Turbopack in Next.js: The Next-Gen Build Tool for Faster Development

Let’s talk about something that can make your Next.js development experience a lot smoother—Turbopack. If you've ever felt like waiting for your app to build or reload is slowing you down, you’re not alone. Webpack has been the go-to for a long time, but now, we have something faster and more efficient. Enter Turbopack—the new build tool designed to make your development workflow seamless.

What is Turbopack?

Turbopack is a Rust-based bundler built by Vercel, the team behind Next.js. Unlike Webpack, which is written in JavaScript, Turbopack takes advantage of Rust’s speed and efficiency to make builds and refreshes significantly faster. It’s designed to handle modern web apps effortlessly, especially as your project scales.

Why Should You Care?

1. Faster Initial Builds – It prioritizes the most important files first, so you don’t have to wait forever for your app to start.

2. Improved Hot Module Replacement (HMR) – Your changes show up instantly, instead of waiting for a slow reload.

3. Better Code Splitting – Loads only what’s needed, keeping things efficient.

4. Parallel Processing – Uses multiple CPU cores for a massive speed boost.

5. Scales Easily – Handles large projects without slowing down.

6. Lower Memory Usage – More efficient than JavaScript-based bundlers like Webpack, leading to a more stable development environment.

7. Reduced CPU Workload – Uses a more optimized approach to only compile and bundle the necessary changes instead of reprocessing everything.

8. Smaller Bundle Sizes – Helps deliver leaner and faster-loading applications by removing unnecessary code more effectively.

How Turbopack Makes Next.js Faster

Faster Initial Build Time

With Webpack, your app needs to process everything before it can start, which can take a while—especially in larger projects. Turbopack is smarter about it. It only compiles what’s necessary first, meaning your app gets up and running in seconds rather than minutes.

For example, if you have a large project with multiple pages and components, Turbopack processes only the files needed for your immediate work instead of scanning the entire codebase. This targeted compilation saves time and makes the development experience much smoother.

Smarter Hot Module Replacement (HMR)

If you’ve ever made a small change to a file and had to wait a few seconds before seeing the update, you know how frustrating that can be. Turbopack speeds up HMR by processing only the modified files instead of rebuilding everything. This means refresh times go from a couple of seconds to just a few milliseconds.

Turbopack also introduces a more intelligent way to detect changes. It efficiently updates only the affected dependencies, reducing unnecessary re-renders and improving developer feedback speed.

Uses Less Memory

Since Turbopack is built with Rust, it’s much more memory-efficient than Webpack. Less memory usage means fewer crashes, a smoother development experience, and faster dependency resolution. This is especially beneficial when working on large applications with many dependencies.

Incremental Compilation

Unlike Webpack, which rebuilds entire sections of your app when you make a change, Turbopack remembers what’s already been built and updates only what’s necessary. This makes subsequent builds up to 95% faster.

Turbopack also does a better job of caching previously built assets, so when you restart your development server, it doesn’t have to rebuild everything from scratch. This significantly speeds up the startup process.

Smarter Code Splitting

Turbopack ensures that only the essential files are loaded per request, making page loads much faster. If your app has a lot of components and dependencies, this can be a game-changer for performance. Additionally, Turbopack improves tree shaking, meaning unused code is removed more efficiently, leading to smaller bundles and better performance.

It also optimizes assets by intelligently prioritizing critical scripts and deferring non-essential ones, making the end-user experience smoother.

Better DX (Developer Experience)

One of the most significant advantages of Turbopack is its impact on developer experience (DX). Faster refresh times, smoother builds, and lower memory usage mean developers can focus on writing code rather than waiting for the app to reload. The near-instant feedback loop dramatically improves productivity and overall workflow.

Debugging also becomes easier because Turbopack provides more granular control over error reporting and reloading strategies, reducing the risk of disruptive build failures.

How to Use Turbopack in Next.js 15

If you’re on Next.js 15, you can start using Turbopack with just one command:

next dev --turbo

Or, if you want it to be the default in your project, update your package.json:

{
  "scripts": {
    "dev": "next dev --turbo"
  }
}

Setting Up a New Project with Turbopack in Next.js 15

Want to see Turbopack in action? Try this:

npx create-next-app@latest my-turbo-app
cd my-turbo-app
npm install
npm run dev --turbo

That’s it—your project is now running on Turbopack, and you’ll immediately notice the difference in speed.

Should You Switch to Turbopack?

If you’re working on a Next.js project, the answer is yes. Here’s why:

• Development feels much snappier.

• Your machine uses less memory.

• Hot Module Replacement is instant.

• Your app scales without slowing down.

• Startup and rebuild times are significantly reduced, helping you iterate faster.

However, it’s worth noting that Turbopack is still under active development. Some Webpack-specific plugins and configurations may not yet be fully supported. If you rely on custom Webpack settings, it’s a good idea to test compatibility before switching completely.

Wrapping Up

Turbopack is a huge step forward for Next.js. It makes development faster, smoother, and more efficient by leveraging Rust’s speed and smart optimizations. Whether you're working on a small project or a massive enterprise app, it’s worth trying out.

If you're still using Webpack, now is the time to experiment with Turbopack and see how much faster your workflow can be. Try enabling it in your Next.js 15 project and experience the performance boost firsthand!

- Jagadhiswaran devaraj