Introduction

Next MW – A Better Middleware Management for Next.js

Next.js offers a simple and efficient middleware system. However, it has a major limitation: there is only one middleware.ts file for the entire application.

The Problem: Only One Global Middleware

In Next.js, the middleware.ts file can only contain a single middleware, leading to several issues:

• You can't have multiple independent middlewares: all logic must be merged into a single function.
• Increasing complexity: adding features (auth, logs, rate-limiting, etc.) forces everything into one file, making maintenance difficult.
• Incompatibility with some libraries: integrating multiple external middlewares is challenging since they must be manually combined.

Easily Compose Multiple Middlewares

Next MW solves this issue by allowing you to compose multiple independent middlewares and execute them sequentially, while keeping full compatibility with Next.js' native middleware system.

Unlike Next.js, which forces you to use a single global middleware, Next MW lets you define multiple middlewares separately, each with its own matcher to target specific routes.

How Does It Work?

With Next MW, you can structure your code like this:

Then, you compose them in middleware.ts and execute them sequentially. Each middleware remains independent, with its own configuration and logic.

Why Use Next MW?

✅ Total modularity – No more bloated middleware.ts; each middleware is independent.

✅ Fully compatible with Next.js – Uses the native Next.js middleware system and matchers.

✅ Sequential execution – Middlewares run in order and stop as soon as one returns a response.

✅ Easy integration – Allows you to use multiple middlewares, including third-party ones, without complex hacks.

✅ TypeScript support – Written in TypeScript with proper type definitions.

✅ Compatible with App and Pages directory – Works with both the app and pages directories.

🚀 With Next MW, manage your middlewares in a clear, modular, and scalable way in Next.js!

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