Development

Next.js

Next.js is a React-based full-stack framework for web development that provides server-side rendering, static site generation and API routes out of the box.

Next.js has established itself as the leading React framework for production web applications. Developed by Vercel, it combines React’s flexibility with powerful features like server-side rendering, static site generation and API routes in one framework. Companies like Netflix, TikTok, Twitch and Hulu use Next.js to deliver fast, SEO-friendly and scalable web experiences.

What is Next.js?

Next.js is an open-source framework built on React that simplifies web development. It offers several rendering strategies: server-side rendering (SSR) for dynamic, SEO-optimized pages, static site generation (SSG) for maximum performance on static content, and incremental static regeneration (ISR) as a hybrid. Since version 13 Next.js uses the App Router with React Server Components, which can render parts of the app on the server and send minimal JavaScript to the client. Built-in features include image optimization, font optimization, automatic code splitting and file-based routing. With API routes and server actions, backend logic and database access can be implemented directly in the Next.js project.

How does Next.js work?

Next.js uses file-based routing: each file in the app/ directory corresponds to a route. On page request Next.js decides based on configuration whether to render on the server (SSR), serve from cache (SSG/ISR) or render on the client. React Server Components run on the server by default and send ready HTML to the browser; client components add interactivity. Middleware can intercept requests for authentication, redirects or A/B tests. The build system optimizes images, bundles JavaScript and generates static pages where possible.

Practical Examples

Corporate website: SEO-optimized marketing pages with SSG, blog with Markdown/MDX and contact form with server actions.

E-commerce frontend: Product pages with ISR for current prices and availability, SSR for personalized recommendations and fast load via image optimization.

SaaS dashboard: Authenticated dashboard with server components for data-heavy tables and client components for interactive charts and filters.

Blog platform: Statically generated articles for maximum speed, dynamic comments via client-side rendering and automatic sitemap generation.

Intranet portal: Employee portal with middleware-based authentication, API routes for internal services and SSR for current data.

Typical Use Cases

SEO-critical websites: SSR and SSG deliver fully rendered HTML for search engines

Content-heavy sites: Blogs, docs and marketing benefit from SSG and fast load

Full-stack web apps: API routes and server actions allow backend logic without a separate server

E-commerce: Product pages with ISR stay current without re-rendering on every request

Dashboard apps: React Server Components reduce JavaScript sent to the client for data-heavy views

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

Strong performance: Automatic code splitting, image optimization and SSG for fast load
SEO-friendly: SSR delivers full HTML that search engines can crawl well
Full-stack: API routes and server actions allow backend logic in the same project
Strong ecosystem: Large React community, extensive docs and smooth Vercel integration
Flexible rendering: SSR, SSG, ISR and client rendering can be combined per route

Disadvantages

Vercel proximity: Some features (edge functions, caching) are best optimized on Vercel
Learning curve: App Router, server components and rendering strategies need getting used to
Build time: Large projects with many static pages can have long build times
Opinionated: Next.js imposes structure and conventions that differ from plain React

Frequently Asked Questions about Next.js

What is the difference between Next.js and React?

React is a UI library for building interfaces. Next.js is a framework on top of React that adds routing, server-side rendering, API routes, image optimization and more. React alone only renders in the browser (client-side); Next.js also supports SSR and static generation.

When should I use Next.js instead of a SPA like Create React App?

Next.js is better when SEO matters (blogs, e-commerce, marketing), when performance is critical or when you need backend logic in the same project. A plain SPA is enough for internal tools or apps behind login where SEO does not matter.

Can I host Next.js without Vercel?

Yes. Next.js runs on any Node.js-capable platform: AWS (EC2, Lambda, Amplify), Docker, DigitalOcean, Railway or self-hosted. SSG pages can even be served as static files from a CDN. Some features like edge middleware work less well outside Vercel.

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