# Next.js Quickstart

> Source: `src/content/docs/actors/quickstart/next-js.mdx`
> Canonical URL: https://rivet.dev/docs/actors/quickstart/next-js
> Description: Get started with Rivet Actors in Next.js

---

### Add Rivet Skill to Coding Agent (Optional)

If you're using an AI coding assistant (like Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, etc.), add Rivet skills for enhanced development assistance:

```sh
npx skills add rivet-dev/skills
```

### Create a Next.js App

```sh
npx create-next-app@latest my-app
cd my-app
```

### Install RivetKit

### Create an Actor

Create a file at `src/rivet/registry.ts` with a simple counter actor:

```ts src/rivet/registry.ts
import { actor, setup } from "rivetkit";

export const counter = actor({
  state: { count: 0 },
  actions: {
    increment: (c, x: number) => {
      c.state.count += x;
      c.broadcast("newCount", c.state.count);
      return c.state.count;
    },
  },
});

export const registry = setup({
  use: { counter },
});
```

### Setup Rivet API route

Create a file at `src/app/api/rivet/[...all]/route.ts` to setup the API routes:

```ts src/app/api/rivet/[...all]/route.ts @nocheck
import { toNextHandler } from "@rivetkit/next-js";
import { registry } from "@/rivet/registry";

export const maxDuration = 300;

export const { GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, HEAD, OPTIONS } = toNextHandler(registry);
```

### Use the Actor in a component

Create a Counter component and add it to your page:

```tsx src/components/Counter.tsx @nocheck
"use client";

import { createRivetKit } from "@rivetkit/next-js/client";
import type { registry } from "@/rivet/registry";
import { useState } from "react";

export const { useActor } = createRivetKit<typeof registry>(
  process.env.NEXT_RIVET_ENDPOINT ?? "http://localhost:3000/api/rivet"
);

export function Counter() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);

  // Get or create a counter actor for the key "my-counter"
  const counter = useActor({
    name: "counter",
    key: ["my-counter"],
  });

  // Listen to realtime events
  counter.useEvent("newCount", (x: number) => setCount(x));

  const increment = async () => {
    // Call actions
    await counter.connection?.increment(1);
  };

  return (
    <div>
      <p>Count: {count}</p>
      <button onClick={increment}>Increment</button>
    </div>
  );
}
```

```tsx src/app/page.tsx @nocheck
import { Counter } from "@/components/Counter";

export default function Home() {
  return (
    <main>
      <h1>My App</h1>
      <Counter />
    </main>
  );
}
```

For information about the Next.js client API, see the [React Client API Reference](/docs/clients/react).

### Deploy to Vercel

See the [Vercel deployment guide](/docs/connect/vercel) for detailed instructions on deploying your Rivet app to Vercel.

_Source doc path: /docs/actors/quickstart/next-js_
