Your Guide to NextJS Create App for Native Apps

Thinking about building a mobile app with web tech? Your journey begins with a familiar command: create-next-app. This simple starting point scaffolds a powerful, fast, and SEO-friendly Next.js project. When you pair it with NextNative, that same project becomes the foundation for a true cross-platform application that runs beautifully on the web, iOS, and Android.

Why Start Your Native App with Next.js?#

Kicking off a mobile project with npx create-next-app might feel a little unconventional at first, but it's a huge strategic advantage. You're building on top of a framework developers absolutely love for its raw performance and rich feature set. In early 2024, Next.js had a 52.9% usage rate among developers, with sky-high satisfaction scores driven by its incredible server-side rendering (SSR) and static site generation (SSG) capabilities. You can find more JavaScript framework insights over on tsh.io.

This approach brings some massive wins to the table:

• One Codebase to Rule Them All: You get to manage your web, iOS, and Android app logic from a single, unified codebase. This doesn't just cut down on development time; it makes long-term maintenance a whole lot simpler.
• Web-First Performance: All the things that make Next.js amazing for the web—like its automatic Image Optimization and Fast Refresh—translate directly into a superior user experience within your mobile app's web views.
• True Native Power: With NextNative in the mix, you're not just building a simple web wrapper. You gain access to native device features, ensuring your app feels snappy, responsive, and fully integrated on both iOS and Android.

The real beauty of this setup is that you get to skip the steep learning curve of traditional mobile development. You're just using the JavaScript and React skills you already have to build for every platform at once.

Our guide on how to build cross-platform mobile apps dives deeper into this modern workflow.

Getting Your Machine Ready for Development#

Before you can even think about running nextjs create app, you need to get your workshop in order. A clean, correctly configured development environment is the secret sauce to avoiding those head-scratching errors that pop up later. The first and most important tool in your kit is Node.js, which comes bundled with npm (Node Package Manager).

Make sure you're running Node.js version 18.17.0 or later. I highly recommend using a version manager like nvm (Node Version Manager). Trust me, it’s a lifesaver when you're juggling multiple projects that demand different Node versions. Once you have it installed, pop open your terminal and run node -v and npm -v just to make sure everything is good to go.

Setting Up for Mobile#

Our goal here is a true cross-platform app, so we need the right tools for both iOS and Android. This is the part where a lot of developers get tripped up, but it's more straightforward than it looks.

• For iOS development: You'll need a Mac, and you'll have to install Xcode directly from the App Store. After it's installed, make sure you also install the Xcode Command Line Tools.
• For Android development: You're going to need to install Android Studio. During the setup wizard, pay close attention and ensure you install the Android SDK and at least one virtual device (AVD) to use as an emulator.

Getting these native toolchains set up is really a one-time investment. Once they're configured, you’ll rarely have to touch them directly. NextNative does all the heavy lifting during the build process, which is exactly what you want.

Properly setting up your machine is what allows your Next.js project to talk to native mobile APIs. You can learn more about how NextNative bridges this gap and helps you access powerful Next.js API features to drive your app's backend logic on every platform.

Running Next.js Create App the Right Way#

This is where your cross-platform app starts to take shape. Kicking off the create-next-app command is the first real step, but the options you choose here are what set you up for success on both web and mobile.

Let's get this going. Fire up your terminal, navigate to your projects folder, and run the command that scaffolds your new application:

npx create-next-app@latest

This command starts an interactive setup process. It's going to ask you a series of questions to define your project's foundation, from naming your app to picking key tools like TypeScript and Tailwind CSS.

Navigating the Setup Prompts#

Making the right choices here will save you a ton of headaches down the road, especially when it's time to integrate NextNative. Think of it as laying the right foundation before you start building the house.

Here’s a quick look at what the process feels like.

While the setup itself is simple, the real strategy is in the options you pick.

Next.js Initialization Options Explained#

To make this crystal clear, here’s a quick breakdown of what each prompt in the create-next-app process does and our recommended setting for a project you plan to take mobile with NextNative.

Option	What It Does	Recommended Setting
TypeScript	Adds strict type-checking to your JavaScript.	Yes. Essential for catching errors early and maintaining a clean, scalable codebase across platforms.
ESLint	A tool to enforce consistent coding styles and find problems.	Yes. Critical for keeping a unified codebase healthy, especially with multiple developers.
Tailwind CSS	A utility-first CSS framework for rapid UI development.	Yes. Excellent for building responsive UIs that adapt beautifully from a large web screen down to a small mobile one.
src/ directory	Places your application code inside a dedicated src/ folder.	Yes. This is a best practice for keeping your project organized and separating app code from configuration files.
App Router	Enables the modern file-based routing system in Next.js.	Yes. This is the new standard and is fully supported by NextNative. Don't use the old pages router.
Customize import alias	Lets you change the default @/* path alias.	No. The default works perfectly fine and there's no real benefit to changing it for this setup.

