How do I use API routes in Next.js?

How do I use API routes in Next.js?

In Next.js, API routes allow you to create serverless functions that can handle requests. You can create a file under the pages/api directory, and it will automatically become an API endpoint.

Can you give me an example of creating a simple API route?

Sure! Create a file named hello.js in pages/api. Inside, export a function that takes req and res as parameters, like this:

export default function handler(req, res) {
  res.status(200).json({ message: 'Hello, World!' });
}

How do I call this API route from the frontend?

You can use the fetch API to call your API route. For example:

const response = await fetch('/api/hello');
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data.message); // 'Hello, World!'

Are there any limitations to using API routes?

Yes, API routes are limited to serverless functions, so they should be stateless and have a maximum execution time. Also, they can't access the filesystem directly.