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
"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
Publishing one complete feature
Establish a project foundation with fixed type, styling, and runtime contracts.
Split data and interaction responsibilities between server and client components.
Connect API input and failure contracts to the database write path.
Verify the public state through build, environment configuration, and health checks.
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.