.plugins.push(new SprinklesPlugin())
    return config
  },
}

1. Using Special Cooking Techniques (Advanced Babel Configurations)

Sometimes, you might want to use special cooking techniques to make your cake even better. In the world of Next.js, we use something called Babel to do this. Babel is like a magical oven that can transform your ingredients in special ways.

Imagine you have a super oven (Babel) that can turn your regular cake into a rainbow cake. You can tell your oven to do this by writing special instructions. In Next.js, you can do this in a file called .babelrc:

{
  "presets": ["next/babel"],
  "plugins": [
    ["styled-components", { "ssr": true }],
    ["transform-rainbow-cake", { "layers": 7 }]
  ]
}

Now, when you bake your cake, the oven will automatically turn it into a beautiful rainbow cake with 7 layers!

1. Building Your Own Kitchen from Scratch (Custom Next.js Server) Sometimes, you might want to have complete control over your kitchen. In Next.js, this means creating your own server instead of using the one that comes built-in.

Example:
Imagine you want to build your own super kitchen that can make cakes and also serve ice cream. You can do this by creating your own special room (server file) where you set up everything just the way you want it.
Here's how you might build your own kitchen using Express:

const express = require('express')
const next = require('next')

const dev = process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production'
const app = next({ dev })
const handle = app.getRequestHandler()

app.prepare().then(() => {
  const server = express()

  // Your special ice cream machine
  server.get('/ice-cream', (req, res) => {
    res.json({ flavor: 'vanilla', toppings: ['sprinkles', 'chocolate sauce'] })
  })

  // Let Next.js handle everything else
  server.all('*', (req, res) => {
    return handle(req, res)
  })

  server.listen(3000, (err) => {
    if (err) throw err
    console.log('> Ready on http://localhost:3000')
  })
})

Now you have a super kitchen that can make Next.js cakes and serve ice cream too!
Remember, customizing your Next.js kitchen can be really fun, but it's also okay to use it just as it comes. The built-in features are already pretty amazing! Only add your own twists when you really need them.
Happy cooking with Next.js!