Next.js Blog Starter Kit is a free, open-source boilerplate for building a static blog with Next.js, TypeScript, and Contentful, producing a fully static site that deploys to Netlify or Vercel.
What is the Next.js Blog Starter Kit?
It's a starter kit created by techhive.IO that provides a pre-configured Next.js (V9+) project with TypeScript support, static export out of the box, and Contentful CMS integration. As input, it takes your Contentful space ID, delivery token, and public domain; as output, it generates a static blog with dynamic meta tags, a sitemap.xml, and relevant post suggestions.
Key Features
- Next.js with TypeScript — The project comes with Next.js V9+ and TypeScript configured, so you get type checking (via
type-check) and ESLint (vialint) from the start. - Static Export — Run
npm run exportto build and export the application into a static website, which then can be hosted on any static file server. - Contentful Integration — Includes a
populate:contentfulscript to automatically populate your Contentful CMS with sample content, plus environment variables forCONTENTFUL_SPACEandCONTENTFUL_TOKEN. - Easy Deployment on Netlify and Vercel — The kit is designed for one-click deployment to both Netlify and Vercel (formerly ZEIT), with a pre-configured
postexportscript that createssitemap.xml. - SEO Friendly — Dynamic meta tags are included for each blog post, improving search engine visibility.
- Google Analytics — Google Analytics is integrated, so you can track site traffic without extra setup.
- Relevant Suggestions — Each blog post can display relevant suggestions, making it a smarter blog for users.
- Custom Components — The starter includes custom components to help you build a unique layout.
- Optimized for Speed and Scalability — The static export and Next.js architecture keep the site fast and easy to scale.
Who is it for?
- Developers who want a ready-made starting point for a Next.js blog and prefer TypeScript and static export.
- Content teams who manage content in Contentful and need a front-end that pulls posts from the CMS and renders them as a static site.
- Freelancers and agencies who build blogs for clients and want a fast, deployable template with SEO and analytics baked in.
- Netlify or Vercel users who want a simple path from
git cloneto a live static blog in minutes.
What can you do with it?
- Developers: Clone the repository, install dependencies, and run
npm run devto start a development server with hot reloading; then usenpm run exportto produce a static site ready for production. - Content editors: Use the included
populate:contentfulscript to fill your CMS with example blog posts, then create new articles directly in Contentful without touching code. - SEO specialists: Take advantage of dynamic meta tags and automatic
sitemap.xmlgeneration to improve indexing of every blog post. - Project starters: Use the kit as the base for any static website, not just blogs, since Next.js supports diverse pages and components.
How does it work?
The getting-started flow is direct: clone the repo with git clone --depth 1, install dependencies with npm install, copy .env.example to .env, and fill in your Contentful space, token, and public domain. Then run npm run dev for local development, npm run build for a production build, or npm run export to generate a static site. The postexport script creates a sitemap automatically, and the populate:contentful command seeds the CMS.
Pricing
The starter kit is free to use and is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), allowing you to copy, modify, and distribute it with attribution.
FAQ
What is the Next.js Blog Starter Kit?
It's a boilerplate project from techhive.IO that combines Next.js, TypeScript, Contentful, and static export. It gives you a complete blog front-end structure with SEO, analytics, and post suggestions, so you can focus on writing content rather than setting up infrastructure.
Which CMS does this starter kit integrate with?
It integrates with Contentful, a headless CMS. You need to provide your Contentful space ID and delivery token in the environment variables, and the kit includes a script to populate the CMS with sample data.
Can I deploy this to Vercel or Netlify?
Yes. The starter kit is designed for easy deployment on both Netlify and Vercel. Since it supports static export, you can deploy the generated out directory to any static hosting, with pre-configured settings for these platforms.
Does this starter kit support TypeScript?
Yes, TypeScript is included out of the box. The project provides a type-check script and is set up with ESLint for linting, making it suitable for developers who want type safety.
What commands are available in this project?
Key npm scripts include dev for development, build for production build, start for serving the production build, export for static export, postexport for sitemap generation, type-check for TypeScript checks, format:write for Prettier formatting, lint for ESLint, and populate:contentful to seed the CMS.
