Best working NextJS + Sanity guide? Paid course vs outdated templates

I understand your frustration with outdated templates – this is a common pain point in the rapidly evolving Next.js/Sanity ecosystem. The good news is you don't need to pay for that Udemy course to get started with a working Next.js + Sanity setup.

Current State of Official Resources

The official Sanity templates page has been recently updated with modern starters that work with current versions. Specifically, check out:

Clean Next.js + Sanity app - This is the official, actively maintained starter featuring:

• Next.js 15 (latest version)
• App Router architecture
• Sanity Studio v3
• Visual Editing with Live Content API
• One-click Vercel deployment

Schema UI - Next.js Sanity Starter - A more comprehensive option with:

• Next.js 15, Tailwind CSS, shadcn/ui
• Production-ready components with matching Sanity schemas
• Live editing capabilities

These are battle-tested and maintained, unlike many community templates that haven't kept pace with Next.js 13+ App Router changes.

About That Udemy Course

The Filip Jerga course you linked ("Next.JS with Sanity CMS - Serverless Blog App (w/ Vercel)") was last updated for Sanity v3 and Next.js 13. While the fundamentals remain relevant, there have been significant breaking changes since then:

• Next.js is now on v15 with route params requiring await
• Changes to how Draft Mode works
• Updates to the next-sanity package
• New API perspective defaults (changed to published not raw as of API v2025-02-19)

So while the course teaches concepts, you'd likely encounter version mismatches and need troubleshooting that isn't covered in the course material.

Better Learning Path (All Free)

1. Start with the official Clean Next.js template linked above - it includes everything you need and deploys in minutes

2. Use Sanity's official documentation for modern patterns - the App Router integration docs cover Visual Editing, draft mode, React Server Components, and more

3. Follow Sanity Learn courses at sanity.io/learn - these are kept current with the latest versions and cover real-world implementation

4. Join the Sanity community on Discord/Slack - incredibly helpful for troubleshooting specific issues

About HULL and Other Templates

You're right that HULL hasn't been updated for App Router patterns. The community has largely moved to simpler, more focused starters that are easier to maintain. The official templates are now the recommended starting point.

If you want something more full-featured than the clean starter, check out:

• Blog with Built-in Content Editing - Official template with instant previews
• SanityPress - Community favorite with Tailwind CSS and ready-to-use schemas
• Turbo Start Sanity - Battle-tested template from Roboto Studio

Bottom Line

Save your money. The official Clean Next.js + Sanity template or Schema UI starter will get you further than an outdated paid course. The Sanity documentation is excellent and free, and you'll be working with current best practices rather than patterns that need updating. If you hit specific issues, the community is very responsive and helpful.