In a recent announcement at the Next.js Conf, Vercel has unveiled the latest iteration of the React web development framework, Next.js.

Vercel’s Next.js 14 brings with it a host of improvements in performance. Notably, it boasts a 53% reduction in local server startup times and a remarkable 94% increase in code update speed thanks to the implementation of Fast Refresh.

Over 5,000 “next dev” integration tests are successfully passing using Turbopack, the underlying Rust engine powering Next.js. This advancement promises developers a more efficient and dependable performance when employing “next dev –turbo.”

The feature Server Actions enables developers to define asynchronous server functions, offering a versatile set of capabilities, including data revalidation, route redirection, and cookie management, among other functions.

“Having great performance globally and personalization shouldn’t come at the cost of complexity”, Lee Robinson, VP of developer experience at Vercel, and Tim Neutkens, engineering manager for Next.js, noted in a blog post.

Vercel has separated blocking and non-blocking metadata, and they are currently phasing out a number of metadata options. This deprecation includes viewport, colorScheme, and themeColor, which will be replaced by a set of fresh metadata alternatives.

In addition to the Next.js 14 release, Vercel has unveiled an exciting addition to their educational offerings. This include Next.js Learn, which delves into a variety of topics. The course covers everything from the Next.js App Router and Tailwind CSS to techniques for optimizing fonts and images, as well as insights into creating layouts and pages, and much more.