So, you’ve landed an interview where Next.js is part of the stack. Maybe you’ve built a few projects with it. Maybe you’ve poked around the docs, copied some code, watched a few tutorials. Now you’re wondering… am I actually ready to talk about this stuff in an interview?
Been there.
The truth is, prepping for a Next.js interview doesn’t have to be stressful but it does require focus. Instead of trying to memorize everything in the docs, you need to understand the “why” behind how things work.
Let’s break this down so you walk in confident, not guessing.
Start With the Basics But Make Sure You Can Explain Them
You’ll probably get asked about the fundamentals. Not just how to use them, but how they compare to plain React.
Things worth brushing up on:
- File-based routing: Why does pages/about.js automatically become /about?
- Dynamic routes: How do [id].js and getStaticPaths work together?
- Pre-rendering: Can you explain the difference between static generation and server-side rendering and when you’d pick one over the other?
Here’s the trick: interviewers don’t just want definitions. They want to hear how you’ve used these features in real projects. So don’t just read about them talk through them out loud. Imagine explaining to a teammate who’s brand new to the framework.
Know the Data Fetching Options Cold
This comes up a lot.
Next.js gives you a few ways to fetch data: getStaticProps, getServerSideProps, getInitialProps, and the new app directory approach with fetch() in Server Components.
You don’t need to be a walking encyclopedia. But you do want to know:
- When each one runs
- How it affects performance and SEO
- What problems it solves
Try giving yourself mini-scenarios:
“If I were building a blog homepage, which method would I use to get post data?”
“If I need user-specific content, which option makes the most sense?”
Answering these types of questions out loud helps lock things in.
Get Hands-On With the App Router (If It’s in the Stack)
If the team’s using the new app/ directory setup, spend some time working with:
- Layouts
- Loading states
- Server vs. client components
- Routing inside app/
Even just building a small mock app will help you talk through this with real context which beats memorizing blog posts.
Be Ready to Talk Performance
Next.js comes with built-in tools for performance: image optimization, lazy loading, caching, and more.
But performance questions might not be technical. You could be asked:
“How would you improve performance on a slow Next.js site?”
Talk about what you’d check:
- Are images optimized?
- Are we sending too much JavaScript?
- Can we break up larger pages into smaller routes?
You don’t need to be a performance expert. Just show that you think about how users experience what you build.
Don’t Skip Deployment and Hosting
You might get asked how you deploy your projects. Even a quick walkthrough of how you’ve used Vercel, Netlify, or another platform can show that you understand what happens beyond the code.
Bonus points if you’ve played with things like environment variables or build settings.
Common Questions You Can Practice With
Here are a few to keep in your back pocket:
- “Walk me through how routing works in Next.js.”
- “What’s the difference between getStaticProps and getServerSideProps?”
- “How would you set up a dynamic blog post page?”
- “Have you used the new app router? What do you think of it?”
- “Tell me about a bug you ran into using Next.js and how you fixed it.”
If you can answer these comfortably, you’re in great shape.
Final Prep Tips That Actually Work
- Code something small from scratch a blog, a dashboard, a store. Nothing fancy, just real.
- Write out what each key feature does, in your own words. Keep it short and simple.
- Explain your last project using Next.js, focusing on decisions you made not just the code.
And if you don’t know something during the interview? Be honest. Show how you’d go about finding the answer. That mindset speaks louder than having everything memorized.
You don’t need to master the entire framework. You just need to show that you understand how to use it thoughtfully. And if you’ve built with it before even better. Let your projects do the talking.
