Next.js Pages Router Sunset: The Incremental Path to App Router

By 2026, Next.js App Router has become the industry standard, making migration from legacy Pages Router an essential task for active projects. The key advantage is the incremental migration approach—both routers can coexist and function simultaneously, enabling developers to upgrade route-by-route without major disruptions. This practical guide demonstrates why understanding modern Next.js architecture, including server components and metadata exports, is now critical for maintaining competitive, performant applications.