Reactjs vs Nextjs - Tutorial45

Today, we’re discussing a comparative analysis between two popular JavaScript libraries — Reactjs and Nextjs. Despite being built on the same foundation, they vary considerably in usability, feature set, and performance optimization.

Understanding Reactjs and Next.js

Reactjs, or just React, is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. Reactjs allows you to build user interfaces from distinct elements known as components, and you can even design your own React components.

Next.js is a framework for creating web applications based on page-based routing. It is quite intuitive. It is constructed using Babel, Webpack, and React. For websites using server-side rendering (SSR) and static generation (SSG), NextJS offers capabilities and optimizations. Developers can use React components to build user interfaces with NextJS.

Setting Up: Reactjs vs. Next.js

Reactjs

You can use Linux, Windows, or macOS as your operating system, and you must have Node.js version 10.16.0 installed to meet the requirements. It helps to know the essentials of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The basic code and dependencies will be downloaded into the specified project directory. To see the necessary steps to set up Reactjs, check out this official React document here.

Next.js

The setup process is similar to what was previously described for Reactjs. Please see the official Next.js instructions here.

Server-Side Rendering in Next.js

Server-side rendering (SSR) is a technique that generates a web page on a server and not in the browser.

In server-side rendering, the server builds the user interface displayed on your screen instead of your browser. When an application loads, converting the browser’s user interface is unnecessary. Instead, it is received from the server, which is already produced. The HTML is created with each request if a page employs server-side rendering.

Routing: A Comparative Analysis

A critical aspect of web development is routing, which determines how an application’s UI responds to different URLs. Before comparing them, we would look at routing from Reactjs and Next.js angles and their key aspects.

Reactjs Routing

Reactjs routing uses third-party libraries, such as React Router Dom. The React Router is a simple and direct approach to building routes in a React application. You can define route configurations and create components based on those routes. Key aspects of Reactjs routing:

Routes are defined in a declarative manner, making it simple to understand the application’s navigation structure.
React Router supports nested routes, allowing you to create a complex UI structure with multiple levels of navigation.

NextJS Routing

NextJS, as a React-based framework, streamlines routing by including a file-system-based routing mechanism.

Routes are easily generated based on the file system, promoting a straightforward and intuitive approach to routing.
Next.js automatically splits code, loading only the necessary components for each route and optimizing performance.

Routing: Comparative Analysis
Aspect	Reactjs	Nextjs
Ease of use	Requires additional libraries, like React Router, for routing configuration.	Simplifies routing by leveraging the file system, reducing the need for explicit route configuration.
File System Router	Does not have built-in file-based routing.	Leverages a system based on a file system, thereby rendering it intuitive and effortless to manage.
API Routes	Requires setting up a separate server for the backend/API.	Leverages a system based on a file system, rendering it intuitive and effortless to manage.

Data Fetching Strategies

Choosing the appropriate data fetching strategy depends on the nature of your application’s requirements and user experience. These are data-fetching strategies for React and Next.js.

Client-side rendering (CSR)

Client-side rendering is commonly used in React applications, where initial rendering happens on the client side. NextJS supports client-side rendering by default, but you must handle data fetching in React components. The client-side rendering is more suitable for smaller applications where initial load time is not critical.

Server-side rendering (SSR)

React needs to use frameworks like NextJS or tools like ReactDOMServer for server-side rendering, while NextJs has built-in support for server-side rendering, making the process simple. Server-side rendering enhances performance and SEO, making it suitable for content-heavy and dynamic applications.

Static Site Generation (SSG)

Static site generation is possible in React with tools like Gatsby, while NextJS offers easy integration for improved performance and SEO benefits. Static site generation is ideal for content that stays mostly the same, providing fast page loads.

Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR)

Implementing ISR in ReactJS is possible with frameworks like NextJS, which provides ISR capabilities.
Incremental static regeneration is useful for frequently changing content and maintaining the benefits of static generation.

Prefetching

Using ReactJS, you can use ‘react-query’ or ‘react-loadable’ for manual prefetching. NextJS has automatic prefetching of linked pages as a built-in feature for improved navigation. Prefetching helps improve user experience by loading data in the background.

Performance Considerations

React, and NextJS have different performance attributes. React relies on client-side rendering, which makes it faster for smaller applications to load initially but slower for larger ones. React allows you to load only the necessary code for a particular route but requires manual configuration.

