ReactJS VS NextJS

Though they are related, and in my perspective, like father and son, ReactJs and NextJs have several distinct characteristics as frontend technologies that are now widely used.

This article was inspired by the HNG internship program; this internship attempts to simulate an actual fast-paced tech working environment in which tasks are shipped out on a regular basis and are expected to be completed on or before deadlines, and failure to submit before the deadline results in being kicked out of the program. They offer a certification that may be obtained by subscribing to the HNG premium and completing stage 10 of the program. I aspire to make it to the final stage and build as many awesome things as possible along the road while honing my frontend talents.

Enough of HNG, let's get back to why we're here. ReactJS vs. NextJS. React is a Javascript Library (Libraries are intended to handle certain challenges in programming) developed by Facebook (Meta) for creating user interfaces (UI). React employs a functional programming style in which pure functions are used to solve complex issues. It also employs components, which are similar to basic building blocks integrated to produce the end product (UI).

On the other side, Vercel created NextJS, which is a React framework (a framework that strives to give everything required to design a complete application, including instructions). Next, utilize the same functional programming technique as React, but also use components to build the UI. As previously stated, it is a React framework, which is why I referred to them as father and child; there are small differences between these two frontend web technologies. So, what are the distinctions, you may ask?

First let's talk about the peculiarities of each frontend technology, starting with React.

Reacts Peculiarities:

The following are some of the unique features provided by React js, but they are not exhaustive.

• Component-Based Architecture: React employs a component-based approach to developing web applications, which entails dividing the UI's content into smaller pieces that can then be assembled to form the entire web app. This approach is advantageous because it facilitates code maintenance, reuse, and avoids code repetition (DRY codes).

• JSX (Javascript XML): React employs JSX, an extension that allows you to write HTML-like code in JavaScript. This method or strategy focuses development in Javascript, React also provides a method (BABEL) that enable the browser translate JSX to Javascript that it understands. Here's a brief description of what JSX code looks like.
  

const element = <h1>Hello, world!</h1>;

• Virtual DOM: The Virtual DOM (Document Object Model) is a replicate of the browser's actual DOM. It helps to minimize the amount of interaction with the DOM and updates just the contents that need to be updated on the browser DOM, resulting in a faster browser reload time.

NextJS peculiarities:

Let's now look at some NextJS peculiarities. As previously said, NextJS is a React framework, which means that it supports all of the features that React does. However, there are a few characteristics that should be highlighted.

• File-Based Routing: NextJS enables file-based routing, which is essentially page routing using the name of the file as the route to the page. In contrast to React, which relies on external libraries for page routing, NextJS does this automatically. This is one nice aspect of NextJS because it takes away the burden of setting up routes on your own while still getting the routes to be completely functioning.

• Server-Side Rendering (SSR): Here's a brief description of how SSR operates. When someone visits a website, the web page is fully built on the server side before being delivered to the client side or the visitor's perspective. This leads to faster initial load time, improved SEO, and the ability to display dynamic information.

• API Routes: NextJS is a frontend framework, but when API routes are enabled, it helps to create backend functionality within the framework, which helps to handle requests sent to the frontend of the web app. API routes work similarly to file-based routing, accepting data, processing it, and returning responses.

ReactJS vs NextJS Comparison

After all these peculiarities offered by these two frontend technologies, how do you choose which to use over which??

Well, as I previously stated, the similarity between React and Next is similar to that of a father and a child, and Next is a React framework, Next is obviously designed to provide more simple methods of completing jobs than React. Routing, for example, is handled automatically in NextJS, whereas in React, routing must be accomplished through the use of additional routing libraries such as React Router, which must also be understood in order to be utilized.

NextJS also allows both client-side and server-side rendering, whereas React only supports client-side rendering. NextJS's client-side rendering makes SEO (search engine optimization) easier to do, but SEO in React requires more effort.

React is a Javascript library designed primarily for constructing user interfaces, whereas NextJS is an upgraded version of React that not only considers UI development but also ensures that the web project runs smoothly and with minimal stress.

In conclusion, React is a powerful Javascript library that is used for creating user interfaces and serves as the foundation for developing modern web applications. Despite its power, more effort is still required to create a fully optimized web app. NextJS, on the other hand, is a React-based framework that enhances React's existing features while also adding additional features that focus not only on building UI but also on providing a good developer experience.