Building a Multi-Tenant App with Next.js

In today's digital landscape, building scalable and efficient applications is crucial. One such approach is creating a multi-tenant application, which allows multiple users or organizations to share a single instance of a software application while keeping their data isolated. In this tutorial, we'll explore how to build a full-stack multi-tenant application using Next.js, Vercel, and other modern technologies.

Technologies Used

• Next.js App Router: A powerful React framework for building server-side rendered applications.
• Tailwind CSS: A utility-first CSS framework for styling.
• Tremor: A library for creating beautiful charts.
• Prisma: An ORM for database access.
• Novel: A WYSIWYG editor for a seamless writing experience.
• Vercel Postgres: A scalable database solution.
• Vercel Blob: For handling image uploads.
• NextAuth.js: For authentication.
• Vercel: For deployment, custom domains, and SSL certificates.

Key Features

• Multi-tenancy: Assign unlimited custom domains, subdomains, and SSL certificates to users.
• Ultra-performant blog posts: Cached via Vercel's Edge Network with on-demand cache invalidation.
• AI-powered Markdown editor: Provides a Notion-style writing experience.
• Dynamic Open Graph images: For each blog post.

Deployment Options

Option 1: Deploying from the Template

1. Start the Deployment: Click the deploy button on the Platforms Starter Kit template page.
2. Add Storage: Select the Postgres Database option.
3. Add Environment Variables: Configure necessary environment variables like NEXT_PUBLIC_ROOT_DOMAIN, NEXTAUTH_SECRET, and others.
4. Deploy and Update: Click the Deploy button and update your project settings.

Option 2: Deploying from the Github Repository

1. Set up Your Next.js Project: Use the Platforms Starter Kit repository to kickstart your project.
2. Set up Environment Variables: Convert the .env.example file to a .env file and configure it.
3. Publish Your Prisma Schema: Run npx prisma db push to publish the schema.
4. Update NextAuth.js Callback URLs: Customize the callback URLs for GitHub OAuth.
5. Deploy to Vercel: Push your changes to a new GitHub repository and deploy to Vercel.

Caveats

• Handling Duplicate Content: Redirect subdomains to custom domains if they exist.
• Adding www. Subdomains: Allow users to add and redirect www. subdomains to apex domains.
• Multi-tenant Preview URLs: Available for Enterprise customers on Vercel.

Conclusion

By following this guide, you can build a robust multi-tenant application using the Platforms Starter Kit. Whether you're creating a blogging platform or a low-code tool, this starter kit provides a solid foundation for various applications.

For more information, visit the Platforms Starter Kit GitHub page.

Reference: How to Build a Multi-Tenant App with Custom Domains Using Next.js by Vercel.