Next.js API Route Returns 404 on POST Request
Your Next.js API route returns 404 when making POST, PUT, DELETE requests, even though the route file exists. GET requests might work but other methods don't.
API routes fail when the handler function doesn't export HTTP method handlers, file structure doesn't match App Router conventions, or HTTP method routing is incorrect.
Error Messages You Might See
Common Causes
- Using page.ts instead of route.ts in API route directory
- Default export instead of named exports for HTTP methods (GET, POST, etc)
- Route file in pages directory (Pages Router) instead of app directory (App Router)
- Incorrect URL path matching route.ts file structure
- Missing HttpResponse wrapper in Vercel's Request/Response types
How to Fix It
Use route.ts: API routes must be named route.ts (not page.ts or api.ts) in app/api/your-route/ directory.
Export handlers: Export named async functions for each method:export async function GET(request: Request) { ... }
export async function POST(request: Request) { ... }
App Router pattern: For /api/users endpoint, create app/api/users/route.ts file.
Test with correct method: Verify fetch call uses correct method: fetch(url, { method: 'POST' })
Real developers can help you.
Yovel Cohen
I got a lot of experience in building Long-horizon AI Agents in production, Backend apps that scale to millions of users and frontend knowledge as well.
rayush33
JavaScript (React.js, React Native, Node.js) Developer with demonstrated industry experience of 4+ years, actively looking for opportunities to hone my skills as well as help small-scale business owners with solutions to technical problems
Simon A.
I'm a backend developer building APIs, emulators, and interactive game systems. Professionally, I've developed Java/Spring reporting solutions, managed relational and NoSQL databases, and implemented CI/CD workflows.
Costea Adrian
Embedded Engineer specilizing in perception systems. Latest project was a adas camera calibration system.
David Olverson
Solo dev shipping production apps with AI-assisted development. I specialize in rescuing broken Lovable/Bolt/Cursor builds and taking them to production. 10+ apps shipped including SaaS CRMs, gaming platforms, real estate tools, and Discord bots. Stack: Next.js 16, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, FastAPI, PostgreSQL, Prisma. I use Claude Code with 50+ custom skills for rapid delivery. Average turnaround: 2-4 weeks from broken prototype to production.
Kingsley Omage
Fullstack software engineer passionate about AI Agents, blockchain, LLMs.
Anthony Akpan
Developer with 8 years of experience building softwares fro startups
Taufan
I’m a product-focused engineer and tech leader who builds scalable systems and turns ideas into production-ready platforms.
Over the past years, I’ve worked across startups and fast-moving teams, leading backend architecture, improving system reliability, and shipping products used by thousands of users. My strength is not just writing code — but connecting product vision, technical execution, and business impact.
Matthew Butler
Systems Development Engineer @ Amazon Web Services
Richard McSorley
Full-Stack Software Engineer with 8+ years building high-performance applications for enterprise clients. Shipped production systems at Walmart (4,000+ stores), Cigna (20M+ users), and Arkansas Blue Cross. 5 patents in retail/supply chain tech. Currently focused on AI integrations, automation tools, and TypeScript-first architectures.
You don't need to be technical. Just describe what's wrong and a verified developer will handle the rest.
Get HelpFrequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between route.ts and page.ts?
page.ts renders UI components. route.ts handles HTTP requests and exports GET/POST/etc handlers.
How do I handle multiple HTTP methods?
Export named functions in route.ts: export async function GET() {...} export async function POST() {...}
Why does my POST work in Postman but not fetch?
Check fetch headers include 'Content-Type': 'application/json' and body is JSON.stringify(data).