For faster initial page load times, NextJS uses server-side rendering. While it might not be suitable for changeable components, its Static Site Generation (SSG) ensures quick load times for static content. Dynamic content regeneration at runtime is made possible using incremental static regeneration. Next.js is designed for reduced initial loads through automatic code splitting, requiring less user control than React. While automatic routing simplifies navigation, it might not be as adaptable for complex routing requirements.

NextJS offers a simplified, opinionated approach for better conventional performances, while React provides more versatility with its manual optimization requirements. The decision comes down to your development preferences, scalability concerns, and project needs.

SEO Friendliness: React vs. Next.js

Due to slow content rendering, search engine crawlers can encounter difficulties using React, which relies on client-side rendering. You can use prerendering or server-side rendering in React to achieve the best SEO results. Next.js connects with static site generation, creating static HTML files throughout the building phase, thereby increasing SEO performance. Nextjs’ incremental static regeneration functionality enables runtime regeneration of dynamic content without risking SEO advantages.

Next.js has built-in features like Server-Side Rendering, Static Site Generation, and Incremental Static Regeneration, making it a more convenient and naturally SEO-friendly option for web development. However, React may be made SEO-friendly by manually implementing SSR.

Community and Ecosystem

React, a widely used JavaScript library to build user interfaces has an extensive and active community. It offers a range of resources, including comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and an extensive ecosystem of third-party libraries and tools. The React ecosystem is known for its collaborative environment, and you can use various resources, forums, and meetups to get help and share information.

As a React-based framework, Next.js gains from the React ecosystem while simultaneously contributing to its own. The Next.js community is rapidly expanding, creating a helpful environment for developers. Next.js has grown in popularity because of its distinctive features, such as Server-Side Rendering (SSR), Static Site Generation (SSG), and Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR). The framework includes targeted documentation, community forums, and a GitHub repository where developers can actively contribute.

React, and Next.js have strong communities that contribute to their ecosystems. So you can get various knowledge, tools, and assistance to improve your projects and stay updated on recent web design and development developments.

Making a choice: When to Use React or Next.js

The decision between React and Next.js comes down to the specific needs of your project. React is the ideal framework for developing dynamic user interfaces, whereas Next.js is good at providing great performance, SEO benefits, and efficient content management.

React is suitable if your application demands highly dynamic user interfaces and you do not have strict SEO requirements. But if SEO is a significant concern, Next.js offers a more natural SEO-friendly solution with built-in features like Server-Side Rendering, Static Site Generation, and Incremental Static Regeneration.

Case Studies and Examples

React Case Study

Building a Real-Time Chat Application

Challenge: Developing a responsive and real-time chat application that could handle numerous concurrent users.

Solution with React:

Utilized React for the dynamic and interactive user interface.
Integrated WebSocket for real-time communication.

Outcome: The React-based solution delivered a highly responsive and engaging chat application, demonstrating the framework’s capability to manage complex user interactions.

Next.js Case Study

Building an E-Commerce Platform with SEO Focus

Challenge: Creating an e-commerce platform that needed optimal SEO performance for product visibility.

Solution with Next.js:

Leveraged Next.js for Server-Side Rendering (SSR) to enhance SEO.
Implemented Static Site Generation (SSG) for product pages to ensure fast loading times.
Used Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR) for dynamic content, preserving SEO advantages.

Outcome: The Next.js solution significantly improved SEO performance, leading to better search engine rankings and increased visibility for the e-commerce platform.

You can use Next.js to create applications such as e-commerce, marketing websites, and simple landing pages. React can create social media applications or streaming services like Netflix or YouTube.

These case studies highlight the strengths of React in dynamic user interactions and Next.js in SEO-centric applications. The choice depends on the specific requirements and priorities of the project.

Conclusion: Choosing the Right Tool for Your Project

The decision between React and Next.js indicates a variety of alternatives. If speed, SEO effectiveness, and fast static site production are vital, Next.js is a better option. React, on its own, works well in cases where manual Server-Side Rendering is appropriate for the project’s specific requirements. Finally, the appropriate tool seamlessly connects with your project’s requirements, providing an equal balance of performance, SEO optimization, and development ease.