Next.js App Router Best Practices (2025 Edition)

A concise collection of patterns I use in production projects.

RSC Boundaries

• Keep components server by default
• Make client components small and event-driven

Caching

• Use revalidate and cache: 'force-cache' intentionally
• For dashboards, opt into no-store only where needed

Server Actions

• Validate input with Zod
• Return typed payloads, not strings
• Centralize error shapes

Images

• Prefer fill + sizes; preconnect critical domains

SEO

• Use metadata in App Router; render OpenGraph images per post

Cut friction, ship faster.