Next JS vs React: Which Framework Best for Frontend in 2024?

The battle between Next JS and React JS will never gonna calm. Not only for 2024 but before this year and in the future, confusion about this technology is always rising because of both flexibilities. Which technology helps you build the best business project? The future of your project depends on choosing the right technology.

The world of JavaScript is constantly evolving. Every day, people develop new ideas and ways to fix problems using JavaScript, creating many new development tools and technologies. React has gained a lot of popularity with developers. It's the top choice for many, especially new developers. But here's the thing: Next.js also uses React. So, what's the distinction between them, and why is it important?

In this blog, we examine both front-end frameworks and identify their differences. We also discuss which is better for future project success and which skills developers should focus on for a better career.

Next.js, made by Vercel, is a free JavaScript framework for making fast and easy-to-use web apps and static websites with React. It works smoothly with React, Node.js, and Babel to help developers build single-page applications more conveniently.

This lightweight, open-source framework provides features for rendering React components on the server side, helping developers create quick, static websites and web apps with React.

Next.js uses React, Babel, and Webpack as its core tools, offering a ready-to-use solution for server-side rendering of React components. It's known for simplifying the server rendering process for React apps, no matter where the data comes from.

Make Static Websites: Next.js can make fast websites that stay mostly the same.

Preview Mode: You can see your website's appearance before you make it public.

Pre-rendering: This makes your website faster by getting pages ready before someone visits them.

Quick Building: Next.js helps you build websites faster.

Automatic Size Optimization: It ensures your website's files aren't too big, so they load quickly.

• E-commerce Development
• Business Websites
• Pages for promoting things
• Interactive Web Apps

It's a popular tool among web developers, but some projects might have better choices.

React, created by Facebook, is a highly popular library in JavaScript. It's used for building large web applications and is known for its flexibility and speed. Developers love it because it allows them to create scalable and straightforward interfaces for single-page and multi-page web apps.

One of React's strengths is its ability to create reusable UI components, which makes development faster and more consistent. It supports a functional programming style and a reactive approach, making it easy to manage application states. Many developers rely on React's simplicity and various tools, including routing and state management patterns like Redux. These tools help in building user interfaces by combining HTML and JavaScript efficiently.

Although React is widely adopted across industries, some developers find Redux, a library often used with React, challenging to work with, especially when dealing with complex features. Using React requires developers to create their workflow, as it's considered a library rather than a framework. This can be more challenging than using other JavaScript frameworks with pre-built tools. One such framework that has emerged from the React ecosystem is Next.js.

• Social Media Platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter)
• Economy Platforms (Airbnb, Lyft, Uber)
• Media Platform (Yahoo!)
• Online Video Streaming Platforms (Netflix)
• SaaS Tools (SendGrid, Asana, InVisionApp, Zapier)

Let's discuss the basic fundamental features of both frameworks. Before diving deep, we have a basic understanding of both features and equality in working experience. Here, we start comparing how both platforms provide the basic development needs.

Regarding performance, Next.js is extremely fast because of the static destinations and server-side rendering. Static webpages and site generators are pre-rendered during build time, cached, and distributed via a CDN, resulting in rapid loading times. Next.js offers a plethora of performance-enhancing features in development.

React primarily supports client-side rendering, which doesn't offer the same level of performance as Next.js. Although React can be configured for server-side rendering, setting up requires considerably more effort. As a result, React apps may experience slower loading times compared to those built with Next.js.

The Next.js website offers an invaluable resource with its learn-by-doing documentation. This documentation presents clear, step-by-step instructions, ensuring a swift start to utilising Next.js. The hands-on approach of the learn-by-doing documentation imparts theoretical knowledge and provides practical experience with the tool. Consequently, users gain proficiency in swiftly building Next.js applications upon completing the documentation.

React's documentation is equally comprehensive and user-friendly. It includes tutorials, articles, and videos that comprehensively cover all aspects of React development. Moreover, React boasts an active community, offering abundant resources to aid developers in troubleshooting and problem-solving. React is an excellent choice for developers seeking to craft modern user interfaces bolstered by its robust documentation and supportive community.

One key advantage of SSR in Next.js is its built-in support. You can use Next.js's API routes and data fetching capabilities to quickly render server-side content without implementing complex configurations or third-party libraries. When a user requests a page in a Next.js application, the server collects the necessary data and renders the page on the server before sending it to the client's browser. This means that each time a user requests a page, it is automatically generated on the server.

React does provide the flexibility for developers to activate SSR through custom configurations and integrations with server-side environments. While React doesn't handle SSR directly, developers can use libraries such as React DOM Server to render React components on the server. Configuring SSR in React typically requires additional setup and configuration, as you need to integrate React with their preferred server environment (such as Node.js) and implement server-side rendering logic. This may involve setting up server routes, handling data fetching, and ensuring the server-side rendering process is efficient and scalable.

When you pick one, having a solid community of developers backing it up is helpful. React, for example, has a great community ready to help with any problems you might face. They share tips and tricks through blogs, videos, and tutorials. Plus, you can always turn to Stack Overflow for more guidance.

Next.JS is a bit different from traditional options. It's got more GitHub discussions, which might suit some people better. The good news is that both React and Next.JS have supportive developer communities. They're active and easy to reach out to for assistance. So, no matter your choice, you'll have plenty of help.

React.js doesn't provide strong support for configuration. If you want to change configurations, you must disconnect from the default Create React App setup. This means you can only use what is already configured in the scripts provided by CRA.

Next.js gives you full control over configuration. With Next.js templates, you can set up files like babelrc, jest.config, and eslintrc according to your needs. This flexibility allows for customization and tailored setups to fit your project requirements.

Next.js and React.js have their own strong opinions when it comes to their respective Create React Apps (CRAs). They consistently release updates and ensure they're up-to-date, making it easier for developers to stay current.

For developers, knowing React is essential, and having a solid understanding of JavaScript is a must. Since React relies on JavaScript and Next.js relies on React, there's a close relationship between the two.

There are more complicated solutions to choosing between Next.js and React.js. It all depends on your project's exact requirements. Both are useful instruments, serving different functions. Next.js specializes in server-side rendering and building static websites, making it a top choice. Its array of tools and capabilities simplifies project management. React.js specializes in creating user interfaces for single-page applications, offering visually appealing and user-friendly designs across web and mobile platforms.

It's important to note that React.js is the core of Next.js. React.js is a JavaScript library developed by Facebook that focuses on DOM rendering, while Next.js is a framework for building web applications, including server-side rendering. Next.js's server-side rendering feature enhances application performance compared to Create React App, which primarily uses client-side rendering.

If you're familiar with React fundamentals, learning Next.js is relatively easy. However, if you're proficient in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, React.js may be more straightforward to pick up and use.

We hope this detailed comparison has given you enough information to make an informed decision. If you still need clarification, contact us or hire skilled web developers for expert guidance and assistance crafting innovative applications compatible with your project requirements.