Next.js vs React: Which Is Your Next Project’s Match? (2023)

About this Video

• Video Title: Next.js vs React: Which Is Your Next Project’s Match? (2023)
• Channel: Kinsta
• Speakers: Mike
• Duration: 00:10:11

Introduction

This video compares Next.js and React, two JavaScript libraries/frameworks for web development, to help viewers choose the right tool for their next project. It covers ease of use, data fetching, code splitting, API support, and performance.

Key Takeaways

• Next.js vs. React: Next.js is a React framework extending React's functionality to the server-side using Node.js. React is a JavaScript library for building dynamic user interfaces.
• Ease of Use: Both are easy to start with using npx create-next-app and npx create-react-app, respectively. However, Next.js comes pre-configured with tools like routing and API support, simplifying development.
• Data Fetching: React renders data client-side, leading to slower performance. Next.js uses pre-rendering (SSG and SSR) to fetch data on the server, improving performance significantly.
• Code Splitting: Next.js handles code-splitting automatically, reducing bundle size and improving load times. React requires configuring additional libraries for code-splitting.
• API Support: Next.js offers built-in API routes (/pages/api/) for creating backend endpoints within the same codebase. React requires separate backend solutions.
• Performance: Next.js generally outperforms React due to server-side rendering, image optimization, and other performance enhancements.
• Community and Documentation: React has a larger, more established community, but Next.js's community is growing rapidly. Next.js also boasts better documentation.