In this story, we are going to talk about React.js and Next.js to find out which one we should use in our projects to get the most benefit.
The purpose of this story is not to compare Next with React. Instead, it is meant to help you understand both so that you can decide whether or not to use Next in your projects.
Letās first take a deeper look at React.js and Next.js separately.
So, let's get started!
React.js
React is a JavaScript library that is used to create user interfaces with the help of UI components. Components are small, independent, and reusable pieces of code that make a large application easy to manage. It is a free and open-source front-end JavaScript library that is maintained by Meta.
ReactJS is more popular than any other front-end development library; you should learn it if you want to be a front-end developer. There are many opportunities for developers who are proficient in ReactJS because of the rising demand for ReactJS developers.
I've written a story explaining ReactJS and its fundamental concepts to give beginners a quick overview.
Check it out here.
Next.js
Next.js is a JavaScript framework that is built by Vercel, Facebook, and Google and is based on Node.js and Babel.
This may seem strange since many React websites are built on Next.js. React websites are typically built on Next.js to simplify server-side rendering since Next.js offers all the functionality you need to create a website that works right out of the box. Next.js has comprehensive documentation. I believe that documentation is one of the reasons it has become more popular.
ReactJS vs NEXT.js
Let's take a look at two of them and then decide which one to use:
Workflow
Because React is a library, you need to create your own workflow. Next is essentially a workflow that became a framework because of its usefulness. Next is built on React and is intended to make development simpler and faster. In a React project, Next is often preferred because of its speed.
Performance
Next.js supports automatic server-side rendering. Websites built with Next.js are very fast because of the server-side rendering. React would require another library for server-side rendering since it only supports client-side rendering.
Check out the article below I wrote on React State Management Libraries: What is React State Management
Beginners Friendly
Next.js is a great option for developers who are just getting started with React.
It's saving developers the time and effort of setting up and customizing their toolset. With this, you donāt have to build applications from scratch. You can use the pre-built templates for different application categories or create your own from scratch.
To begin, simply enter the command npx create-next-app@latest into the terminal.
Note: This create-next-app only creates the front end of your application.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Websites built with Next.js are search engine-optimized. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) improves your websiteās ranking on Google. It is more likely that a website built with Next.js will rank on Google than one built with React.
Community Support
Even though there are very few tutorials and support resources available for Next, it is true that the community and project members are very active in open-source projects. So, Next can almost compete with React when it comes to suppsupporting## No Next.js without React
You cannot use Next.js without React.js, just as you cannot use React without JavaScript.
Conclusion
If you need to utilize a lot of APIs for some functionality, then Next.js is the right choice for you. In the case of simple static websites, React would be sufficient.
Hopefully, this will help you understand Next.js and help you decide whether or not to use it.
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Top comments (15)
Great post!
Iāve just started learning Next.js and React so it was really helpful
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and leaving a comment! I'm glad to hear that you found it helpful. If you have any questions or need further guidance, please don't hesitate to ask.
Good luck with your learning!
Thanks!
I will go with Next.js
Awesome! Next.js is a popular choice among web developers and can be a great tool for building modern web applications.
Yes š
Nextjs vs react doesnāt really make sense as a comparison imo. A better comparison would be nextjs vs create react app (but really you should just avoid cra). Also, the āBeginner Friendlyā section seems to imply that nextjs uses create react app, which it does not.
React could be necessary to understand the foundations of how a consistent web app is built using the React components. Because of this, React is flexible to do any web application, PWA, etc, with the help of third party libraries (React Router, Redux, etc). But if we are meant to do scalable applications, especially if we need these to be full stack and without requiring third party elements, Next.js is suitable for this purpose. Everyone who knows React will love to develop using Next because of his deep-low-configuration focus.
Good post!
But, you did't mention any cons of using NextJs
Hope you cover that in your next post!
This is more confusing that it is helpful tbh.
And please don't use CRA in 2023, it'll never be a good idea.
Nice post. We need even more understand about how is the best to project, no how we likes. Even project require technologies difference
Is it still necessary using JWT in NextJS ? thanks.
The thing is that node js is not allowed in shared hosting....this brakes my heart
I am about to get started with Next.js and now read this article. I'm excited.
Next.js itself is a framework built on top of React.js. I think a better question would be which one to choose between CRA and Next.js.