Next.js Docs Map and Starting Points

Pack: nextjs Parent skill: Next.js Overview and App Router Source: nextjs/nextjs-overview-and-app-router/references/docs-map-and-starting-points.md

Use this skill first when

• the user needs to install or bootstrap Next.js
• the user is unsure whether a task belongs to App Router, Route Handlers, caching, or metadata
• the user asks about project shape, src/app, layouts, pages, route groups, or component boundaries

Core docs map

• App Router overview: docs/app
• Installation and project bootstrap: docs/app/getting-started/installation
• Project structure and file conventions: docs/app/getting-started/project-structure
• Layouts and pages: docs/app/getting-started/layouts-and-pages
• Linking and navigation: docs/app/getting-started/linking-and-navigating
• Server and Client Components: docs/app/getting-started/server-and-client-components

Follow-up routing

• Data reads, cache lifetime, and revalidation:
  • nextjs-data-fetching-and-cache
• Mutations, forms, Server Actions, and Route Handlers:
  • nextjs-server-actions-and-route-handlers
• Metadata, sitemap, robots, and OG images:
  • nextjs-metadata-seo-and-file-conventions
• Rendering mode, streaming, runtime, and proxy.ts:
  • nextjs-rendering-runtime-and-middleware

Setup heuristics

• Prefer App Router for new projects unless the task explicitly depends on Pages Router-only APIs.
• Keep app/layout.tsx and app/page.tsx minimal at first.
• Decide client boundaries late. Most app code can stay server-first.
• If the user is blocked on “where does this logic live?”, route by runtime surface before touching code.