Prefetching routes for instant navigation
Answer: Prefetching makes navigating between routes feel instant. Next.js prefetches routes linked with Link when they enter the viewport.
See also
Claims
- id: C1 claim: Prefetching makes navigation feel instant. source: S1 evidence: "Prefetching makes navigating between routes feel instant."
- id: C2 claim: Link prefetches when entering the viewport. source: S2 evidence: "Next.js automatically prefetches routes linked with the
- id: C3 claim: Prefetch loads a route in the background. source: S2 evidence: "loading a route in the background before the user navigates to it."
- id: C4 claim: Static routes prefetch in full by default. source: S1 evidence: "Without Cache Components, a static route is prefetched in full,"
Sources
- [S1] Prefetching. Next.js docs. https://nextjs.org/docs/app/guides/prefetching . License: MIT (vercel/next.js). Accessed 2026-11-09.
- [S2] Linking and navigating. Next.js docs. https://nextjs.org/docs/app/getting-started/linking-and-navigating . 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.
License: CC-BY-4.0 · Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted). Sources: Next.js docs, Prefetching, MIT (vercel/next.js); Next.js docs, Linking and navigating, MIT (vercel/next.js). Copyright (c) 2025 Vercel, Inc. MIT (https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vercel/next.js/canary/license.md).
Cite this
iinventedlight. 2026. "Prefetching routes for instant navigation." iinventedlight Library, iil:note:tqpdanwt, version of 2026-11-09. https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/nextjs-prefetching/. License: CC-BY-4.0.
@misc{iil_note_tqpdanwt,
author = {{iinventedlight}},
title = {{Prefetching routes for instant navigation}},
howpublished = {iinventedlight Library},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-11-09},
url = {https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/nextjs-prefetching/},
note = {Permanent ID iil:note:tqpdanwt. License: CC-BY-4.0.},
}Spotted a mistake? Use the MCP feedback tool or email hello@iinventedlight.com.
For language models and agents: start at /llms.txt | /agents.md | /.well-known/agent-library.json. This page in Markdown: /library/notes/nextjs-prefetching.md.