nextjs-v16-template — Next.js Starter Template

SHA-256: 6f901e871e17f64c13afcc30ccdd4a33756c89934b1cab495263e564f86ee4d6

2026-10-12T13:17:44.758Z

## nextjs-v16-template

Barebones NextJS v16 React app template using the **App Router** with custom ESLint rules and Docker configurations.

> Next application code lives inside the `/src` directory.

> [!TIP]
> You may use this project as a **GitHub Template** for quick setup.<br>
> Click **Use this template** (upper right), then select **Create a new repository**

## 📋 Requirements

1. NodeJS (recommended: >= 24.11.0)
   ```
   node: 24.11.0
   npm: 11.6.1
   ```

2. Docker (optional)

## 📦 Core Libraries / Frameworks

<details>
<summary>This app uses the following libraries and frameworks</summary>

| Library | Version | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Next | 16.3.0 | A React framework |
| React | 19.2.8 | Library for creating reusable/composable and interactive components |
| Tailwind CSS | 4.3.3 | Generic, composable utility classes for CSS styling |
| ESLint | 9+ | Enforces coding formats, rules and preferences |

</details>

## 🛠️ Installation

#### 1. Clone this repository or your fork/template.

```sh
git clone https://github.com/weaponsforge/next-v16-template.git
```

#### 2. Install dependencies.

```sh
cd nextapp
npm install
```

#### 3. Create a `.env.local` file from the `.env.example` file inside the `/nextapp` directory.

> ⚠️ Ensure only one of `IS_BUILD_STATIC` or `IS_BUILD_DOCKER` has a value of `1` to avoid build conflicts.

| Variable | Description |
| --- | --- |
| IS_BUILD_DOCKER | If value is `1`, builds the NextJS app for Docker in production using the standalone mode build into the `/nextapp/.next/standalone` and `/nextapp/.next/static` directories. |
| IS_BUILD_STATIC | If value is `1`, builds and exports the NextJS app into a static build in the `/nextapp/out` directory when running `"npm run build"`.<br><br>⚠️ Next.js apps that use heavy React Server Components (RSC) and Next.js server features will fail to build as a static output. Te enable true static export, [adjust necessary settings](https://nextjs.org/docs/app/guides/static-exports) in the `next.config.ts` file and the overall app before export. |
| IS_WEBPACK | Set to `1` to run the app in development mode using **Webpack**. <br><br>⭐ **IMPORTANT**: When running the app via **Docker** on Windows OS (`docker compose up`), this must be set to `1` to enable hot reload.|
| WATCHPACK_POLLING | Set to `true` to enable Webpack-based hot reloading when running the app in Docker on Windows. Required because Turbopack hot reload is currently unreliable in this setup (Docker + Windows). |

## 📖 Usage

Using Node

#### 1. Run the React app for local development.

```sh
cd nextapp
npm run dev
```

#### 2. Launch the local app website in a web browser at:

```
http://localhost:3000
```

#### 3. Edit the source code and wait for changes to display in the web browser.

View the [STRUCTURE.md](/docs/STRUCTURE.md) for guidance on how to structure project folders and files within this project.

#### 4. To build the React app

- For [static export](https://nextjs.org/docs/app/getting-started/deploying#static-export) (only frontend HTML/CSS/JS), set the environment variables `IS_BUILD_STATIC=1` and `IS_BUILD_DOCKER=0`.
- For [Docker standalone mode](https://nextjs.org/docs/app/getting-started/deploying#docker), set the environment variables `IS_BUILD_STATIC=0` and `IS_BUILD_DOCKER=1`.

- Run

   ```sh
   npm run build
   ```

   - This command exports the build artifacts to the `/nextapp/out` directory for **STATIC EXPORT** (`IS_BUILD_STATIC=1`).

   - This command exports the build artifacts to the `/nextapp/.next/standalone ` and `/nextapp/.next/.static` directories for **DOCKER STANDALONE MODE** (`IS_BUILD_DOCKER=1`).

## ⚡Alternate Usage

> [!TIP]
> Set `IS_WEBPACK=1` and `WATCHPACK_POLLING=true` to enable hot reloading in development mode when running in Docker on Windows, as Turbopack is currently unreliable in this setup.

<details>
<summary>Using Docker</summary>
<br>

Usage with Docker is an alternate option to using Node directly from the [Usage](#-usage) section.