Sticking to these recommendations gives you a modern, robust stack that’s primed for what comes next.

Once the installation wraps up, you'll have a clean Next.js project ready to go. The structure is perfect for the next phase, where we'll bring in the mobile capabilities.

If you're looking for an even faster start, you can also see how to ship a NextNative app in 5 minutes by using one of the pre-configured starter templates.

Integrating NextNative Into Your Project#

Alright, your Next.js project is scaffolded and ready to go. Now for the fun part: bridging the gap between web and mobile. This is where we take the solid foundation you built with create-next-app and turn it into a true cross-platform powerhouse.

The key to this whole process is the NextNative command-line interface (CLI). It’s a purpose-built tool designed to do all the heavy lifting for you.

First thing's first, you’ll need to install the NextNative CLI globally on your machine. It’s a quick, one-time setup that gives you access to all the commands you'll need to initialize and manage the native side of your project.

Initializing Native Capabilities#

With the CLI installed, pop open your terminal and navigate right into your project's root directory. This is the same folder that holds your package.json and next.config.js files.

From there, you're going to run one simple command:

npx nextnative init

This command kicks off a critical process. It intelligently inspects your existing Next.js setup and then generates the native ios and android directories. If you’ve ever worked with React Native, these folders will look instantly familiar. They contain all the project files that Xcode and Android Studio need to build your app.

This is the magic moment where your web project officially becomes a mobile project. It sets up all the necessary configuration files and dependencies that allow your React components to render inside a native mobile shell.

This entire process leans on the power of Next.js, which already gives you a robust setup for server-side rendered applications with its Node.js backend. That versatility makes it an incredible base to build a mobile experience on top of.

Once the initialization finishes, you'll find a few new scripts have been added to your package.json for running the mobile apps. Now you're all set to start digging into the cool stuff, like accessing the device’s camera or GPS. To get started, check out our guide on using native device features.

Bringing Your First Cross-Platform App to Life#

Alright, this is where the magic happens. Your create-next-app foundation is about to become a real, tangible app that runs everywhere—web, iOS, and Android. It’s the moment of truth.

Getting the web version up is business as usual. Just run your standard dev script: npm run dev. This spins up the familiar Next.js server, and you can start testing in the browser instantly.

But to bring it to life on mobile? That’s where the NextNative CLI steps in.

Running on Mobile Simulators#

You'll use a couple of simple commands to get the app running on simulators right from your terminal. No complicated Xcode or Android Studio setup is needed just to see it work.

• For iOS: npx nextnative ios
• For Android: npx nextnative android

These commands handle all the heavy lifting—compiling the native code, bundling your JavaScript, and launching the app in the correct emulator.

Now for the fun part. Go ahead and create a simple shared component, maybe a styled button. You'll see it render perfectly across all three platforms. This is the power of a unified codebase in action. To see how this scales up, check out our full guide on building a complete Next.js mobile app: https://nextnative.dev/blog/next-js-mobile-app

Here’s a pro tip for when you start building more complex features: you'll eventually hit a point where you're waiting on a backend API that isn't ready. To keep your momentum, look into techniques like service virtualization. It lets you mock APIs so you can build out the front end without being blocked. For big projects with multiple teams, it's an absolute lifesaver.

Common Questions About NextJS and NextNative#

Whenever I talk to developers about building cross-platform apps with Next.js, a few questions always pop up. It's totally normal to have these on your mind as you dive in.

First, people ask if they'll have to manage separate codebases for web, iOS, and Android. The answer is a hard no. That's the whole point—you get a single, unified project that handles everything.

Styling is another big one. "Can I still use Tailwind CSS?" is something I hear a lot. Yes, you absolutely can, and I highly recommend it. Your utility-first classes just work, translating seamlessly from your web UI to the mobile app for a consistent look without the extra work.

The most important thing to remember is that you don't need to be a native developer. If you know Next.js and React, you already have all the skills you need. Running nextjs create app is literally your starting line for building on every platform at once.

Finally, there's always the performance question. Because NextNative uses real native components under the hood, your app will feel snappy and responsive. You get to skip the sluggishness that sometimes plagues apps built with web-only technologies.

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Ready to build once and deploy everywhere? NextNative gives you production-ready templates and the tools to launch your cross-platform app in record time. You can skip the setup and get straight to building at https://nextnative.dev.