1. Introduction

1.1 Goal of the Tutorial

This tutorial aims to help you understand how you can style your Next.js application using its built-in CSS support.

1.2 Learning Outcomes

By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to:
- Import CSS files into your components
- Apply styles directly to your components

1.3 Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• Basic knowledge of JavaScript and Next.js
• Node.js and npm installed on your machine
• A code editor, like Visual Studio Code

2. Step-by-Step Guide

2.1 CSS in Next.js

Next.js allows you to import CSS files from a JavaScript file. This is possible because Next.js extends the concept of import beyond JavaScript.

2.2 Creating a CSS file

Create a new .css file in your project. In this file, you can define your CSS rules. For example, you can create a file called styles.css in the styles directory.

2.3 Importing a CSS file

You can import the CSS file into your JavaScript or TypeScript file using the import statement. The CSS file can be imported into any file in your Next.js project.

2.4 Applying Styles

After importing the CSS file, the styles defined in the file are applied globally. That means the styles are applied to every page and component in your Next.js application.

2.5 Best Practices and Tips

• Keep your CSS modular by splitting it into multiple files. This makes it easier to maintain and understand your styles.
• Use a consistent naming convention for your CSS classes.

3. Code Examples

3.1 Example 1: Basic CSS Styling

// Import the CSS
import '../styles/styles.css';

// Your Next.js component
function HomePage() {
  return (
    <div className="container">
      <h1 className="title">Hello, World!</h1>
    </div>
  );
}

export default HomePage;

In the styles.css file:

.container {
  padding: 20px;
}

.title {
  color: blue;
}

In this example, the HomePage component imports the styles.css file. The styles defined in the CSS file are then applied to the elements in the component.

4. Summary

In this tutorial, you learned how to style your Next.js application using built-in CSS support. You learned how to create a CSS file, import it into a component, and apply the styles to your elements.

5. Practice Exercises

Exercise 1

Create a new Next.js application and add a global style sheet.

Solution

1. Initialize a new Next.js application using npx create-next-app.
2. Create a new CSS file in the styles directory.
3. Import the CSS file into the _app.js file.

Exercise 2

Add a new component to your Next.js application and style it using a CSS file.

Solution

1. Create a new JavaScript file in the components directory.
2. In this file, define a new component.
3. Create a new CSS file in the styles directory.
4. Import the CSS file into the component.

Remember to practice regularly to become proficient in using CSS with Next.js. Happy coding!