Why use Next.js?

Jun 19, 2023

Next.js is a powerful JavaScript framework built on top of React. It introduces several features and concepts that not only supplement React but also introduce new abilities, such as server-side rendering (SSR), static site generation (SSG), automatic routing, and built-in API capabilities. But why should you choose Next.js for your next web application? Let's delve deeper.

Improved Performance

One of the key advantages of Next.js lies in its performance. With Next.js, every page is pre-rendered, generating HTML on the server, resulting in faster page load times. This can be particularly beneficial for users with slow network connections.

Consider a standard React app that gets data from an API. With React, the process of fetching data occurs on the client-side:

In contrast, Next.js allows us to fetch and incorporate this data at build time:

By using the getStaticProps function in Next.js, we can fetch data at build time, improving the performance of our application by serving pre-rendered HTML.

SEO Friendly

Next.js provides out-of-the-box support for server-side rendering, which is known to improve SEO because search engine crawlers can more efficiently index each page.

Easier Routing

Next.js includes file-system based routing, meaning it's easy to create new pages and routes. With React, you need to install and set up a third-party library like react-router but with Next.js, any file inside the pages directory is a route.

Here's how simple it is to create a new page in Next.js:

By creating an about.js file in the pages directory, you've already set up your /about route.

Developer Experience

Next.js is developer-friendly with features like hot code reloading, automatic code-splitting, and good error handling. It also requires zero configuration to get started.

Hot Code Reloading

In Next.js, hot code reloading is a standard feature. This means that whenever you make changes to your code and save, those changes are immediately reflected in your application without a full page refresh. This live reloading not only saves time but also maintains the state of your components, which greatly improves the developer experience.

Automatic Code-Splitting

Next.js enhances application performance by automatically splitting code. This means every import you declare gets bundled and served with each page. This allows for faster page loads as users only load the code necessary for the page they're visiting. Code splitting is a great feature for developing large scale applications as it minimizes the impact of codebase size on load time.

// pages/about.js
import AboutContent from '../components/AboutContent'

export default function About( ) {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>About Us</h1>
      <AboutContent/>
    </div>
  )
}

In this example, the AboutContent component will only be loaded when visiting the /about page.

Good Error Handling

Next.js has excellent built-in error handling. If an error arises, Next.js displays an error overlay in your application, making it easy to understand and locate the issue. This feature is invaluable and greatly speeds up the debugging process. The stack trace provided is easy to understand and directly points to the line where the error occurred.

// An error would be displayed in your app if there's an issue with your code
export default function Home( ) {
  throw new Error("This is a sample error for demonstration purposes.")
  return <h1>Hello, Next.js!</h1>
}

Zero Configuration to Get Started

One of the main appeals of Next.js is the ease of setting up a new project. It requires zero configuration to get started, meaning you don't have to spend time setting up Webpack or Babel — they're preconfigured for you. Here's how easy it is to start a new Next.js project:

npx create-next-app@latest

Simply run this command in your terminal, and you're off to the races with a new Next.js application.

To sum up, Next.js provides a stellar developer experience by implementing features that enhance productivity, optimize performance, and streamline the debugging process. Its easy setup, combined with its automatic code-splitting, hot reloading, and robust error handling, make Next.js a delightful framework for developers.

While this isn't an exhaustive list of Next.js benefits, it gives a solid overview of why you might consider Next.js for your next project. From the SEO improvements that come with server-side rendering to the developer-friendly features, Next.js offers compelling reasons to be adopted into your technology stack.

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