---
title: 'Next.js'
description: 'Run bknd inside Next.js'
---
import InstallBknd from '/snippets/install-bknd.mdx';


## Installation
To get started with Next.js and bknd you can either install the package manually, and follow the descriptions below, or use the CLI starter:

<Tabs>
   <Tab title="CLI Starter">
      Create a new Next.js CLI starter project by running the following command:

      ```sh
      npx bknd create -i nextjs
      ```
   </Tab>
   <Tab title="Manual">
      Create a new Next.js project by following the [official guide](https://nextjs.org/docs/pages/api-reference/cli/create-next-app), and then install bknd as a dependency:

      <InstallBknd />
   </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Configuration
<Warning>
   When run with Node.js, a version of 22 (LTS) or higher is required. Please verify your version by running `node -v`, and [upgrade](https://nodejs.org/en/download/) if necessary.
</Warning>

Now create a `bknd.config.ts` file in the root of your project. If you created the project using the CLI starter, this file is already created for you.

```typescript bknd.config.ts
import type { NextjsBkndConfig } from "bknd/adapter/nextjs";

export default {
   connection: {
      url: "file:data.db"
   }, 
} satisfies NextjsBkndConfig;
```

See [bknd.config.ts](/extending/config) for more information on how to configure bknd. The `NextjsBkndConfig` type extends the `BkndConfig` type with the following additional properties:

```typescript
type NextjsEnv = NextApiRequest["env"];
export type NextjsBkndConfig<Env = NextjsEnv> = FrameworkBkndConfig<Env> & {
   cleanRequest?: { searchParams?: string[] };
};
```

## Serve the API
Create a helper file to instantiate the bknd instance and retrieve the API, importing the configurationfrom the `bknd.config.ts` file:

```ts src/bknd.ts
import { type NextjsBkndConfig, getApp as getBkndApp } from "bknd/adapter/nextjs";
import { headers } from "next/headers";
import config from "../bknd.config";

export { config };

export async function getApp() {
   return await getBkndApp(config, process.env);
}

export async function getApi(opts?: { verify?: boolean }) {
   const app = await getApp();
   if (opts?.verify) {
      const api = app.getApi({ headers: await headers() });
      await api.verifyAuth();
      return api;
   }

   return app.getApi();
}
```
For more information about the connection object, refer to the [Database](/usage/database) guide.

Now to expose the API, create a catch-all route file at `src/api/[[...bknd]]/route.ts`:
```ts src/api/[[...bknd]]/route.ts
import { config } from "@/bknd";
import { serve } from "bknd/adapter/nextjs";

// optionally, you can set the runtime to edge for better performance
export const runtime = "edge";

const handler = serve({
   ...config,
   cleanRequest: {
      // depending on what name you used for the catch-all route,
      // you need to change this to clean it from the request.
      searchParams: ["bknd"],
   },
});

export const GET = handler;
export const POST = handler;
export const PUT = handler;
export const PATCH = handler;
export const DELETE = handler;
```

## Enabling the Admin UI
Create a page at `admin/[[...admin]]/page.tsx`:
```tsx admin/[[...admin]]/page.tsx
import { Admin } from "bknd/ui";
import { getApi } from "@/bknd";
import "bknd/dist/styles.css";

export default async function AdminPage() {
   // make sure to verify auth using headers
   const api = await getApi({ verify: true });

   return (
      <Admin
         withProvider={{ user: api.getUser() }}
         config={{
            basepath: "/admin",
            logo_return_path: "/../",
            color_scheme: "system",
         }}
      />
   );
}
```

## Example usage of the API
You can use the `getApi` helper function we've already set up to fetch and mutate in static pages and server components:

```tsx app/page.tsx
import { getApi } from "@/bknd";

export default async function Home() {
   const api = await getApi();
   const { data: todos } = await api.data.readMany("todos", { limit: 5 });

   return <ul>
      {todos.map((todo) => (
         <li key={String(todo.id)}>{todo.title}</li>
      ))}
   </ul>
}
```