Next.js as a backend: honest limits for production apps
Next.js route handlers and server actions work for many backend needs, but have real limits. Here's where they hold and where they break.
Tag
App Router
22 posts
5 min read
Hire a Next.js developer who can actually ship production
Vetting guide for founders and PMs: portfolio signals, App Router interview questions, Core Web Vitals checks, and real rate benchmarks for 2026.
The Next.js + React stack explained: what each layer does and when it's wrong
A practical guide to the Next React stack — React, Next.js, hosting, CMS, and styling — what each layer does, why this combination won, and when to walk away.
Next.js API routes vs route handlers: when to use each
Pages Router API routes vs App Router route handlers compared — caching, streaming, edge runtime, and a clear migration path with real code examples.
How I build a Next.js blog that stays fast at 100+ posts
Static generation, pagination, image handling, and bundle discipline for a Next.js blog that doesn't slow down as content grows. Practical code included.
Contentful Alternatives for Next.js in 2026 (5 Compared)
Switching from Contentful? Compare Sanity, Payload, Strapi, Storyblok, and Hygraph as Contentful alternatives for Next.js in 2026 — pricing, schema model, and fit.
Sanity Embeddings: Semantic Search in a Next.js App Router Site
Step-by-step guide to indexing Sanity content with native Embeddings, running a semantic query, and wiring a debounced search UI in Next.js App Router.
Sanity Agent Actions: Complete Setup Guide for AI-Powered Content Workflows
How to configure Sanity Agent Actions to trigger AI content workflows from the API — generate drafts, translate, and enrich fields at scale. Includes working code examples and real automation patterns.
Sanity AI Assist Setup for Editors in Next.js
Step-by-step setup of Sanity AI Assist (@sanity/assist) in a Next.js + Sanity project: install, config, field instructions, and real editor workflows. Updated for 2026.
Strapi vs Contentful 2026: An Honest Side-by-Side Comparison
Strapi vs Contentful 2026 — self-hosted open-source vs managed SaaS. Pricing, admin UX, API, Next.js fit, and lock-in compared honestly.
Sanity + Mux Signed HLS Video Playback in Next.js
Step-by-step guide to Sanity Mux video playback in Next.js: signed URLs, hls.js adaptive streaming, poster images, and LCP optimisation.
How to Archive Documents in Sanity — Unpublish Without Deleting
Step-by-step: custom Sanity document actions to unpublish, archive, and restore content without deleting, plus Next.js front-end handling for archived docs.
Sanity Scheduled Publishing with Next.js ISR Revalidation
A practical guide to Sanity scheduled publishing in Next.js: enabling the plugin, wiring SANITY_REVALIDATE_SECRET, and triggering ISR so content goes live on time.
Payload CMS vs Contentful 2026: Which Fits Your Next.js Project
Payload CMS vs Contentful compared on schema control, API, pricing curve, and Next.js fit for 2026. Pick the right tool before you commit.
Best Free Headless CMS for Next.js in 2026: 5 Tiers Compared
Comparing the best free headless CMS options for Next.js in 2026 — Sanity, Payload, Strapi, Contentful, and Storyblok free tier limits and trade-offs.
Sanity Live Preview in Next.js App Router (Presentation)
Step-by-step guide to wiring Sanity Presentation plugin for live preview in Next.js App Router, with overlay clicks, GROQ live queries, and draft mode.
React 19 New Hooks in Next.js App Router: What Changed
How useFormStatus, useActionState, and use() from React 19 changed the way I build forms and async UI in Next.js App Router. Concrete before/after code.
Framer Motion in Next.js App Router Without Layout Shift
Step-by-step guide to AnimatePresence page transitions in Next.js App Router, cutting CLS to 0 and lazy-loading Framer Motion to save bundle size.
Next.js Partial Prerendering (PPR) in Production: What Works
An honest look at Next.js partial prerendering PPR in production — what it solves, where it breaks, and which page patterns benefit most.
Next.js App Router Tutorial 2026: Pages Router to Production
A practical Next.js App Router tutorial guide for 2026. Covers layouts, route groups, Server Components, data fetching, static export, and the metadata API.
Sanity CMS + Next.js App Router: A Practical Getting Started Guide
A step-by-step Sanity CMS + Next.js tutorial for developers setting up schemas, GROQ queries, and Sanity Studio with the App Router for the first time.
Next.js TTFB Optimization: Sub-200ms with PPR, Edge & Sanity
Next.js TTFB optimization in practice: Partial Prerendering for the shell, edge runtime for dynamic fragments, and tight GROQ projections — with before/after benchmarks (420ms → 140ms).