prefer-nextjs-13-minor-performance-milestone

What it flags

Flags workflows that visibly run next build when the repository depends on Next.js 13.0, 13.1, or 13.2.

The rule recommends 13.3.x as the generic 13.x CI/build target. It intentionally does not recommend 13.4.x for every repository because 13.4 is more about App Router and Server Components stabilization than a broad build-performance milestone.

Why it matters

Next.js 13.x had several CI-relevant minor releases.

13.1: built-in module transpilation, SWC import-resolution, memory, HMR, chunking, and Turbopack improvements
13.2: Next.js Cache beta, Rust MDX parser, route handlers, and better error overlay behavior
13.3: App Router static export support, routing features, and file-based metadata improvements that can matter for static-heavy builds
13.4: App Router stable and Server Components stabilization, which is important when adopting that architecture but less directly a generic CI speed target

For repositories below 13.3, upgrading to 13.3.x is a narrower minor-version step than jumping major versions and avoids pushing 13.4 unless App Router stability is the actual reason.

Current heuristic

The rule requires both:

a detectable next dependency in root package.json
a workflow job that visibly runs next build

It does not flag Next.js 13.3 or newer.

When to ignore it

Ignore this finding when:

the project is intentionally pinned below 13.3 for compatibility reasons
the visible workflow job does not represent a meaningful Next.js production build
the repository is specifically migrating App Router behavior and wants to evaluate 13.4.x instead
the team is already planning a validated major-version migration

Suggested verification