How do you handle global styles in the App Router?
Interviewer Expectations for this Question
01
Core Competency
Assesses fundamental understanding of Next.js conventions, runtime behavior, and memory/performance considerations.
02
Evaluation Criteria
Hiring managers look for precision, avoidance of ambiguous jargon, and ability to explain trade-offs under real production conditions.
Comprehensive Model Answer
Verified Solution
By creating a globals.css file in the app directory and importing it in the _app.js file.
/* app/globals.css */
body {
margin: 0;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto,
"Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif;
}
Then import it in your _app.js:
// app/_app.js
import "../globals.css";
export default function MyApp({ Component, pageProps }) {
return <Component {...pageProps} />;
}
Candidate Response Strategy & Interview Tips
- Start with a concise one-sentence summary: Deliver a direct, confident answer first before expanding into nuances.
- Demonstrate real-world trade-offs: Discuss where this approach excels and when you would avoid it in production systems.
- Discuss complexity & edge cases: Proactively explain time/space complexity or boundary conditions (null values, scale limits).
- Prepare for interviewer follow-ups: Technical hiring panels frequently probe deeper into concurrency, backward compatibility, or alternative libraries.