Hello, long time no see! How’s everyone doing?
Recently, I’ve been diving deep into Next.js 15, brushing up on some fundamental concepts and exploring a new favorite topic: rendering strategies. This one’s for anyone curious about the ins and outs of SSR (Server-Side Rendering) and all its sibling strategies in Next.js. Whether you’re just starting or need a refresher, consider this your go-to memo on rendering strategies!
SSR (Server-Side Rendering) in Next.js vs. CSR (Client-Side Rendering)
How SSR Works
In SSR, Next.js pre-renders the page on the server at each request. If you’ve ever added a fetch request at the top of a functional component in Next, then hit refresh to update the data, you’re already using SSR.
One game-changer with the latest updates is the serverComponentsHmrCache feature. This allows us to cache fetch responses in server components across HMR (hot module replacement) refreshes in development mode. So, every refresh becomes a faster, cheaper, and more efficient experience, especially when billed API calls are involved.
Benefits of SSR:
- Improved Initial Load Time: Faster than CSR, especially for first-time visitors.
- SEO-Friendly: Search engines love SSR since content is ready when they crawl.
- Reduced FCP (First Contentful Paint): Faster perceived loading experience for users.
- Direct Database Calls: With SSR, data fetching logic can stay server-side, making direct database calls possible without needing to build API endpoints.
- Automatic Request Deduplication: A lesser-known perk—when the same data is requested multiple times, only one request is sent.
- Enhanced Security: Keeps sensitive data server-side, never exposing API keys on the client.
- Reduced Network Waterfall: SSR fetches data in parallel, avoiding sequential delays.
- JS Optional: Users can still access content if their browser has JavaScript disabled.
CSR (Client-Side Rendering)
In CSR, you start by declaring an empty state and conduct a fetch request within useEffect. Once the data arrives, you update the state and UI.
Trade-Offs:
- Empty Page at First: Users see an empty shell until data is loaded, which can impact user experience and SEO.
- Full Control Over State: Great for interactive pages where user actions trigger updates.
Rendering Strategies Overview
Let’s review each of these rendering methods, highlighting when and why you’d choose one over the other.
SSG (Static Site Generation)
SSG generates HTML at build time, which can be served lightning-fast from a CDN. However, it’s not suitable for websites with frequently updated content. It’s also Next.js’s default rendering strategy.
ISR (Incremental Static Regeneration)
ISR is SSG’s flexible sibling. It allows content to be updated even after the initial build, making it perfect for websites that change occasionally but don’t require real-time data. Just add export const revalidate = <value> to configure it per page, or use revalidatePath and revalidateTag for more targeted revalidation.
SSR (Server-Side Rendering)
SSR renders pages on the server for each user request, meaning content is always fresh. It’s ideal for highly dynamic content, though it can be slower than SSG since pages are generated on-demand. SSR shines in scenarios where up-to-date content matters but client-side interactivity isn’t crucial.
PPR (Progressive Page Rendering)
PPR introduces a hybrid approach. It operates on the component level instead of the page level, making it unique. A static SSR shell serves initially, while dynamic content streams in as components wrapped in Suspense load asynchronously. This lets you mix and match SSR and CSR on the same page, serving a static shell immediately and gradually populating it with interactive content.
Conclusion
And that’s the roundup! Each rendering strategy offers distinct advantages depending on your application’s requirements. Play around, experiment, and find the best fit for your use case!
Happy coding!
Credits: Done based on the JS Mastery resources and with a touch of AI formatting
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