Why Next.js Interview Questions Matter in Modern Frontend Hiring

Next.js has become the go-to framework for React developers who want better SEO, faster page loads, and a smoother developer experience. As such, Next.js interview questions now play a central role in front-end and full-stack interviews.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the most common Next.js interview questions, sample STAR-based scenarios, and insights from Interview Sidekick to help you prepare with clarity and impact.

What Interviewers Look for in Next.js Interview Questions

• Can you explain key Next.js concepts like SSR, SSG, and API routes?

• Do you understand the routing model, performance benefits, and deployment pipeline?

• Can you solve real-world problems using dynamic pages, incremental regeneration, and middleware?

• Are you confident working with tools like Vercel, Prisma, Tailwind, or GraphQL in Next.js apps?

Essential Next.js Interview Questions and Sample Answers

1. What is Next.js?

"Next.js is a React-based framework for building production-grade web applications with server-side rendering, static site generation, and hybrid models. It’s optimized for performance, SEO, and developer productivity."

2. What’s the difference between SSR, SSG, ISR, and CSR in Next.js?

• SSR: Server-Side Rendering (getServerSideProps) — runs on every request.

• SSG: Static Site Generation (getStaticProps) — pre-builds at build time.

• ISR: Incremental Static Regeneration — updates static pages after deployment.

• CSR: Client-Side Rendering — traditional React rendering.

3. What is getStaticProps and getServerSideProps?

"getStaticProps is used for static generation at build time. getServerSideProps runs on every request and is suitable for frequently updated or personalized data."

4. What are dynamic routes in Next.js?

"Dynamic routing is achieved using brackets in filenames, e.g., [id].js. These allow rendering pages based on parameters like blog slugs, product IDs, etc."

STAR Method: Scenario-Based Next.js Interview Questions

Question: Tell me about a time you improved performance using Next.js.

Sample STAR Answer:

"At a startup (Situation), our marketing pages were React-based and loading slowly (Task). I migrated them to Next.js and used getStaticProps for static generation and lazy loading of components (Action). Page speed scores jumped from 64 to 94 and bounce rates dropped by 20% (Result)."

Question: Describe a time you built a full-stack feature with Next.js.

Sample STAR Answer:

"On a dashboard project (Situation), I was responsible for creating an internal messaging system (Task). I used API routes in Next.js to create REST endpoints, connected a MongoDB backend via Mongoose, and implemented optimistic UI updates on the client side (Action). It launched smoothly with no downtime and increased engagement by 15% (Result)."

Advanced Next.js Interview Questions

1. How do you handle SEO in a Next.js app?

"Use the next/head component for meta tags, structured data, and Open Graph. SSR/SSG ensure crawlers get rendered HTML. Dynamic metadata for each page can also be handled via getStaticProps."

2. How does middleware work in Next.js 13+?

"Middleware allows you to run logic before a request is completed. It’s useful for redirects, authentication, and logging, and runs before rendering starts."

3. How do you implement authentication in a Next.js app?

"Use tools like next-auth, middleware for route protection, JWT for token handling, and session cookies for SSR flows."

4. What’s the difference between pages and the app directory (Next.js 13)?

"The app directory introduces React Server Components and layout-based routing. It’s part of the move toward a more flexible file-based routing system with built-in loading and error UI support."

Integration-Focused Next.js Interview Questions

• Have you deployed a Next.js app on Vercel? What were the benefits?

• How do you handle environment variables in Next.js?

• Describe how you integrated a CMS (e.g., Sanity, Strapi) into a Next.js site.

• Have you used TypeScript with Next.js? How do you handle types for getServerSideProps?

These questions test ecosystem fluency. Use STAR stories to show real-world experience.

Interview Sidekick Tips for Preparing Next.js Interview Questions

1. Build and deploy a sample Next.js app with static + dynamic routes.

2. Prepare 3–4 STAR stories about performance tuning, backend integration, and SSR/SSG use cases.

3. Be ready to whiteboard or diagram page rendering logic during interviews.

4. Use Interview Sidekick’s AI mock prompts to simulate technical interviews.

5. Practice explaining complex Next.js concepts in simple, confident language.

Final Thoughts: Nail Next.js Interview Questions With STAR Clarity

Next.js interviews are your chance to show you're not just a React dev—you’re someone who builds scalable, production-ready apps.