> **IMPORTANT**
> Ensure that port `3000` is free before proceeding.

### Build the Development Docker Image

#### 1. Set up the environment variables for the `/nextapp` directory.

- Refer to the [Installation](#️-installation) section **# 3** for more information.

#### 2. Build the image for local development.

```sh
docker compose build --no-cache
```

> 💡 **INFO:** Do this step only once during initial installation. Re-run this step if there will be changes to the Dockerfile or after installing new Node libraries.

#### 3. Run the container for local development.

```sh
docker compose up
```

#### 4. Launch the local app website in a web browser at:

```
http://localhost:3000
```

#### 5. Edit the source code and wait for changes to display in the web browser.

### Other Docker Builds

1. **`docker-compose.prod.yml`** - packages the NextJS app into a standalone mode for Docker NextJS (app router) deployment.

   > Outputs build files in the `/nextapp/.next/standalone` and `/nextapp/.next/.static` directories.

2. **`docker-compose.static.yml`** - packages the frontend-only NextJS app into a static export.

   > Outputs build files in the `/nextapp/out` directory.

</details>
<br>

## 📜 Available Scripts

These scripts, compatible with running in Node and Docker, run various TypeScript scripts and tests.

<details>
<summary>👉 Click to expand the list of available scripts</summary>

### `npm start`

Runs the NextJS app in production mode. Requires running `"npm run build"` first.

### `npm run dev`

- Runs the NextJS app in development mode with hot-reload using Turbopack and NodeJS.
- Set `IS_WEBPACK=1` then run `"docker compose up"` to run the NextJS app in development mode with hot-reload using Docker from a Windows host.

### `npm run build`

Builds the NextJS app for production mode.

> ⚠️ **WARNING**: Ensure only one of `IS_BUILD_STATIC` or `IS_BUILD_DOCKER` has a value of `1` to avoid build conflicts.

- **Static export**<br>
   When `IS_BUILD_STATIC=1`: exports the frontend-only build artifacts to the `/nextapp/out` directory.<br>

   >⚠️ **NOTE**: Next.js apps that use Next.js server features will fail to build as a **static output**. Te enable true static export, [adjust necessary settings](https://nextjs.org/docs/app/guides/static-exports) in the `next.config.ts` file and the overall app before export.

- **Docker standalone mode**<br>
   When `IS_BUILD_DOCKER=1`: exports the NextJS app (uses app router) build artifacts to the `/nextapp/.next/standalone ` and `/nextapp/.next/.static` directories for Docker deployment.

   > ℹ️ **INFO**: See the `"npm run docker:build"` script to build the NextJS app for production mode using Docker (NextJS standalone mode build).

### `npm run lint`

Lints TypeScript source codes and files, checking for linting errors.

### `npm run lint:fix`

Fixes lint errors.

### `npm run types:check`

- Checks for TS type errors by generating run-time next-specific types via `"next typegen"` first.

</details>
<br>

## 📦 Docker Scripts

These scripts are called within the `Dockerfile` for building images.

<details>
<summary>👉 Click to expand the list of available scripts</summary>

### `npm run docker:webpack`

- Runs the NextJS app in development mode inside Docker using Webpack and NodeJS.
- Requires `IS_WEBPACK=1` in `.env.local`.
- Uses the `docker-compose.yml` Docker compose file.

> 💡 **NOTE**: To enable hot reloading, set `WATCHPACK_POLLING=true` in `.env.local`. This is required because Turbopack hot reload is not yet reliable for Next.js apps running in Docker on Windows.

### `npm run docker:build`

- Sets `IS_BUILD_DOCKER=1` and builds a Docker image containing a standalone NextJS build.
- Uses the `docker-compose.prod.yml` Docker compose file.

### `npm run docker:static`

- Sets `IS_BUILD_STATIC=1` and builds a Docker image containing a NextJS static export.
- Uses the `docker-compose.static.yml` Docker compose file.

> 💡 **INFO**: When running `docker compose up`
>
> You can also run `docker exec -it weaponsforge-next-v16-template-dev npm run docker:static` to build a static output.

## References

- Next (Turbopack) currently doesn't work in Docker <sup>[[1]](https://github.com/ymeskini/ai-app/issues/1)</sup>

</details>
<br>

@weaponsforge<br>
20260216<br>
20260403