Supercharge Prototyping with NextSketch
Introduction
Next.js is the leading rendering framework that developers opt to use for building React applications. Its server side rendering capabilities, automatic code splitting, and powerful routing system provide a wide range of possibilities for developers to create lightning fast, SEO-friendly, user-facing static websites. However, a Next.js codebase containing numerous routes and endpoints will have a file structure that becomes quite confusing and eventually become tedious to manage. NextSketch is the solution.
Why Is Prototyping Important?
Before learning about a prototyping tool, you would have to learn about what a prototype is. In any field that produces a product, a prototype is essential because it is an early stage mock-up of a proposed product. Without a prototype (or blueprint), engineers would have a difficult time thinking about how to create a fully fleshed out product. Prototyping provides various benefits such as improving overall understanding of a design, minimizing design errors, and much more. Now we could go on and on about prototyping, but what does a prototyping tool actually entail?
Enter NextSketch
Introducing your next-level prototyping tool — NextSketch. The tool streamlines the process of creating Next.js prototypes by simplifing your workflow and allows you, developers, to focus on designing and creating your application.
Features
Create your custom endpoint by submitting a name through the ‘New Endpoint’ form and selecting optional unique file conventions that are reserved for Next.js applications. Each route will be created within only the app folder and can be deleted through the (—) button. All routes and its files are displayed upon creation via a tree hierachy.
Drag-and-drop elements from the ‘Add Elements’ section to ‘My Page’ section to customize each file within your routes. Movement of elements are reflected by various colored highlighting. When a user hovers an element over a valid drop are, the area will turn green, blue, or red, indicating where the element will be dropped. A variety of elements such as div and form tags can have children, which is displayed by a blue highlighted area when hovering elements over the middle region of a container tag. Green and red areas depict either top or bottom placement of an element, respectively. Elements can also be dragged directly above, below, or within an element, and with no designated highlight, the element will be dropped to the bottom ‘My Page’ section. After you are satisifed with your prototype, click the ‘Export’ button to download your prototype to your local machine as a zip file.
Congrats on making your first mock up of a Next.js application.
Conclusion
We would like to thank you all for your support ! If you enjoyed our application or are interested in discussing possible new features, please give us a star on GitHub and follow us on LinkedIn for new updates/features!
Check Out NextSketch
https://nextsketch.vercel.app/
NextSketch Team
James Huang
Jordan Lim
Laura Ramirez
Christopher Wardrip
