Selling online is often more complex than it needs to be. Setting up a storefront with great performance can feel daunting and time-consuming. There are many plugins, libraries, etc - the choice can be overwhelming.
Plus, in e-commerce, the backend and frontend are often written in different languages (e.g., PHP, Python, or Ruby for the backend). This increases the complexity and makes code management more challenging, especially for teams.
After working in e-commerce for several years, Michał and I set out to build the fastest and most compelling storefront for small to medium-sized merchants. Fast e-commerce sites are crucial because slow pages hurt sales [1]. Unfortunately, performance issues are still very common. The beauty of Your Next Store is its simplicity. No additional tools and no databases - just Next.js and Stripe.
On the technical side, we use App Router, React Server Component, Partial Pre-Rendering, Optimistic Updates, and Streaming with Suspense to make the store faster and leaner so it feels almost like a static website.
In summary:
Modern & Popular Stack: Built with Next.js, React.js, and TypeScript, making development faster and hiring easier compared to platforms that use less common frameworks like Shopify’s Liquid.
No Database Needed: Stripe handles the backend, reducing the need for complex infrastructure and simplifying the setup process.
Open Source: Free and open (AGPL), with the option for a commercial license if needed.
This is just the beginning. We want to make YNS even better and easier to use and eventually provide a good, open-source alternative to Shopify.
Check our code at https://github.com/yournextstore/yournextstore
We’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback! What features would you like to see next?
[1]: https://www.deloitte.com/ie/en/services/consulting/research/...