API Routes : Omnath Dubey

API routes are a feature of Next.js that allow developers to define serverless endpoints for their application, providing a simple and flexible way to handle backend functionality without the need for a separate server.

API routes are defined as special types of pages in the "pages/api" directory, with each file representing a different API endpoint. When a request is made to an API route, Next.js automatically handles the request and passes it to the corresponding endpoint, allowing the developer to focus on the functionality of the API.

API routes can be used to handle a wide variety of backend functionality, such as database queries, authentication, and data processing. They provide a simple and scalable way to handle serverless functionality and can be easily integrated into existing Next.js applications.

Here's an example of how to define an API route in Next.js:

// pages/api/hello.js export default function handler(req, res) { res.status(200).json({ message: 'Hello World!' }) }

In this example, a simple API route is defined that returns a JSON response with a "message" key and the value "Hello World!". When a request is made to this API endpoint, Next.js automatically handles the request and calls the "handler" function, which returns the response.

API routes can also accept dynamic parameters, just like regular pages in Next.js. For example:

// pages/api/posts/[id].js

export default function handler(req, res) {

  const { id } = req.query

  // handle request for post with id "id"

}

In this example, the API route accepts a dynamic "id" parameter and uses it to handle requests for specific posts.

API routes provide a powerful and flexible way to handle backend functionality in Next.js applications, and can greatly simplify the development process.