Next.js on Azure Functions combines the strengths of Next.js with the serverless capabilities of Azure Functions. This integration enables developers to deploy and run Next.js applications on Azure Functions, providing a scalable and cost-effective solution. It leverages the benefits of serverless computing, such as automatic scaling, and streamlined deployment, for a seamless development experience. This blog attempts to explore the full potential of web development projects with Next.js on Azure Functions. Let’s dive in.

What is Next.js Framework?

Next.js is a framework for building web applications using React components. It provides additional structure, features, and optimizations for your application, such as routing, rendering, data fetching, styling, and more. It also abstracts and automatically configures tooling for you, such as bundling and compiling.

Some of the key features of Next.js are:

• Built-in Optimizations
• Data Fetching
• Node.js and Edge Runtimes
• Powerful Routing and Layouts
• CSS Support
• API Routes
• Middleware
• React Server Components
• Client and Server Rendering
  
  

What is Serverless Computing?

Now, before talking about Azure Functions let’s understand serverless computing. Serverless computing is a method of providing backend services on an as-used basis. Serverless is a model to develop and run cloud computing applications where developers can create and execute application code without the need to manually set up or handle servers or backend infrastructure.

This is easier to build fast and scalable web applications. Next.js also supports static site generation, which allows developers to generate HTML pages at build time. This is useful for creating SEO-friendly websites that load quickly.

What is Azure Functions?

Azure Functions is a serverless offering that enables you to reduce the amount of code you write and minimize infrastructure maintenance, and costs. Rather than being concerned with server deployment and upkeep, the cloud infrastructure supplies all the necessary resources to ensure the continuous operation of your applications.

This allows you to concentrate on the crucial code that is relevant to your project, using the most efficient programming language for your needs, while Azure Functions takes care of other tasks.

How to use Next.js on Azure Functions?

Now, let's see how you can use Next.js on Azure Functions to create serverless web applications. The first step is to create a new Azure Functions project. This can be done using the Azure Functions extension in Visual Studio Code or the Azure Portal.

Once the project is created, we can add the Next.js dependencies to the project using the following command:

npm install next react react-dom

Next, we can create a new Next.js application in the project using the following command:

npx create-next-app

This will create a new Next.js application in a subdirectory of the Azure Functions project. We can then modify the Next.js configuration to use Azure Functions as the serverless backend. To do this, we need to modify the ‘next.config.js’ file and add the following code:

module.exports = {

target: "serverless",

webpack: (config, { isServer }) => {

if (!isServer) {

  config.resolve.fallback.fs = false;

}

  return config;

  },

};

 

This configuration tells Next.js to use the serverless target, which generates serverless functions that can be deployed to Azure Functions. You can also modify the webpack configuration to remove the ‘fs’ module, which is not supported in Azure Functions.

Next, you can create a new Azure Function using code and the code will create a new HTTP server that runs the Next.js application. When a request is received, it is handled by the Next.js application using the ‘getRequestHandler’ method. The server listens on port 3000 and logs a message when it is ready.

To deploy, the application to Azure Functions, we can use the Azure CLI or the Azure Portal. The deployment process may vary depending on the specific Azure Functions setup and deployment method. Once the application is deployed, it can be accessed using the Azure Functions URL. The Next.js application will be served by the Azure Functions runtime, providing a serverless environment for the web application.

 

Conclusion

Combining Next.js with Azure Functions allows developers to create serverless web applications with the benefits of server-side rendering, automatic code splitting, and scalability. By leveraging the power of Azure Functions, developers can focus on building the application logic without worrying about server management.

This combination provides a powerful platform for building fast, scalable, and SEO-friendly web applications. To understand more about Sitecore features and benefits, reach out to us and get all the help you need from our experts.