nextjs-developer

Fetch data directly in Server Components using the native fetch API extended by Next.js. Use cache: 'force-cache' for static content, cache: 'no-store' for fresh data, or next: { revalidate: 60 } for ISR with periodic revalidation.

Define an async function with the 'use server' directive and pass it to a form's action attribute. Validate input with Zod, perform the mutation, then call revalidatePath or revalidateTag to refresh cached data.

Add 'use client' only when a component needs interactivity such as event handlers, useState, useEffect, or browser APIs. Keep components as Server Components by default and push Client Components to the leaves of the component tree.

Yes, use the generateMetadata function or the static metadata export to define titles, descriptions, and OpenGraph tags. Never hardcode title or meta tags directly in JSX, as the Metadata API handles deduplication and streaming.

Yes, set output: 'standalone' in next.config.js to produce a self-contained build. You can then run it with Node.js directly or package it into a multi-stage Docker image for self-hosting on any platform.

Revalidation fails when the fetch lacks explicit cache or next.revalidate options, since Next.js caching behavior depends on route segment config. Set next: { revalidate: seconds } on the fetch or export const revalidate from the route segment.