Here's a comprehensive roadmap to help you evolve from Beginner to Expert in NestJS (backend) and Next.js (frontend) development. This is structured in phases, with skillsets, project ideas, and resources at each level.
๐ Phase 1: Foundation (Beginner Level)
๐ Goals:
- Understand TypeScript, modern JavaScript (ES6+)
- Learn basic Node.js & React
- Set up environments for both NestJS and Next.js
โ Skills to Learn
๐น TypeScript
- Types, Interfaces, Enums
- Classes, Generics, Modules
๐น JavaScript Essentials
- Promises, async/await
- Modules, arrow functions
- ES6+ features
๐น NestJS Basics
- Controllers, Services, Modules
- Dependency Injection
- REST API with CRUD
๐น Next.js Basics
- Pages, Routing (
pages/directory) - Static Generation & SSR
- Components and Props
๐ก Mini Projects
- NestJS: CRUD API for Todos
- Next.js: Blog with static pages
โ๏ธ Phase 2: Intermediate Development
๐ Goals:
- Build full-stack apps
- Add databases, authentication, and routing
- Understand API communication
โ Skills to Learn
๐น NestJS Intermediate
- TypeORM / Prisma (DB integration)
- Middleware, Interceptors, Pipes
- Exception Filters
- DTOs and Validation (class-validator)
๐น Next.js Intermediate
- API Routes
- Client-side fetching with SWR/React Query
- Dynamic Routing
- Layouts, Context API
๐ Auth
- JWT with NestJS
- Authentication (NextAuth or custom)
๐ก Projects
- Full-stack Auth App (NestJS + Next.js)
- Blogging System (CMS-style)
- Expense Tracker
๐ง Phase 3: Advanced Concepts
๐ Goals:
- Master architecture & patterns
- Optimize performance, scalability
- Build production-ready apps
โ Skills to Learn
๐น NestJS Advanced
- Caching (Redis)
- Rate Limiting, Throttler
- CQRS, Event Emitters
- Swagger Docs
- Testing (unit & e2e with Jest)
๐น Next.js Advanced
- App Router (Next.js 13+)
- Server Components vs Client Components
- Edge Functions & Middleware
- Advanced State Management (Zustand, Redux Toolkit)
- SEO optimization
- Image & Font Optimization
๐ฆ DevOps
- Dockerize NestJS & Next.js apps
- Use environment variables
- CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, Vercel for Next.js)
๐ก Projects
- E-Commerce Store
- Real-time Chat App
- Task Management Platform (Trello clone)
๐๏ธ Phase 4: System Design & Architecture (Expert Level)
๐ Goals:
- Think in systems
- Follow design patterns
- Optimize for performance & maintainability
โ Skills to Learn
๐น Backend (NestJS)
- Microservices (Redis, Kafka, RabbitMQ)
- Domain-Driven Design (DDD)
- Hexagonal Architecture
- Contract Testing (Pact)
- OpenAPI & Swagger generation
๐น Frontend (Next.js)
- Monorepo structure with TurboRepo
- Custom hooks and reusable components
- Internationalization (i18n)
- Testing (Jest, Playwright/Cypress)
๐ Advanced Integration
- Integrate LLMs (OpenAI)
- Full-stack AI Features (summarizer, chat, search)
๐ก Expert Projects
- SaaS Dashboard
- Booking System with Admin Portal
- AI-powered Documentation Generator
๐งฐ Tools & Libraries to Learn
๐ฅ๏ธ Backend (NestJS)
- TypeORM / Prisma
- class-validator, class-transformer
- Swagger, JWT, Passport
- Redis, Kafka, Microservices
- Jest (unit and e2e testing)
๐ผ๏ธ Frontend (Next.js)
- Tailwind CSS / ShadCN
- React Query / SWR
- Zustand / Redux
- Jest, Testing Library
- NextAuth / Clerk / Auth0
๐ฏ Final Goal: Mastery
- Build scalable, modular, production-ready full-stack apps
- Mentor others, contribute to OSS, write tech blogs
- Understand performance bottlenecks and advanced debugging
- Think about maintainability, architecture, and developer experience
๐ Learning Resources
NestJS
- NestJS Docs
- Awesome NestJS GitHub Repo
- [YouTube: Code with Mosh, Academind, Traversy Media]
