What is Server Side Rendering (SSR)?

Server Side Rendering (SSR) is a technique used in web development to improve the performance and user experience of a website or web application. It involves generating the HTML markup on the server side and sending it to the client’s web browser, as opposed to relying on the client’s browser to render the page.

Traditionally, web pages are rendered on the client side using JavaScript. This means that when a user requests a web page, the server sends an initial HTML file, which then triggers the client’s browser to fetch and execute JavaScript code to render the page. While this approach is suitable for smaller, single-page applications, it can result in longer load times and poor user experiences for larger, more complex websites.

SSR, on the other hand, performs the rendering process on the server side before sending the HTML markup to the client’s browser. This not only reduces the load on the client’s browser but also improves the initial load time, as the server is able to send a fully-rendered page straight away. This can result in faster page load times, improved search engine optimization (SEO), and better performance on low-powered devices or slow network connections.

SSR is commonly used in conjunction with frameworks and libraries such as React, Angular, and Vue.js. These technologies offer SSR capabilities to enable developers to pre-render web pages on the server side and deliver them to the client’s browser, providing all the benefits of server-side rendering without sacrificing the dynamic nature of modern web applications.

Overall, Server Side Rendering (SSR) is a powerful technique that can significantly enhance the performance and user experience of web applications. By generating the HTML markup on the server side, developers can improve load times, SEO, and overall user experience, making it an essential tool for building fast and efficient web applications.