Advantages of NextJS Over React: 6 Points to Consider

Next.js is a powerful framework built on top of React that offers a lot of advantages over using React on its own. In this tutorial, we will discuss six reasons why Next.js is better than React.

1. Server-Side Rendering (SSR):
One of the biggest advantages of Next.js over React is its built-in support for server-side rendering. With React, rendering happens on the client side, which can lead to slower page load times and poorer SEO performance. However, with Next.js, pages are pre-rendered on the server and then sent to the client, resulting in faster load times and better SEO rankings. This is especially important for websites that require dynamic content or personalized user experiences.

2. Automatic Code Splitting:
Next.js comes with built-in support for automatic code splitting, which allows you to split your code into smaller chunks that can be loaded on demand. This can greatly improve the performance of your website, as only the code that is needed for a specific page or component is loaded, rather than loading everything at once. This can lead to faster load times and a better overall user experience.

3. Built-In Routing:
Another advantage of Next.js is its built-in routing system, which simplifies the process of creating and managing routes in your application. With React, you would typically need to use a separate library, such as React Router, to handle routing. However, Next.js comes with its own routing system that is easy to use and requires minimal configuration. This can save you time and effort when building complex applications with multiple pages and routes.

4. Static Site Generation (SSG):
In addition to server-side rendering, Next.js also supports static site generation, which allows you to generate static HTML files for your website at build time. This can be useful for websites that have content that does not change frequently, as it can improve performance and reduce the load on your server. With Next.js, you have the flexibility to choose between server-side rendering and static site generation, depending on the needs of your project.

5. Image Optimization:
Next.js comes with built-in support for image optimization, which can help improve the performance of your website by reducing the size of image files and optimizing them for the web. This can lead to faster load times and a better overall user experience, especially for websites that have a lot of images. With Next.js, you can easily optimize images by using the component, which automatically generates optimized image formats and sizes based on the device and browser of the user.

6. Easy Deployment:
Deploying a React application can be a complex and time-consuming process, as you need to set up a server, configure build scripts, and manage deployment pipelines. However, with Next.js, you can easily deploy your application with just a few simple commands. Next.js supports a variety of deployment options, including Vercel, Netlify, and AWS, which make it easy to deploy your application to the web with minimal effort. This can save you time and headaches when it comes to deploying and managing your application in a production environment.

In conclusion, Next.js offers a lot of advantages over using React on its own, including built-in support for server-side rendering, automatic code splitting, built-in routing, static site generation, image optimization, and easy deployment. If you are looking to build fast, performant, and scalable web applications, Next.js is definitely worth considering as a framework for your project.