How to Host a Next.js Website (Step-by-Step Guide)

Next.js has become one of the most popular frameworks for building React applications because it solves problems that vanilla React leaves to the developer: routing, server-side rendering, image optimization, and SEO are all built in. But hosting a Next.js site requires understanding a few concepts that differ from hosting a plain static site.

This guide walks through every approach to hosting a Next.js website, from the simplest static export to fully dynamic server-rendered applications. By the end, you will know exactly which method fits your project and how to deploy it on Host Better.

Understanding Next.js Rendering Strategies

Before choosing a hosting approach, it helps to understand how Next.js can deliver pages. The framework supports three rendering modes, and each one affects how and where you host:

Most projects can use static generation for the majority of pages and switch to server-side rendering only where dynamic data is required. Next.js makes this hybrid approach straightforward.

Option 1: Static Export (Simplest)

If your Next.js site does not use server-side rendering, incremental static regeneration, or API routes, you can export it as a fully static site. This produces plain HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files that work with any standard hosting provider.

How to Export a Static Next.js Site

First, configure your next.config.js file for static export:

/** @type {import('next').NextConfig} */
const nextConfig = {
  output: 'export',
  images: { unoptimized: true },
};

module.exports = nextConfig;

Then build your project:

npx next build

This creates an out folder containing your static files. Upload this folder to Host Better, and your Next.js site is live instantly with free SSL.

What You Lose with Static Export

Static export disables several Next.js features:

• Server-side rendering (getServerSideProps)
• API routes
• Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR)
• Middleware
• Image optimization via next/image (unless disabled)

If your project uses none of these features, static export is the simplest and most reliable hosting method.

Option 2: Standard Next.js Hosting (Static Generation)

Most Next.js projects use static generation by default. Pages that do not depend on request-time data are rendered at build time into static HTML. These pages can be hosted on any static hosting platform, including Host Better.

With this approach, you run next build and next export (or just next build with output: 'export' configured), then upload the resulting out folder. Pages that use getStaticProps run during the build, so your data fetching happens once and the HTML is pre-rendered.

Option 3: Hosting with Server-Side Rendering

If your application uses getServerSideProps, API routes, or middleware, you need a Node.js server to handle requests. This is common for dashboards, e-commerce sites, and applications that display user-specific data.

Host Better supports static Next.js websites through its static export feature. If your project requires server-side rendering, API routes, or other Node.js features, you would need a hosting provider that supports Node.js runtimes. However, most projects can be designed to use static generation for the majority of pages, keeping dynamic data on the client side or behind external API services.

Step-by-Step: Deploy Next.js to Host Better

For static Next.js sites, deployment takes under a minute:

1. Configure next.config.js with output: 'export'
2. Run npx next build to generate the out folder
3. Compress the out folder into a ZIP archive
4. Log in to your Host Better dashboard
5. Click Upload Website and select your ZIP file
6. Your site goes live with free SSL instantly

Host Better automatically serves your index.html as the entry point, configures HTTPS, and provides a temporary URL for previewing before you connect a custom domain.

Environment Variables in Next.js

Next.js uses environment variables for API keys, database URLs, and configuration. For static exports, environment variables are baked into the JavaScript at build time. This means:

• Variables prefixed with NEXT_PUBLIC_ are available in the browser
• Server-only variables are evaluated at build time and inlined
• You cannot use runtime environment variables with static export
• For runtime variables, you need SSR hosting

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting to Configure the Export Output

Without output: 'export' in next.config.js, running next build produces a .next folder intended for a Node.js server, not static hosting. If you upload the .next folder to a static host, your site will not work. Always verify you have run the correct build command.

Using Unsupported Features in Static Export

If your build fails with errors about getServerSideProps or API routes, these features are incompatible with static export. Either redesign those pages to use static generation, or choose a hosting platform that supports Node.js.

Not Testing Locally First

Before deploying, run npx serve out locally to verify your exported site works correctly. This catches broken links, missing assets, and incorrect paths before they reach your live site.

Next.js Hosting Checklist

• Configure output: 'export' in next.config.js
• Disable next/image optimization if needed
• Run next build and verify no errors
• Check the out folder for all expected files
• Test locally with a static file server
• Compress and upload to Host Better
• Connect custom domain and verify SSL

Frequently Asked Questions

Summary

Hosting a Next.js website comes down to understanding which rendering strategy your project uses. Static export is the simplest approach and works with any hosting provider, including Host Better. For projects that require server-side rendering, you need a platform that supports Node.js.

Most marketing sites, blogs, portfolios, and documentation sites work perfectly as static Next.js exports. If your project can use static generation, you benefit from the fastest hosting, lowest cost, and simplest deployment workflow available.

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