Next.js 16 stabilizes Turbopack as the default bundler, delivering 2-5× faster production builds and 10× faster hot reloading. The release introduces Cache Components with explicit opt-in caching via the 'use cache' directive, replacing implicit caching for more predictable behavior. AI-assisted debugging arrives through Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration in DevTools, enabling AI agents to access unified logs and suggest fixes. The update includes React Compiler support for automatic memoization, enhanced routing with layout deduplication, and replaces middleware.ts with proxy.ts. Breaking changes include requiring Node.js 20.9+, removing AMP support, and making params/searchParams async.
Table of contents
Turbopack: The rust-based bundlerCache components: Explicit performance controlNext.js DevTools MCP: AI-assisted debuggingOther notable features and improvementsBreaking changes and upgrade guideTo upgradeConclusionRelated BlogsSort: