Build Your First Fullstack App with Next.js 16
From `pnpm create` to PostgreSQL via Drizzle ORM, deployed to Fly.io. 4 hands-on steps.
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Lessons
- 4
Build Your First Fullstack App with Next.js 16
"What is Next? What is App Router? What's a Server Component anyway?" — this course answers each question with real code.
Who is this for
- React basics done, but App Router is new for you
- Want a fullstack app without standing up a separate backend
- Want to finish one cycle including DB
What you'll have built
- Felt the difference between Server / Client Components
- Built an API Route that takes external calls
- Stored & queried data via Drizzle ORM + PostgreSQL
- Deployed to Fly.io (or Vercel)
Flow
[1] Setup ──▶ [2] Server / Client split ──▶ [3] API + DB ──▶ [4] Deploy
A single project walks through 4 steps: "empty folder → screen → data → live on the internet."
Steps
- Setup —
pnpm create next-app+ Tailwind v4 + TypeScript strict - Server vs Client Components — what
'use client'actually means - API Route + Drizzle ORM —
/api/postsPOST/GET, postgres connection - Deploy — Docker standalone build, Fly.io free tier deploy
Each step layers code on top of the previous, so by step 4 the same project reaches deployment.