Next.js is an open-source development framework built on top of React.js, which allows developers to build static and server-side rendered applications. It is known for its capability to do Server-Side Rendering (SSR) right out-of-the-box.
What is Server-Side Rendering (SSR)?
Server-Side Rendering (SSR) is the process of rendering web pages on the server instead of the browser. SSR sends a fully rendered page to the client, hence the client's browser doesn't need to run JavaScript to render the page.
Why use Next.js for SSR?
Next.js gives you the best developer experience with all the features you need for production such as hybrid static & server rendering, TypeScript support, smart bundling, route pre-fetching, and more. It's optimized for production from the start.
// pages/index.js
function HomePage() {
return <div>Welcome to Next.js!</div>
}
export default HomePageThis code above demonstrates the simplicity of setting up a Next.js application.
The Benefits of SSR with Next.js
- Improved performance: SSR results in a faster First Contentful Paint (FCP) and can provide a better user experience.
- SEO friendly: With SSR, all the content is available from the get-go, and web crawlers can index your site for search engines effectively.
Conclusion
Next.js is an excellent tool for developers who want to build SSR applications with React. Its out-of-the-box capabilities significantly reduce the amount of setup and configuration required for SSR, making it a go-to solution for server-side rendered applications. Its benefits in performance improvement and being SEO friendly make it an excellent choice for production-grade applications.
