Next.js App Router Architecture

The Workbench is built using Next.js 15 with the App Router, which provides a modern, file-system-based routing system.

Key Features

Server Components by Default

• Components are server components by default, reducing client-side JavaScript
• Improved performance and SEO
• Better data fetching capabilities

File-Based Routing

• Routes are defined by the folder structure in the app directory
• Dynamic routes using [slug] folders
• Route groups for organization

Layouts and Templates

• Shared layouts using layout.tsx
• Templates for re-rendering on navigation
• Nested layouts for complex UI structures

Implementation in The Workbench

Our application structure follows Next.js best practices:

app/
  pages/
    documentation/
      page.tsx          // List page
      [slug]/
        page.tsx        // Dynamic post page
    pdf-converter/
      page.tsx          // Feature page

Benefits

1. Type Safety: Full TypeScript support with route typing
2. Performance: Automatic code splitting and optimization
3. Developer Experience: Hot reloading and excellent tooling
4. SEO: Server-side rendering out of the box

The App Router enables us to build a fast, scalable application with minimal configuration.