🚀 Ultimate Next.js Interview Study Plan (2025)

Preparing for a Next.js interview? Whether you're transitioning from React or brushing up on your Next.js skills, this comprehensive study plan will help you ace your interview! 🔥

📌 Study Plan Overview

This study plan is divided into three sections:

1. Conceptual Learning (Understand the core concepts of Next.js)
2. Hands-on Practice (Apply your knowledge with coding tasks)
3. Mock Interview & Review (Refine your answers & practice interview questions)

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🔥 Section 1: Conceptual Learning (3-4 Hours)

🎯 Goal: Gain a strong understanding of Next.js fundamentals and commonly asked topics.

1️⃣ Next.js Basics (~45 mins)

✅ What is Next.js, and how is it different from React?
✅ Benefits of Next.js (SSR, SSG, ISR, SEO, Performance)
✅ Folder structure (pages/, app/, public/, components/)
✅ App Router (app/) vs Pages Router (pages/)

📖 Resources:

• Official Next.js Docs
• YouTube video: "Next.js Crash Course"

2️⃣ Routing & Navigation (~30 mins)

✅ File-based routing (pages/index.tsx, pages/about.tsx)
✅ Dynamic routing (pages/blog/[id].tsx)
✅ Catch-all routes (pages/blog/[...slug].tsx)
✅ Client-side navigation with next/link and next/router

3️⃣ Data Fetching Strategies (~45 mins)

✅ Server-side rendering (SSR) with getServerSideProps
✅ Static site generation (SSG) with getStaticProps
✅ Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR) with revalidate
✅ Client-side data fetching (useEffect + fetch)

📖 Resources:

• Read: Next.js Data Fetching Docs
• YouTube: "Next.js Data Fetching Explained"

4️⃣ API Routes & Middleware (~45 mins)

✅ Creating API routes (pages/api/hello.ts)
✅ Serverless functions & Next.js API endpoints
✅ Authentication (Middleware, Protecting routes)
✅ middleware.ts file for handling authentication

📖 Resources:

• Read: API Routes Docs
• YouTube: "Next.js API Routes Tutorial"

5️⃣ Performance Optimization (~30 mins)

✅ next/image for automatic image optimization
✅ next/font for font performance
✅ Code splitting and lazy loading

📖 Resources:

• Read: Next.js Performance Docs

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📌 Section 2: Hands-on Practice (2-3 Hours)

🎯 Goal: Gain practical experience by implementing real-world Next.js features.

💻 Coding Challenges

📝 1. Implement a Simple Next.js App (~45 mins)

• Create a Next.js app (npx create-next-app@latest myapp)
• Add pages/index.tsx and pages/about.tsx
• Use next/link for navigation

📝 2. Data Fetching with SSR & SSG (~45 mins)

• Fetch data from an API using getServerSideProps
• Use getStaticProps for pre-rendering a blog page

📝 3. Build an API Route (~30 mins)

• Create pages/api/users.ts to return a list of users
• Fetch the data from the frontend (useEffect)

📝 4. Implement Authentication (~30 mins)

• Add middleware to protect /dashboard route
• Redirect unauthenticated users to /login

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📌 Section 3: Mock Interview & Review (1-2 Hours)

🎯 Goal: Simulate an interview and refine your responses.

1️⃣ Mock Interview Questions (~1 hour)

✅ Explain the difference between SSR, SSG, ISR, and CSR.
✅ How do API routes work in Next.js?
✅ How does getServerSideProps work?
✅ How would you optimize a Next.js application for performance?

2️⃣ Debug & Improve (~30 mins)

• Revisit weak areas & read the official docs again
• Watch a YouTube interview prep video

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🚀 Final Tips for Interview Success

✅ Explain your thought process clearly
✅ Mention Next.js features that improve performance
✅ Use real-world examples when answering questions
✅ Be confident! You got this! 💪

Would you like to practice a mock interview? Drop a comment below! 🚀🔥