DIY Nextjs Theme

The DIY Nextjs Theme is a Stackbit starter template that generates a static Jamstack website built on the Next.js framework, with all content stored as files inside a Git repository and deployable to serverless platforms such as Netlify.

What is the DIY Nextjs Theme?

The DIY Nextjs Theme is a pre-configured website starter created by Stackbit. It uses Next.js as the React framework and reads the site's content from files, normalizes it using Sourcebit plugins, and then statically generates HTML pages. The template is the foundation for the digitale-dinge.de website and is documented as being maintained manually in that repository.

Key Features

• Next.js framework — The theme is built with Next.js, offering a component-based architecture and static site generation capabilities.
• File-based content — All website content lives in files within the Git repository, making it version-controllable and editable like code.
• Sourcebit content pipeline — The template integrates Sourcebit with the sourcebit-source-filesystem and sourcebit-target-next plugins to read content files, normalize the data, and provide it to Next.js pages.
• Live development reload — Running npm run develop starts a local server at http://localhost:3000; editing content files updates the browser instantly.
• Stackbit Studio integration — The free on-page visual editor in Stackbit Studio lets non-developers edit content directly on the rendered site.
• Automated deployment setup — When creating a site from this theme, Stackbit automatically creates a GitHub repository, a Netlify site, a commit webhook, and a Stackbit project.
• Static export — The npm run build command produces a static site in the out folder, ready to be served by any static file host or by http-server.

Who is it for?

• Developers who want a ready-made Next.js static site boilerplate with file-based content, saving time on wiring up Sourcebit and build configuration.
• Content editors who need a visual editing experience through Stackbit Studio to update website content without writing code.
• Small business owners who want a low-maintenance Jamstack website deployed on Netlify, with the entire site stored in a Git repository.

What can you do with the DIY Nextjs Theme?

• Create a static website quickly: Use Stackbit's create flow to generate a new site from this theme, complete with GitHub, Netlify, and a live deployment.
• Edit content visually: Use Stackbit Studio's on-page editor to modify text and layout, then publish with a single click.
• Develop and customize locally: Clone the generated repository, run npm install and npm run develop, and preview changes at http://localhost:3000 with live reload.
• Deploy to production: Run npm run build to export a static out folder, then host it on Netlify or any static file server.

How does the DIY Nextjs Theme work?

The theme reads website content from files in the Git repository. When you start the development server or build the site, Sourcebit's filesystem plugin reads those files, the target plugin normalizes the data and passes it to Next.js pages, which statically generate the HTML. In development, Sourcebit watches the content files and triggers live browser updates. For deployment, Stackbit connects the GitHub repository to a Netlify site, and every push to the repository triggers a new static export via a webhook.

FAQ

How do I get started with the DIY Nextjs Theme?

Click the "Create with Stackbit" link from the theme's repository page or use the direct Stackbit create URL. Stackbit will generate a GitHub repository, set up a Netlify site, deploy it, and create a Stackbit project for visual editing.

What is Sourcebit and why is it used?

Sourcebit is the tool that reads the website's content from files and supplies it to Next.js. The template uses two plugins: sourcebit-source-filesystem to fetch content from the filesystem and sourcebit-target-next to deliver the normalized data to Next.js pages.

Can I use a hosting platform other than Netlify?

The build output is a static out folder, so you can upload it to any static hosting provider. The README specifically mentions Netlify and suggests http-server for local testing, but any serverless or static CDN should work.

How does live editing work in development?

When you run npm run develop, Sourcebit watches the content files. Any change you save is immediately processed and pushed to the browser, so you see your updates without restarting the server.