Next.js 16: What’s new, and what it means for frontend devs

Next.js 16 focuses on performance improvements and better developer experience rather than flashy new features. The release introduces Cache Components for explicit caching control, Next.js DevTools MCP for AI-assisted debugging, and replaces middleware.ts with proxy.ts for clearer request handling. Additional enhancements include Turbopack as the default bundler, improved build metrics, and React 19.2 support, making development faster and more transparent.