Mastering Next.js Folder Structure: Best Practices for Organizing Your Project

In this guide, we’ll explore how to create a clean, scalable folder structure in Next.js projects, helping you keep your code organized as your application grows. This video dives into various folder structures and practices for managing pages, APIs, components, data models, and utility functions.

Key Concepts of Next.js Routing and Folder Structure

Next.js applications are organized around the concept of routes and pages, with specific conventions for which files generate public routes in the app. There are two primary types of route files in Next.js:

1. Page Files: page.tsx files generate HTML and are typically used for client-facing pages.
2. Route Files: route.ts files return data (e.g., JSON, XML) and are mainly used for API endpoints.

Any folder within the app directory that contains one of these files automatically becomes a route. However, there are ways to exclude folders from routing if needed.

Creating a Public or Private Route

If you create a page.tsx or route.ts file within a folder, that folder becomes a publicly accessible route. Here’s an example of a public route setup:

// app/blog/page.tsx
export default function BlogPage() {
  return <div>Welcome to the Blog!</div>;
}

Making Private Folders in Next.js

To create a folder that is not accessible as a route, use one of these methods:

• Private Folders: Prefix the folder name with an underscore (_). For example, _privateFolder is ignored by the routing system.
• Route Groups: Wrap the folder name in parentheses. For example, (routeGroup) makes the folder invisible in routes but still available for imports.

Example of a Private Folder Setup

// app/\_privateFolder/exampleComponent.tsx
export default function ExampleComponent() {
  return <div>This is a private component.</div>;
}

Organizing Project Structure

There are several common ways to structure a Next.js project, each catering to different needs:

1. Top-Level Structure

Place all components, utilities, and other modules at the top level in folders like components, lib, or data.

/src
├── components
├── lib
├── data
└── app

2. Feature-Based Structure

Organize folders by feature, grouping all related components, utilities, and pages together. For example, a dashboard folder could contain its own components, utils, and page.tsx.

/app
├── dashboard
│ ├── page.tsx
│ ├── components
│ │ └── DashboardWidget.tsx
│ └── utils
│ └── dashboardUtils.ts
└── settings
├── page.tsx
└── components
└── SettingsForm.tsx

3. Monorepo Structure

In a monorepo, separate shared resources into packages. Components and utilities are placed in dedicated packages and imported across different applications.

/packages
├── ui
│ └── Button.tsx
├── utils
│ └── fetchData.ts
/apps
└── app
└── app-specific files

Naming Conventions

While naming conventions vary, some common practices include:

• Components: PascalCase (e.g., MyComponent)
• Utilities: camelCase (e.g., fetchData)
• Route Files: page.tsx or route.ts

Summary

Choosing an effective folder structure in Next.js can simplify development, improve collaboration, and scale better with project growth. By understanding public/private folders, route groups, and organizing around top-level vs. feature-based strategies, you can adapt Next.js projects to best fit your team's workflows.

Stay tuned for more advanced tips in the Next.js ecosystem!