[Solved] The term 'next' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program.

If you are getting the error 'next' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program, or batch file, then this blog will help you fix this annoying issue. I will tell you what has worked for me!

next: The term 'next' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. Check
the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again.
At line:1 char:1
+ next
+ ~~~~
+ CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (next: String) [], CommandNotFoundException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId: CommandNotFoundException

The error message 'next' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file occurs when we overlook installing the necessary dependencies in a Next.js project.

To address this, you will have to incorporate Next.js commands into the scripts section of the package.json file instead of running them directly from the terminal.

Fix 1: Adding NextJS in package.json

In a Next.js project, the package.json file serves as a configuration guide for the various commands and dependencies used within the project. One common feature is the inclusion of predefined script entries for actions like starting the development server or building the application.

If the package.json file does not contain a reference to "next" in its scripts section, it indicates that these Next.js-related commands have not been set up within the project.

Begin by accessing the package.json file within your project directory. This file is typically located at the root level of your project. After opening the package.json file, insert the following lines under "scripts":

"scripts": {
  "dev": "next dev",
  "build": "next build",
  "start": "next start"
}

Save and close the file and then start the server by typing this into the terminal:

npm run dev

This will launch your development server. To verify if your application is operational, you can navigate to http://localhost:3000 in your web browser. Any other command like npm run build or npm run start will also start to work.

Fix 2: Installing NextJS

If the problem continues, it's possible that Next.js is not installed properly within your project. Let's fix it by re-installing NextJS in our project.

Open the project directory and right-click anywhere within it. From the menu that appears, select the "Open in Terminal" option.

After opening the terminal, enter the following command to re-install Next.js in your project:

npm uninstall next

then run:

npm install next

While I was encountering this error, this technique worked for me!

Fix 3: Installing Next.js globally

Alternatively, you can install Next.js globally by executing the command:

npm install next -g

This installs Next.js globally on your system, allowing you to use it across multiple projects without the need for local installations.

Note: Installing Next.js globally is generally not recommended, and most developers prefer to install it locally within their projects.

Now, while running these commands, if you encounter 'npm' is not recognized... error, you can check out this blog to fix that issue or try reinstalling node.js and npm on your system.

Once the installation is completed, you can start your development server by typing:

npm run dev

And it should run smoothly without any errors.

Conclusion

By implementing these solutions, you're well-equipped to overcome the 'next' is not recognized error and continue yourself on a successful Next.js development journey. Happy Coding!