Next.js for Beginners – Static and Server Rendering

Note: This article was originally published on June 5, 2020. Some information may be outdated.

Next.js makes it easy to build fast and SEO-friendly React apps. It combines the best parts of static sites and server-rendered apps.

You don’t need extra setup to support static generation (SSG) or server-side rendering (SSR). Next.js handles both out of the box.

Basic Concepts

• Pages: Every file in the pages folder becomes a route.
• SSG: Pre-renders pages at build time using getStaticProps.
• SSR: Pre-renders pages on each request using getServerSideProps.

Example: Static Blog with getStaticProps

// pages/posts.js
export async function getStaticProps() {
  const posts = await fetchPostsFromCMS();
  return {
    props: { posts },
  };
}

export default function Posts({ posts }) {
  return (
    <ul>
      {posts.map((p) => (
        <li key={p.id}>{p.title}</li>
      ))}
    </ul>
  );
}

• This will generate the page at build time.
• Fast load, good SEO.

Server-Side Example

// pages/dashboard.js
export async function getServerSideProps() {
  const data = await fetchSecureDashboardData();
  return {
    props: { data },
  };
}

export default function Dashboard({ data }) {
  return <pre>{JSON.stringify(data)}</pre>;
}

• This page is generated on every request.
• Use it when data changes often or depends on auth/session.

Routing and Navigation

Next.js uses file-based routing. For links:

import Link from 'next/link';

<Link href="/about">About</Link>

Setup

npx create-next-app my-app
cd my-app
npm run dev

This gives you:

• React 16+
• File-based routing
• Fast builds and hot reload

When to Use What

• Use getStaticProps when content doesn’t change often.
• Use getServerSideProps when content is dynamic.
• Use getStaticPaths for dynamic routes.

Next.js became a go-to tool for React devs who want performance, simplicity, and a good developer experience--all without losing flexibility.