How to Install and Set Up a New Next.js Project on Ubuntu

If you’re building a fast, modern web app, Next.js is one of the best frameworks around. It’s built on top of React and gives you features like server-side rendering, static site generation, API routes, and more—out of the box.

In this post, I’ll walk you through how to install and set up a brand new Next.js project on Ubuntu.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have the following:

• A system running Ubuntu (20.04 or later recommended)
• Node.js and npm installed
• Git installed

Let’s break it down step by step.

Step 1: Update Your System

Open your terminal and run:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

This ensures you’re working with the latest package versions.

Step 2: Install Node.js and npm

Next.js requires Node.js. You can install the latest LTS version using NodeSource:

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_lts.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

To confirm installation:

node -v
npm -v

Step 3: Install Git

If you haven’t already installed Git:

sudo apt install git -y

Verify:

git --version

Step 4: Create a New Next.js Project

Use npx to create a new project with everything set up:

npx create-next-app@latest my-next-app

You’ll be prompted to choose:

• TypeScript or JavaScript
• ESLint configuration
• Tailwind CSS
• src/ directory structure

Pick what suits your needs, or go with the defaults to keep it simple.

Change into your project directory:

cd my-next-app

Step 5: Run the Development Server

Start the dev server with:

npm run dev

Then go to http://localhost:3000 in your browser. You should see the default Next.js welcome page.

Step 6: Open the Project in a Code Editor

If you use VS Code:

code .

Now you can start editing pages/index.js or app/page.tsx (depending on your setup) to build your site.

Bonus: Version Control with Git

Initialize Git if you haven’t:

git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"

You can now push your project to GitHub or any other remote.

Wrapping Up

That’s it! You’ve set up a new Next.js project on Ubuntu and you’re ready to build. Whether you’re creating a blog, dashboard, portfolio, or full-scale app, Next.js gives you the tools to move fast and scale later.

If you run into issues, check out the Next.js documentation or drop a question in the comments.