Introduction
As web applications grow in complexity, developers constantly struggle to balance fast initial load times, SEO optimization, and dynamic interactivity. Traditional approaches like Static Site Generation (SSG), Server-Side Rendering (SSR), and Client-Side Rendering (CSR) each have trade-offs:
SSG: Extremely fast, but not flexible for dynamic data.
SSR: Flexible and SEO-friendly, but slower and more resource-heavy.
CSR: Great for interactivity, but bad for SEO and initial performance.
To solve these challenges, Next.js introduced Partial Prerendering (PPR) — a new rendering strategy that combines the speed of static rendering with the flexibility of server rendering, offering the best of both worlds.
What is Partial Prerendering (PPR)?
Partial Prerendering is a rendering technique in Next.js (currently experimental) that allows a page to:
Prerender static parts at build time (SSG-like).
Fetch and render dynamic parts on the server at request time (SSR-like).
Stream the page to the client progressively — static content first, dynamic parts as they resolve.
This means:
Users see content almost instantly (from static prerendering).
Dynamic data loads without blocking the whole page.
Performance and interactivity improve dramatically.
How Partial Prerendering Works
PPR splits a page into two zones:
Static Zone (Shell)
Prerendered at build time.
Always cached and instantly delivered.
Dynamic Zones (Islands)
Fetched and rendered on the server at request time.
Streamed into the static shell as they finish.
Example: Product Page with PPR
// app/product/[id]/page.tsx
import { Suspense } from 'react';
import ProductDetails from './ProductDetails';
import Reviews from './Reviews';
export default function Page({ params }) {
return (
<div>
<h1>Product Page</h1>
<Suspense fallback={<p>Loading product...</p>}>
<ProductDetails id={params.id} />
</Suspense>
<Suspense fallback={<p>Loading reviews...</p>}>
<Reviews id={params.id} />
</Suspense>
</div>
);
}
Static Content:
Product Page
→ prerendered at build time.Dynamic Content: and → fetched on the server when the user requests the page.
Streaming: Users instantly see the static shell, then product details and reviews stream in progressively.
Benefits of Partial Prerendering
- Blazing Fast Performance
Static parts load instantly, even on slow connections.
Dynamic parts don’t block rendering.
- Great for SEO
Search engines can crawl prerendered static content immediately.
Dynamic content still appears without requiring JavaScript.
- Better User Experience
Users don’t wait for the entire page to load.
Progressive loading feels faster and smoother.
- Reduced Server Load
Only dynamic sections require server rendering.
Static parts are cached and reused across all requests.
- Works with React 18 Features
Built on top of React Suspense and Streaming SSR.
Makes rendering more efficient and future-proof.
PPR vs SSR vs SSG
Feature SSR SSG PPR
Rendering On every request At build time Static + Dynamic hybrid
Performance Slower (server-heavy) Fast (static) Very fast (hybrid)
Flexibility ✅ Full dynamic ❌ Limited ✅ Dynamic sections only
Streaming ⚠️ Limited ❌ No ✅ Yes (React Suspense)
SEO ✅ Good ✅ Good ✅ Excellent
Real-World Use Cases of PPR
E-commerce Sites
Product description = static.
Price, stock info, reviews = dynamic.
News & Media Websites
Article body = static.
Related news, comments, live updates = dynamic.
Dashboards & SaaS Apps
Layout, navigation = static.
User-specific data (analytics, notifications) = dynamic.
Social Media Feeds
Profile info = static.
Posts, likes, and comments = dynamic.
Example Timeline: How PPR Feels
Imagine loading an e-commerce product page:
0.2s: You instantly see the static product title and layout.
0.5s: Product details (fetched from database) stream in.
1s+: Reviews, ratings, and stock info progressively appear.
The user never sees a blank screen. Instead, they get instant feedback followed by progressively enhanced data.
Challenges of Partial Prerendering
Still Experimental → PPR is new in Next.js, and APIs may change.
Complex Debugging → Handling Suspense boundaries and fallbacks adds complexity.
Caching Strategy Needed → Must carefully cache static vs dynamic parts.
Not Supported Everywhere → Requires server infrastructure that supports streaming.
Best Practices for Using PPR
Split components into static and dynamic sections using Suspense.
Keep static parts as large as possible for maximum speed.
Use caching for dynamic sections to reduce server load.
Provide meaningful fallbacks (loading skeletons, spinners, placeholders).
Test SEO rendering to ensure crawlers can see important content.
The Future of PPR
Partial Prerendering is shaping up to be the default rendering strategy in future Next.js apps. As it matures, we can expect:
Better tooling to analyze static vs dynamic rendering.
Smoother integration with edge functions and CDN caching.
Wider adoption in large-scale production apps.
It represents a step towards the “holy grail” of web rendering — instant static content + dynamic interactivity without compromises.
Conclusion
Partial Prerendering (PPR) is a game-changer in Next.js 13+, offering a hybrid rendering approach that:
Combines the best parts of SSG and SSR.
Uses streaming and React Suspense for progressive loading.
Provides fast, SEO-friendly, and dynamic web apps.
As PPR matures, it will likely become a core strategy for modern React apps, allowing developers to deliver faster, more scalable, and more interactive experiences.
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