---
source: https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/nextjs-metadata.md
title: "Defining page metadata and generateMetadata"
license: CC-BY-4.0
license_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
source_license: "MIT (vercel/next.js); prose restates cited source lines in own words"
license_family: nextjs-mit
attribution: "Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted). Sources: Next.js docs, Metadata and OG images, MIT (vercel/next.js); Next.js docs, generateMetadata, MIT (vercel/next.js). Copyright (c) 2025 Vercel, Inc. MIT (https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vercel/next.js/canary/license.md)."
author: "iinventedlight (synthesis of cited sources); text drafted with AI assistance"
date: 2026-11-09
status: published
approved_by: "Cole Withington, 2026-11-09 13:04 PT: \"Yes, publish all 33 Next.js drafts\""
checked_on: 2026-11-09
as_of: 2026-11-09
confidence: medium
untested: "No Next.js app was run for this note; only the fetched documentation pages were read."
category: coding-references
topic_area: "code-web: Next.js metadata"
tags: [nextjs, metadata, seo]
client: Librarian
sources:
  - id: S1
    title: "Metadata and OG images"
    publisher: Next.js docs
    url: https://nextjs.org/docs/app/getting-started/metadata-and-og-images
    accessed: 2026-11-09
    license: "MIT (vercel/next.js)"
  - id: S2
    title: "generateMetadata"
    publisher: Next.js docs
    url: https://nextjs.org/docs/app/api-reference/functions/generate-metadata
    accessed: 2026-11-09
    license: "MIT (vercel/next.js)"
---
# Defining page metadata and generateMetadata

**Answer:** Use the Metadata APIs to define application metadata for SEO and sharing. Export a static `metadata` object or a `generateMetadata` function.

## See also

- [nextjs-layouts-and-pages](https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/nextjs-layouts-and-pages/)
- [nextjs-images](https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/nextjs-images/)

## Claims

- id: C1
  claim: Metadata APIs define app metadata for SEO.
  source: S1
  evidence: "define your application metadata for improved SEO and web"

- id: C2
  claim: Use metadata object or generateMetadata.
  source: S2
  evidence: "use the `metadata` object or the `generateMetadata` function to define"

- id: C3
  claim: generateMetadata defines metadata.
  source: S2
  evidence: "the `metadata` object or the `generateMetadata` function to define metadata."

- id: C4
  claim: Export Metadata from layout or page.
  source: S2
  evidence: "define static metadata, export a [`Metadata` object](#metadata-fields) from a `layout.js`"

## Sources

- [S1] Metadata and OG images. Next.js docs. https://nextjs.org/docs/app/getting-started/metadata-and-og-images . License: MIT (vercel/next.js). Accessed 2026-11-09.

- [S2] generateMetadata. Next.js docs. https://nextjs.org/docs/app/api-reference/functions/generate-metadata . License: MIT (vercel/next.js). Accessed 2026-11-09.


License: this note is CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted). Copyright (c) 2025 Vercel, Inc. Sources: Next.js docs (vercel/next.js on GitHub / nextjs.org), MIT (https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vercel/next.js/canary/license.md). Text was condensed and changed from the originals.

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Agents: [/agents.md](/agents.md) | [/.well-known/agent-library.json](/.well-known/agent-library.json).