Mastering Next.js - 1. React Foundations

What you'll learn

• Understand the core transition from Imperative to Declarative programming.

Course Description

Are you ready to build modern, high-performance web applications but feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of libraries and frameworks? Welcome to the "React Foundations" edition of the Mastering Next.js series.

Next.js is the most popular framework for building React applications today. However, to truly master Next.js, you must first understand the foundations of React itself. This course is designed to bridge the gap between basic JavaScript and professional-grade Next.js development.

We don't just show you how to write code; we show you how the web works. We start at the very beginning—manipulating the DOM with vanilla JavaScript—and incrementally introduce React and Next.js features. By the end of this course, you won't just be "using" a framework; you'll understand why it exists and how it optimizes your developer experience.

What makes this course different? Unlike other courses that jump straight into complex boilerplate, we start with a simple HTML file. We add React via CDN, introduce JSX, and slowly evolve our project into a full-scale Next.js environment. This "foundational" approach ensures you never feel lost when looking at a modern codebase.

Course Content & Modules

1. Introduction to the Ecosystem

• What is Next.js and how does it relate to React?

2. Rendering User Interfaces (UI)

• Understanding the DOM (Document Object Model).

3. React Core Concepts

• Creating your first React Component.

4. Interactivity & State

• Displaying lists and conditional content.

5. From React to Next.js

• Why move to a framework? Scaling and Optimization.

6. Server vs. Client Components

• The Next.js philosophy: Why "Server First"?

Requirements

• Basic knowledge of HTML and CSS.

Who this course is for:

• Beginner Developers who want a solid start in the React/Next.js ecosystem.

Why learn Next.js now?

Next.js is the framework of choice for companies like TikTok, Twitch, and Hulu. It handles the "heavy lifting"—like routing, optimization, and server-side rendering—so you can focus on building beautiful user experiences. Mastering the foundations is your first step toward becoming a top-tier Full-Stack Developer.

Enroll today and start building the future of the web!