| name | next-upgrade |
| version | 1.1.0 |
| description | Structured workflow for upgrading Next.js applications across major versions. Use when migrating a Next.js project from one major version to another (e.g., 13 to 14, 14 to 15, 15 to 16). Covers codemod automation, breaking change detection, incremental migration paths, and post-upgrade validation. |
| license | MIT |
| category | Frameworks |
| tags | ["nextjs","upgrade","migration","codemod","breaking-changes"] |
| agents | ["nextjs-pro","developer","devops"] |
| tools | ["Read","Write","Edit","Bash"] |
| invoked_by | Skill({ skill: 'next-upgrade' }) |
| user_invocable | true |
| metadata | {"author":"vercel-labs","source":"vercel-labs/next-skills"} |
| verified | true |
| lastVerifiedAt | "2026-02-22T00:00:00.000Z" |
| source | builtin |
| trust_score | 100 |
| provenance_sha | 26f89a058b387527 |
Next.js Upgrade Workflow
Structured 9-step workflow for upgrading Next.js applications across major versions. Handles codemod automation, dependency updates, breaking change resolution, and validation.
When to Apply
Use this skill when:
- Upgrading Next.js to a new major version (13, 14, 15, 16)
- Running codemods to automate breaking change migrations
- Resolving deprecation warnings in an existing Next.js project
- Planning an incremental migration path for large codebases
- Validating that an upgrade did not introduce regressions
9-Step Upgrade Workflow
Step 1: Detect Current Version
Identify the current Next.js version and target version.
cat package.json | grep '"next"'
node --version
Version Requirements:
| Next.js | Minimum Node.js | Minimum React |
|---|
| 13 | 16.14 | 18.2.0 |
| 14 | 18.17 | 18.2.0 |
| 15 | 18.18 | 19.0.0 |
| 16 | 20.0 | 19.0.0 |
Step 2: Create Upgrade Branch
git checkout -b upgrade/nextjs-{target-version}
Always upgrade on a dedicated branch. Never upgrade on main directly.
Step 3: Run Codemods
Use the official Next.js codemod CLI to automate breaking change migrations.
npx @next/codemod@latest upgrade latest
npx @next/codemod@latest upgrade 15
npx @next/codemod@latest upgrade 16
Key Codemods by Version:
Next.js 13 to 14
next-image-to-legacy-image -- Renames next/image imports to next/legacy/imagenext-image-experimental -- Migrates from next/legacy/image to new
