NextJS for Web Apps: A Technical Perspective

Why NextJS?

NextJS has gained significant popularity for its hybrid approach to web development, blending SSR (server-side rendering) and SSG (static site generation) with client-side rendering. This flexibility makes it an attractive choice for developers building performant and SEO-friendly applications.

Recently, I took on a freelance project via Upwork for a startup that chose to build its platform—both the website and the app—on NextJS. Additionally, I’ve just launched my own startup, currently in its alpha stage, and you can check it out here: Taskpad.io. I’ll share more about my startup later, but I encourage you to take a look, try it out, and share your feedback.

The Benefits of NextJS

1. Server-Side Rendering (SSR) and Static Site Generation (SSG):

   • NextJS’s support for SSR and SSG provides significant performance benefits and improved SEO, as pages are pre-rendered on the server or at build time, reducing the load on the client.

   • SSR is particularly beneficial for dynamic pages where content changes frequently, while SSG is ideal for static content that doesn’t require frequent updates.

2. Automatic Code Splitting:

   NextJS automatically splits your code into smaller bundles, loading only the necessary components for each page. This optimizes performance by reducing the initial load time.

3. API Routes:

   NextJS allows you to create API endpoints within the same application, eliminating the need for a separate backend. This can simplify development and deployment, particularly for smaller projects or proof of concept (POC) applications.

4. Built-in Features:

   NextJS comes with a range of built-in features such as dynamic routing, image optimization, and error handling (e.g., creating a 500.tsx page for server errors). These features reduce the need for third-party libraries and can speed up development.

5. Vercel Integration:

   Vercel, the company behind NextJS, offers seamless deployment options with features like serverless functions and edge caching. For my POC startup, hosting on Vercel is both free and straightforward, which is a significant advantage for early-stage projects.

The Drawbacks of NextJS

1. Complexity in Scaling:

   • While NextJS simplifies development with a unified codebase, this approach can become problematic as the application grows. The lines between client-side and server-side logic can blur, leading to confusion and potential inefficiencies.

   • As the codebase scales, refactoring to optimize performance or to implement new features can become cumbersome, particularly when dealing with SSR components.

2. Performance Overheads:

   • Although SSR and SSG offer performance benefits, they can also introduce overheads, particularly for highly dynamic applications. Every request in SSR requires server processing, which can increase latency and server load.

   • Moreover, when dealing with complex pages that require frequent updates, the benefits of SSR can diminish, making client-side rendering or a fully decoupled architecture more appealing.

3. API Route Limitations:

   While NextJS’s API routes are convenient, they might not be sufficient for more complex backends. As the application grows, you might find yourself needing to migrate to a more robust backend solution, leading to additional overhead and potential refactoring challenges.

4. Build Times:

   For larger applications, the build times in NextJS can increase significantly, especially when using SSG for numerous pages. This can slow down the development process and make continuous deployment more challenging.

My Takeaway

For my startup, Taskpad.io, I chose NextJS because it allowed me to rapidly prototype and deploy a POC with minimal infrastructure overhead. The built-in features, coupled with Vercel’s hosting, made it an ideal choice for getting off the ground quickly.

However, as I scale Taskpad.io and as the codebase grows, I’m aware of the potential pitfalls. For more extensive, scalable projects, I’d likely opt for a more traditional approach with a separate backend and frontend, allowing for clearer separation of concerns and more flexible scaling.

Conclusion

NextJS is an excellent framework, especially for developers looking to build performant, SEO-friendly applications with minimal setup. It shines in scenarios where rapid development and deployment are essential, and its hybrid rendering capabilities offer significant advantages.

That said, it’s not without its challenges. As your project grows, the unified codebase can become a double-edged sword, introducing complexity and performance issues. For larger, more complex applications, a decoupled architecture with a separate backend and frontend may ultimately prove more sustainable.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Have you used NextJS in your projects? What challenges and benefits have you encountered? Let me know!