When I first started building my startup, my goal was to move fast. Like many developers, I saw Next.js as an all-in-one solution—allowing me to build both the frontend and backend in the same codebase. It seemed like the perfect choice: faster development, reduced complexity, and fewer moving parts.
But as my project grew, I started hitting serious limitations. Performance bottlenecks, lack of proper backend architecture, and scalability issues became impossible to ignore. After much frustration, I made the difficult decision to migrate my backend functionality from Next.js to NestJS.
In this post, I'll walk through:
Why I initially chose Next.js for my backend
The limitations I encountered as my startup grew
Why I switched to NestJS
Lessons I learned and advice for others
If you're considering Next.js as a backend solution, this might save you from making the same mistake.
Why I Initially Chose Next.js for My Backend
Like many developers, I was drawn to Next.js because it seemed to offer everything:
✅ Full-Stack Capabilities – API routes meant I could handle both frontend and backend logic in one place.
✅ Faster Development – No need to build a separate backend project, reducing setup time.
✅ Serverless Support – The promise of auto-scaling serverless functions made it seem like a no-brainer.
✅ SEO & Performance – Built-in optimizations for frontend performance and SEO.
At the start, this approach worked well. I was able to ship features quickly, and everything seemed to be running smoothly. But as my startup grew, the cracks started to show.
The Limitations of Using Next.js as a Backend
As my project scaled, I encountered several critical issues that Next.js was not designed to handle well:
1️⃣ Scalability Issues
Next.js API routes are great for small apps, but they aren't built for handling complex backend logic, microservices, or high loads efficiently. Managing API versions, handling background jobs, and dealing with large-scale data processing quickly became messy.
2️⃣ Lack of Proper Backend Architecture
Using Next.js for backend logic meant everything lived inside the same project. Over time, this led to:
Unstructured and hard-to-maintain API routes.
Business logic mixed with frontend concerns.
Poor separation of concerns, making debugging harder.
3️⃣ Serverless Limitations
Initially, I thought using serverless functions would make my backend more scalable. However, I soon realized:
Serverless functions don't maintain state, making things like authentication sessions tricky.
Cold starts caused latency issues in some API endpoints.
Background jobs required workarounds like external cron jobs or third-party services.
4️⃣ Complex Database Handling
Next.js doesn’t have built-in database management tools. Using Prisma with API routes felt like a workaround rather than a true backend solution. Managing transactions, migrations, and database connections was more cumbersome than necessary.
5️⃣ Harder to Scale Teams
As I considered hiring more developers (even though I could not finance It), it became clear that a monolithic Next.js project was difficult to scale within a team. With NestJS, I could create feature-based modules that allowed for better separation of responsibilities.
Why I Switched to NestJS
After struggling with these limitations, I decided to migrate my backend to NestJS. Here’s why:
✅ Modular Architecture for Scalability
NestJS uses a modular structure that makes it easier to manage and scale the application. I can:
Create separate modules for different features.
Keep business logic isolated from API routes.
Improve maintainability and long-term scalability.
✅ Better API & Microservice Support
Unlike Next.js, NestJS is designed for backend development and offers built-in support for:
RESTful APIs and GraphQL.
WebSockets for real-time functionality.
Microservices using Kafka, RabbitMQ, or NATS.
✅ Background Jobs & Cron Jobs
In NestJS, I can easily handle background tasks, something that was painful in Next.js:
Run cron jobs natively without external services.
Process queues with BullMQ and Redis.
Handle scheduled and long-running tasks efficiently.
✅ Robust Database Management
NestJS works seamlessly with TypeORM, Prisma, and Sequelize, providing structured and scalable database interactions. Features like:
Transaction management
Connection pooling
Efficient migrations
… make backend database handling much easier than in Next.js API routes.
✅ Enterprise-Grade Features
NestJS is designed for enterprise-level applications, offering:
Dependency injection for cleaner, testable code.
Middleware and guards for authentication & security.
Interceptors & decorators for request/response manipulation.
Lessons Learned: Advice for Developers
1️⃣ Next.js is great for frontend, not for a full backend. If you need a proper backend, use a framework built for that purpose (NestJS, Express, Fastify, etc.).
2️⃣ Plan for scalability from the start. If your project is expected to grow, choose an architecture that supports modular development.
3️⃣ Serverless is not always the best solution. It introduces cold starts, state management issues, and complex debugging.
4️⃣ Backend logic should not be mixed with frontend concerns. A clean separation leads to better maintainability and security.
5️⃣ Migrating later is painful. Making the right choice from the beginning saves you time, effort, and technical debt in the long run.
Final Thoughts
While Next.js remains an excellent frontend framework, it's clear that it should not be used as a full backend solution for serious projects. Migrating to NestJS has given my startup the flexibility, scalability, and maintainability I need to build for the long term.
If you're starting a new project and considering Next.js as a backend, think twice. Choose the right tool for the job.
Top comments (1)
Good job , It's very helpful .