Building Modern Applications with Next.js 14 App Router

The Next.js App Router represents a significant shift in how we build React applications. Here's what I've learned from using it in production.

Server Components: A Game Changer

The biggest paradigm shift is Server Components. They've allowed us to:

• Reduce client-side JavaScript
• Improve initial page loads
• Simplify data fetching

Example of a Server Component pattern we use:

async function ProductList() {
  const products = await db.products.findMany();
  
  return (
    <ul>
      {products.map(product => (
        <ProductCard 
          key={product.id}
          product={product}
          // Client components only where needed
          PriceDisplay={ClientPriceDisplay}
        />
      ))}
    </ul>
  );
}