Next.js SaaS Starter

Launch your SaaS idea in days, not months. This blueprint provides a solid foundation for building scalable, type-safe web applications using the modern React ecosystem.

Architecture

This architecture emphasizes developer experience and speed of delivery without sacrificing strict type safety or performance.

1. Frontend: Next.js 14 (App Router) for hybrid static/dynamic rendering.
2. Database: Postgres (managed by Supabase or Neon) accessed via Prisma ORM.
3. Auth: NextAuth.js or Clerk for secure user management.
4. Payments: Stripe integration for subscriptions and one-time payments.
5. Styling: Tailwind CSS for rapid UI development.

Use Cases

• Micro-SaaS: Small, focused tools charged on a monthly subscription.
• B2B Dashboard: Client portales requiring secure login and data visualization.
• Marketplace: Multi-tenant apps connecting buyers and sellers.

Implementation Guide

We'll set up a typical T3 stack-inspired repository.

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• PostgreSQL Database URL
• Stripe API Keys

Step 1: Initialize Project

npx create-next-app@latest my-saas --typescript --tailwind --eslint
cd my-saas
npm install prisma @prisma/client @next-auth/prisma-adapter next-auth stripe

Step 2: Schema Definition

Define your data model in prisma/schema.prisma.

// prisma/schema.prisma
datasource db {
  provider = "postgresql"
  url      = env("DATABASE_URL")
}

generator client {
  provider = "prisma-client-js"
}

model User {
  id            String    @id @default(cuid())
  name          String?
  email         String    @unique
  emailVerified DateTime?
  image         String?
  subscriptions Subscription[]
}

model Subscription {
  id        String   @id @default(cuid())
  userId    String
  user      User     @relation(fields: [userId], references: [id])
  status    String
  stripeId  String
}

Run npx prisma db push to sync your database.

Step 3: API Route Handler

Create a secure API route in app/api/subscription/route.ts.

import { NextResponse } from 'next/server';
import { getServerSession } from "next-auth";
import { authOptions } from "@/lib/auth";
import { prisma } from "@/lib/db";

export async function POST(req: Request) {
  const session = await getServerSession(authOptions);
  
  if (!session) {
    return new NextResponse("Unauthorized", { status: 401 });
  }

  // Business logic here...
  return NextResponse.json({ status: "success" });
}

Production Readiness Checklist

• SEO Meta Tags: Configure generic metadata in layout.tsx.
• Analytics: Integrate PostHog or Plausible.
• Error Monitoring: Set up Sentry to catch runtime crashes.
• Rate Limiting: Use Vercel KV or Upstash to prevent API abuse.
• Email: Configure transactional emails (Resend/SendGrid) for welcome messages.
• Backup: Ensure database backups are enabled (automatic on most providers).