This phase covers the server-side aspects of Next.js — connecting to databases, building APIs, handling forms and validation, and integrating with third-party services. By the end of this phase, you’ll be able to build full-stack applications with Next.js as the backend.

• Phase 1: Fundamentals
• Phase 2: App Router
• Phase 3: Rendering & Data Fetching

Module	Topics	Description
1. Database Integration	4	Prisma, Drizzle, connection pooling, query patterns
2. Forms & Validation	3	Advanced forms, Zod schemas, React Hook Form
3. REST APIs & Route Handlers	3	CRUD APIs, security, third-party integration
4. Full Stack Architecture	3	File uploads, email, background jobs

• Connect Next.js to PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQLite databases
• Use Prisma and Drizzle ORMs for type-safe database access
• Build production-grade forms with validation
• Create secure REST APIs with Route Handlers
• Integrate third-party services (email, file storage, queues)

• Phase 2: App Router
• Phase 3: Rendering & Data Fetching
• Phase 5: Authentication