Let’s debunk a persistent myth: Next.js isn’t just for SEO-obsessed marketing sites. Many teams assume React + Vite is better for single-page applications (SPAs) or highly interactive apps. But Next.js solves critical performance issues that React + Vite can’t address efficiently. Here’s why:
The Double Round-Trip Problem
How React + Vite Fails
In a typical React + Vite setup:
- Client downloads JavaScript bundle first
- Bundle parses → triggers client-side data fetching
- User waits again for data → content renders
This creates a network waterfall:
Download JS → Parse JS → Fetch Data → Render
.
Even with lazy loading:
// React + Vite lazy loading example
const Dashboard = lazy(() => import('./Dashboard'));
- Client still fetches route JS first before data requests
- Double round-trips persist for every lazy-loaded route
Next.js’s Server-Side Solution
// Next.js Server Component (zero client JS)
async function Dashboard() {
const data = await fetchData(); // Server-side fetch
return <Chart data={data} />;
}
- Initial fetch on server: HTML + data sent in one round-trip
- No client-side waterfalls: Server-rendered HTML arrives ready-to-display
- Bundle size reduced by ~30-60% (server components don’t ship JS)
Streaming & Progressive Hydration
Wrap slow components in :
export default function Page() {
return (
<>
<Header /> {/* Instantly visible */}
<Suspense fallback={<SkeletonLoader />}>
<Dashboard /> {/* Streams when ready */}
</Suspense>
</>
);
}
- Progressive loading: Users interact with static UI while dynamic parts load
Partial Prerendering (PPR) & Caching
// app/page.js
export const dynamicParams = false; // SSG for static parts
export const revalidate = 3600; // ISR every hour
async function DynamicSection() {
const data = await fetchPersonalizedData(); // SSR
return <UserProfile data={data} />;
}
- Edge caching: Frequently accessed data stored at CDN edge nodes
- RSC Payloads: Serialized server components cached between navigation
It means you're getting better: FCP, TTFB, TTI basically for FREE.
The Bottom Line
Next.js isn’t just a framework—it’s a performance-first architecture that rethinks how data and components load. Use it for almost any modern web app unless your environment strictly forbids server-side logic (like Chrome extensions). In those rare cases, React + Vite becomes the pragmatic choice.
TL;DR:
- Next.js for 95% of web apps (better UX, performance, scalability, and much more...)
- React + Vite in edge cases like Chrome extensions, embeddable widgets or ANY client-only execution environment
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Top comments (1)
You are mixing infrastructure features vs bundler and application data fetching. Don't get me wrong I use Next.js but Next.js being more effective in way you present it has nothing to do with Next.js but with Vercel platform. You can deploy React + Vite and have similar benefits.