How can I build my app without pre-rendering pages? (app router)

[warped cargo]

I would like to create my app build it fails to build if my API is not running. Is that because Next.js by default tries to prerender the initial page? How can I opt out so that each request is fresh (nothing prerendered)? Or thats not recommended and I am missing something ... I am using Next 14 with App router.

[torn kernel]

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[granite plaza]

that's not recommended. don't call your own route handlers in server components. https://nextjs-faq.com/fetch-api-in-rsc

[warped cargo]

@granite plaza thanks for quick answer. I am using external API rather than next api routes, does it make any difference?

[granite plaza]

oh then it is different. restructure your workflow in such a way that guarantees the api is available during build. you don't simply take your api down whenever you build the app right?

[warped cargo]

yeah, that's probably the way to go. Thanks!

@granite plaza just out of curiosity what is the reason for failing to build? Is this because next.js is trying to prerender the page for the faster initial load?

[granite plaza]

yup. the page content is fetched and rendered at build time (static rendering). requests can simply consume the prebuilt content so it is significantly faster.

[warped cargo]

thanks for the answer. Then if data has changed since the build would they still get the static rendered page? or next js is smart enough to check that data has changed and will server updated one?