Is it worth migrating from Pages Router to App Router in 2026?

Yes, absolutely. The App Router is now the stable default in both Next.js 14 and 15. React Server Components alone can cut your JavaScript bundle by 30-50%, and the Metadata API gives you far more control over SEO than the old Head component. If you are starting a new project, there is no reason to use Pages Router. For existing projects, the incremental adoption path means you can migrate route by route without rewriting everything at once.

How long does a typical Pages Router to App Router migration take?

It depends on the size and complexity of your project. For a small marketing site with 5-10 pages, expect one to two weeks. For a medium SaaS application, plan for four to eight weeks. My migration of webcraftdev.com from Create React App to Next.js 15 App Router took about three weeks, including reworking the i18n system and fixing all the Server Component compatibility issues. The key is to migrate incrementally rather than trying to rewrite everything at once.

Can I use both Pages Router and App Router in the same Next.js project?

Yes. Next.js supports running the pages directory and the app directory side by side. Routes in the app directory take priority over routes in the pages directory. This is the recommended approach for incremental migration: keep your existing pages working while you move routes one at a time to the app directory. Just be aware that the root layout in the app directory replaces _app.js and _document.js, so you will need to plan that transition carefully.

Does the App Router work with React 19?

Next.js 15 fully supports React 19. However, Next.js 14 has a peer dependency on React 18.2 and does not support React 19. If you want React 19 features like the use hook, improved Suspense, and the new form actions, you need to be on Next.js 15. Also note that some third-party libraries may not yet support React 19. For example, react-day-picker v8 does not work with React 19 and you need v9 or later.

What kind of performance gains can I expect from migrating to the App Router?

In my production projects, I measured a 35-45% reduction in client-side JavaScript bundle size thanks to React Server Components. First Contentful Paint improved by around 40%, and Largest Contentful Paint dropped by roughly 30%. Time to Interactive saw the biggest improvement at around 50% reduction. These numbers come from real Lighthouse audits on ipixelp.com before and after migration. Your results will vary based on how much of your component tree can be converted to Server Components.

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Next.js 14 App Router: Migration Guide and Best Practices for 2026

A hands-on migration guide to the Next.js App Router based on real-world projects. Covers Server Components, layouts, data fetching patterns, SEO with the Metadata API, and the pitfalls I encountered migrating ipixelp.com and webcraftdev.com from the Pages Router and Create React App.

7/20/2025By Mohamed Sahbi

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