Shadcn is a powerful UI component library built with Radix and Tailwind CSS, designed to provide a seamless development experience for React and Next.js applications. In this article, we’ll explore how to integrate Shadcn into a production-ready Next.js application and leverage high-quality admin templates for faster development.

Why Use Shadcn for Next.js?

Shadcn offers several advantages that make it an excellent choice for production applications:

  • Pre-built, Accessible Components – Includes a wide range of UI elements.
  • Highly Customizable – Designed to work well with Tailwind CSS.
  • Optimized for Performance – Ensures minimal bundle size and fast loading times.
  • Seamless Integration with Next.js – Works effortlessly in server components and client-side rendering.

Setting Up Shadcn in Next.js

To start using Shadcn in your Next.js project, follow these steps:

1. Install Shadcn

Run the following command to install the Shadcn CLI:

npx shadcn-ui@latest init

2. Add Components

Once installed, you can add specific UI components with:

npx shadcn-ui add button input card

This will automatically configure the components using Tailwind CSS.

3. Configure Tailwind CSS

Ensure your Tailwind configuration (tailwind.config.js) includes the necessary settings:

module.exports = {
  content: [
    "./pages/**/*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}",
    "./components/**/*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}",
    "./app/**/*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}"
  ],
  theme: {
    extend: {},
  },
  plugins: [],
};

Using Pre-Built Admin Templates with Shadcn

To accelerate development, you can use pre-built admin dashboard templates that are fully compatible with Shadcn and Tailwind CSS. Here are some premium options:

MatDash Tailwind Next.js Admin Template

MatDash Tailwind Next.js Admin Template

Modernize Tailwind and Next.js Dashboard Template

Conclusion

Using Shadcn in a production-ready Next.js application ensures a scalable, fast, and maintainable frontend. With its seamless integration with Tailwind CSS and pre-built UI components, developers can build professional applications efficiently. Combining Shadcn with premium templates like those from WrapPixel and AdminMart further speeds up the development process while ensuring a polished and modern UI.

By leveraging these tools, you can create powerful admin dashboards and web applications with ease!