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Next (TS)

Meet the Next.js edition of our web-app template! If you’ve used the react-ts starter before, this is the same experience—but powered entirely by Next.js instead of Vite. You still get Robo’s batteries-included DX (file-based structure, Flashcore, TypeScript, rich plugin ecosystem), now paired with Next’s routing, React Server Components, and production tooling.

Ready to embark on this adventure?

Getting Started​

Create a project with this template, replacing <project-name> with your desired name:

Terminal
npx create-robo --template web-apps/next-ts --name <project-name>

Then navigate into your project directory:

Terminal
cd <project-name>

Run development mode:

Terminal
npm run dev

Notes: A free Cloudflare tunnel is included for easy testing.

App Development ️​

You can find your client-side code in the /src/app folder. This is where you can build your web app using React, Vue, or any other front-end framework.

The front end runs on Next.js, so you get fast refresh, file-based routing, and React Server Components out of the box. Next-specific code lives under /app, while everything Robo (APIs, commands, plugins, etc.) stays under /src. Create a new route at /app/example/page.tsx and visit /example while npm run dev is running.

Need the classic client-side-only flow? You can still use Next’s app router to serve fully client-driven pages, plus hybrid routes that share code with your Robo APIs.

Authenticating​

The React template makes it easy to authenticate your activity with Discord. The <DiscordProvider> components in App.tsx accepts authenticate and scope props.

<DiscordContextProvider authenticate scope={['identify', 'guilds']}>
	<Activity />
</DiscordContextProvider>

You can then get the SDK and other goodies from the useDiscordSdk hook!

Backend Development ️​

Your server-side code is located in the /src/api folder. This is where you can build your API, webhooks, and other fancy server-side features.

This backend is powered by @robojs/server —the same engine that ships with other Robo templates. Because we route unmatched requests into Next.js, your React app and APIs share a single server process.

Everything Robo is file-based, so you can create new routes by making new files in the /src/api directory. The file's name becomes the route's path. For example, let's try making a new route at /health by creating a new file named health.js:

export default () => {
	return { status: 'ok' }
}

Folder Structure​

While the api and app folders are reserved for your server and client-side code, you are free to create anything else in the /src directory!

Folders only become reserved when you install a plugin that uses them. For example, bot functionality uses the commands and events folders.

Robo Ecosystem​

By building with Robo.js, you gain access to a growing ecosystem of plugins, templates, and tools. Robo Plugins are special. They can add features with one command.

Terminal
npx robo add @robojs/ai @robojs/sync

Plugins integrate seamlessly thanks to the Robo File Structure. What's more, anyone can create a plugin.

Building & Hosting​

When you’re ready for production you’ll want both halves of the project compiled:

Terminal
npx next build
npx robo build

next build generates the optimized React output while robo build packages your Robo server, commands, and plugins. Run both before deploying to your preferred platform.

Hosting your project keeps it running 24/7. No need to keep your computer on at all times, or worry about your Internet connection.

You can host on any platform that supports Node.js, or run robo deploy to host on RoboPlay - a hosting platform optimized for Robo.js.

Terminal
npm run deploy

Learn More​