--- title: "Try the new Essential Next.js plugin, now with auto-install!" description: "It" source: "https://www.netlify.com/blog/2021/03/16/try-the-new-essential-next.js-plugin-now-with-auto-install/" last_updated: "2026-07-14T12:26:19.000Z" --- Chances are, if you’ve used Next.js on Netlify, you’ve encountered either the `next-on-netlify` npm package, or the Next.js Build Plugin to enable some of its Node-driven features. Today, we’re happy to announce that the two have become one, to form the **Essential Next.js Plugin**! With this plugin, you enable features like: - Support for `getServerSideProps` and `getStaticProps` with fallbacks (via [Netlify Functions](https://www.netlify.com/products/functions/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=functionsnext-cs&utm_campaign=devex-cs)) - Preview Mode - Internationalized Routing - [Incremental Static Regeneration](https://www.netlify.com/blog/2021/03/08/incremental-static-regeneration-its-benefits-and-its-flaws/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=isrnext-cs&utm_campaign=devex-cs) - and more! And, that’s not all, we now _auto-detect_ when you use Next.js on Netlify, so **you don’t have to manually install anything** to get all of the features you love in Next.js working on the platform. ## What do I do next? Ha! That’s a pun. What does this mean for you if you already use the old version of the plugin, or the `next-on-netlify` package? Technically, you don’t have to do anything, this won’t break your current projects. But, if you want to use the latest and greatest changes: - You can go ahead and uninstall the package, and remove it from your netlify.toml. - If you have a `next.config.json`, make sure to set `target: "serverless"`, but if you don’t have anything else in that file, you can remove it. - Install the new plugin either in the UI or [manually in your netlify.toml](https://github.com/netlify/netlify-plugin-nextjs#installation-and-configuration): ![Install the Essential Next.js plugin](/v3/img/blog/essentialnext.png "Install the Essential Next.js plugin") For a new site deployed with Next.js, Netlify will automatically install this plugin. This means that **you don’t have to do anything** — just build and deploy your site to Netlify as usual and we’ll handle the rest. If you’d like to learn more or get involved: - [Check out the docs](https://docs.netlify.com/configure-builds/common-configurations/next-js/) if you need more guidance. - [File any issues you see on the plugin repo](https://github.com/netlify/netlify-plugin-nextjs), or make a PR if you see improvements that can be made! - Got a business using Next.js? [Check out our press release](https://www.netlify.com/press/netlify-announces-next-js-integration-enabling-next-js-10-for-enterprise-teams/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=press-cs&utm_campaign=devex-cs) for more information about how our collaboration and security tools can make your apps even better. You can get started with a new Next.js project here! [![Deploy to Netlify](https://www.netlify.com/img/deploy/button.svg)](https://app.netlify.com/start/deploy?repository=https://github.com/netlify-templates/next-netlify-starter&utm_source=blog&utm_medium=nextstarter-cs&utm_campaign=devex-cs) (Clicking this button will clone a starter repo to your Git provider of choice, and deploy it instantly to Netlify) ### Share - [X (fka Twitter)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Try the new Essential Next.js plugin, now with auto-install!&url=https://www.netlify.com/blog/2021/03/16/try-the-new-essential-next.js-plugin-now-with-auto-install//) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.netlify.com%2Fblog%2F2021%2F03%2F16%2Ftry-the-new-essential-next.js-plugin-now-with-auto-install%2F%2F) - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.netlify.com/blog/2021/03/16/try-the-new-essential-next.js-plugin-now-with-auto-install//) - [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Try the new Essential Next.js plugin, now with auto-install!+https://www.netlify.com/blog/2021/03/16/try-the-new-essential-next.js-plugin-now-with-auto-install//) * * * ### Tags - [Next.js](/blog/tags/next.js/) - [Build Plugins](/blog/tags/build-plugins/) ## Keep reading ![](/images/blog-fallback-thumbnail.svg) Guides & Tutorials June 18, 2020 [ ### Next.js 101: What you should know ](/blog/2020/06/18/next.js-101-what-you-should-know/) - ![Profile picture of Cassidy Williams](/_astro/a62099fab0f946e063c4b84ff4b4d9c94f9aa7a5-400x400_ZdakPa.webp) Cassidy Williams ![](/images/blog-fallback-thumbnail.svg) Guides & Tutorials November 30, 2020 [ ### How to Deploy Next.js Sites to Netlify ](/blog/2020/11/30/how-to-deploy-next.js-sites-to-netlify/) - ![Profile picture of Jason Lengstorf](/_astro/11b8e51d90b26838de71904294430279b7099995-700x700_1R7sJe.webp) Jason Lengstorf ## Recent posts News & Announcements July 13, 2026 [ ### Netlify inside of Claude Design ](/blog/netlify-inside-of-claude-design) - ![Profile picture of Sean Roberts](/_astro/bbf2243f8171dbddd80ab2103622106cef84d125-512x512_Z1d2LKE.webp) Sean Roberts News & Announcements June 25, 2026 [ ### Netlify Functions, designed for Agent Experience ](/blog/netlify-functions-designed-for-agent-experience) - ![Profile picture of Eduardo Bouças](/_astro/52958f21e8450baf6d8e60302341a984e220c0cd-512x512_13VDlu.webp) Eduardo Bouças News & Announcements June 24, 2026 [ ### How we measure Netlify’s Agent Experience ](/blog/how-we-measure-netlify-agent-experience) - ![Profile picture of Sean Roberts](/_astro/bbf2243f8171dbddd80ab2103622106cef84d125-512x512_Z1d2LKE.webp) Sean Roberts ![](/_astro/3f255b372fa958df35802666ee33b4609b2d71bd-1200x1586_1VtE2D.webp) ### How do the best dev and marketing teams work together? 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