Best Practices for Structuring a Full-Stack Next.js Project?

[Dev-Emmyy]

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Hey everyone! 👋

I'm currently working on a full-stack Next.js project using PostgreSQL and Material UI. I want to structure my project in a way that keeps the codebase scalable and maintainable.

Right now, I'm thinking of organizing my API routes under app/api and keeping the UI components separate. But I'm not sure about the best way to handle state management and database queries efficiently.

What folder structure and best practices do you recommend for a full-stack Next.js project? Also, how do you handle database interactions efficiently?

Looking forward to your insights! 🚀

[izigower]

Recommended Folder Structure & Best Practices for Next.js 🚀

Hey! 👋 Here’s a solid approach for structuring your full-stack Next.js project:

📂 Folder Structure

/app/api        # API routes (Next.js App Router)
/components     # Reusable UI components
/hooks          # Custom React hooks
/lib            # Database queries & utilities
/context        # State management (if using Context API)
/services       # External API calls
/models         # Database models (if using Prisma/Drizzle)
/config         # Env & project configs

💾 Database Handling (PostgreSQL)

• Prisma (Recommended):
  Define models in /prisma/schema.prisma & queries in /lib/db.ts:

  import { PrismaClient } from '@prisma/client';
  const prisma = new PrismaClient();
  export const getUsers = async () => prisma.user.findMany();

• Alternative: Drizzle ORM or pg for raw queries.

🗂️ State Management

• Context API: Simple & built-in.
• Zustand: Lightweight global state.
• React Query: Best for API caching & fetching.

⚡ Best Practices

• Use async/await for API calls.
• Secure routes with middleware.
• Optimize performance with SSR & caching.

Hope this helps! 🚀

[mecodeatlas]

Welcome to the GitHub Community, @Dev-Emmyy, we're happy you're here! You are more likely to get a useful response if you are posting your question in the applicable category and are explicit about what your project entails--giving a few more details might help someone give you a nudge in the right direction. I've gone ahead and moved it for you. Good luck!