Next.js or Vite.js: Which Framework is Better, and When?

Two names that have been making waves with their distinct approaches to building web apps are Next.js and Vite.js.

Next.js is a React framework specialized in server-side rendering (SSR), static site generation (SSG), and hybrid applications. It provides features like file-based routing, image optimization, and is particularly suited for projects where SEO and fast initial load times are priorities.

Vite.js, in contrast, is a build tool that supports various frameworks including React, Vue, and Svelte. It focuses on client-side rendering, offering fast development setup and hot module replacement. Vite.js is ideal for projects where rapid development and reduced server load are key considerations.

As we dissect these frameworks, we’ll compare their strengths, weaknesses, and the unique flavor they bring to web development - and how choosing between them can profoundly influence the outcome of your project.

What makes Next.js remarkable?

Next.js offers many features that enhance the development experience and the performance of web apps, such as:

1. File-system-based Routing: Next.js automatically creates routes based on the files in the pages directory.

2. Image Optimization: Next.js provides an image component that automatically optimizes images for faster loading. It supports features like lazy loading, resizing, cropping, and quality adjustment.

3. Internationalization: Next.js supports built-in internationalization and localization features that allow you to create multilingual web apps with ease.

4. API Routes and Endpoints: Next.js allows you to create API endpoints in the pages/api directory. These endpoints can be used to handle requests from your web app or external sources.

5. Incremental Static Regeneration: Next.js supports incremental static regeneration (ISR), which allows you to update static pages without rebuilding the entire webpage. It enables the best of both worlds: static site generation and server-side rendering.

What makes Vite.js remarkable?

Vite.js is a build tool that provides a fast and lean development experience for web apps. Vite.js uses the native ES modules to serve files without bundling them during development; this in turn results in faster startup and reload times compared to traditional bundlers like Rollup and Webpack. Vite.js offers many features that improve the overall performance and development experience of web apps:

1. Hot Module Replacement: Vite supports hot module replacement (HMR), which allows you to see the changes in your code in real time without refreshing the pages. Vite’s HMR is faster than other bundlers because it only updates the modules that are changed, not the entire webpage.

2. Code Splitting: Vite supports code splitting, which allows you to split your code into smaller parts that can be loaded on-demand. This improves performance by reducing the initial load time.

3. Plugin Support: Vite has a plugin system that allows you to extend its functionality and integrate it with other tools like TypeScript, React, Vue, Svelte, CSS preprocessors, GraphQL, etc.

4. Production Bundler: Vite uses Rollup as its production bundler, which optimizes the code for performance and compatibility.

Next.js vs. Vite.js Performance Comparison

1. Server-side rendering vs. client-side rendering

Next.js by default supports server-side rendering (SSR), which means that it renders the HTML content on the server before sending it to the browser. This improves the initial loading time and the SEO of your web application. However, SSR increases the load on the server, leading to latency. Next.js uses a special function called getServerSideProps() to fetch data on the server side.

export async function getServerSideProps(context) {
  const res = await fetch('https://example.com');
  const data = await res.json();

  if (!data) {
    return {
      notFound: true,
    };
  }

  return {
    props: { data }, // this will be passed to the page component as a prop
  };
}

On the other hand, Vite.js by default focuses on client-side rendering (CSR), which means that it renders the HTML content on the browser after receiving it from the server. This reduces the server load and complexity but increases the initial load time. Vite uses the native ES Modules import syntax, which runs directly in the browser.

import { createApp } from 'vue';
import App from './App.vue';

createApp(App).mount('#app');

2. Dynamic importing in Vite.js

Vite supports dynamic imports out of the box, which allows you to load modules on demand. This can significantly improve the performance of your web app by reducing the initial bundle size and loading time.

// Import a module on demand
import('./myModule.js')
  .then((module) => {
    // Use the module...
  })
  .catch((err) => {
    // Handle the error...
  });

3. Static site Generation(SSG) in Next.js

Next.js also supports static site generation (SSG), which allows for pre-rendering of pages at build time, resulting in fast loading times and improved SEO. However, SSG limits dynamic content since the pages are generated at build time.

export async function getStaticProps() {
  const res = await fetch('https://example.com');
  const data = await res.json();

  return {
    props: { data },
  };
}

4. Development Speed

Next.js: While it offers a great developer experience, it is primarily focused on the back end and may not match Vite's development speed for front-end projects.

Vite.js: Known for its fast development setup and HMR, Vite significantly speeds up front-end development.

How to Choose

To sum up, Next.js and Vite.js are both strong web app development frameworks. Next.js is an excellent option for projects where SEO is a top concern or when it's imperative to present the user with a meaningful page as soon as possible due to its server-side rendering and static site generation features. It's also a fantastic fit for websites with often updated material or projects with dynamic content that adjusts based on user activities.

On the other hand, Vite.js is a great option for projects where you want to maintain a modest server load and a quick development workflow because of its emphasis on client-side rendering and dynamic imports. Use Vite.js for Single-page applications (SPAs) and projects where a large portion of the website's content is static.

The decision between Next.js and Vite.js will ultimately come down to the particular requirements and limitations of your project.