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Getting Started with SvelteKit

By Mark •
sveltekittutorialwebdev

Getting Started with SvelteKit

Welcome to SvelteKit! If you're coming from Next.js, you'll find many familiar concepts but with some exciting differences.

What is SvelteKit?

SvelteKit is a framework for building web applications using Svelte. It provides:

  • File-based routing - Similar to Next.js's app router
  • Server-side rendering (SSR) - Just like Next.js
  • Static site generation (SSG) - Full control over prerendering
  • API routes - Build your backend alongside your frontend

Key Differences from Next.js

1. Reactivity without Virtual DOM

Svelte compiles your code to efficient JavaScript at build time. No virtual DOM diffing!

2. Less Boilerplate

Components are simpler and require less code:

<script>
  let count = 0;
</script>

<button on:click={() => count++}>
  Clicks: {count}
</button>

3. Load Functions

Instead of getServerSideProps or getStaticProps, SvelteKit uses load functions in +page.ts or +page.server.ts files.

Getting Started

Installing SvelteKit is straightforward:

npm create svelte@latest my-app
cd my-app
npm install
npm run dev

That's it! You're ready to build amazing web applications with SvelteKit.

Next Steps

Happy coding! 🚀