Next.js: The Framework for Building Web Apps
HIGH LEVEL TENDENCIES, WEB DEVELOPMENT.
Next.js: Backend and Features
One of the main features of Next.js is its versatility, since, although it is technically a library for frontend development, it can also be considered as a backend tool, since it has server-side rendering capabilities.
With SSR (Server Side Rendering) technology, the application code created with Next.js is executed on the server, and then sent to the browser already processed, resulting in faster page loading and a smoother user experience.
Characteristics:
Equipped with CSS
It uses, by default, a system created especially for Next.js called Styled-jsx, which allows you to import CSS records from a JavaScript file or write custom CSS styles directly in this language.
Image component
Next.js has an inherent image component that can also be used to automatically optimize images, greatly improving the user experience.
Static files
The ability to serve static or active documents such as icons, images or fonts is another feature of Next.js. This is done through a folder called "public", something that is done very easily according to the Next.js configuration.
Fast updates
With "Fast Refresh" which is a Next.js feature that provides instant feedback on edits made to your React components.
Next.js Typescript
Many developers prefer to use this JavaScript-based programming language to take advantage of the flexibility and extra capabilities it provides. Therefore, integrating TypeScript with Next.js results in a tool that speeds up web application development by providing a smoother experience for both the developer and the user.
In addition, adding TypeScript to a Next.js application is very easy because this platform provides built-in TypeScript support (API Paths, Fetch Methods, etc.).
Advantages and disadvantages of Next.js
Advantages:
Developing applications using Next.js offers a high return on time investment, thanks to deferred loading and code splitting.
Thanks to its static prerendering that allows search engines to index content more easily, Next.js improves SEO and user experience, which translates into much higher traffic and better conversion.
Next.js guarantees data security, since the static sites generated by this framework have no direct connection to the database or any other type of confidential information.
Applications created with Next.js are accessible from any platform.
Next.js has a large and growing user community that can help find the solution to any problem.
It is supported by Vercel, which translates into a feature-rich environment, such as native exposure to backend functions, A-B testing and edge rendering, among others.
Disadvantages
It only uses a file-based router, so you need to use Node.js to perform dynamic routing.
It does not have an internal status manager, so internal managers such as Redux or Mobx must be included.
Its great versatility is also a disadvantage, since it requires ongoing maintenance, which translates into the need to hire an in-house developer to make or handle any adjustments.
Next.js is a platform with few plug-ins.
Which tools integrate with Next.js
If there is one thing Next.js offers, it is easy integration with APIs, which allows developers to add features, even backend ones, to their projects, leaving aside the complexities of API integration.
Currently, there are a large number of tools that can be integrated with Next.js: React, Material UI, Bootstrap, Goat Counter, MUI, MDX are just a few.
Industries using Next.js
Its great versatility and high performance is used by renowned companies (some of them are even part of the SP500), among them: Twitter, TikTok and Twitch; in addition, well-known platforms used worldwide such as: Uber, Airbnb, Medium and CircleCI as well as payment gateways and exchanges such as: Paypal and Binance.
Is Next.js the Same as Node.js?
They are not the same. Next.js is a framework focused on building applications that are rendered on the server, providing very useful tools and features that help simplify development.
On the other hand, the use of Node.js is broader, and can be used for a variety of other purposes such as creating frontend (client-side) and backend (server-side) applications, so it is a very simplified and lightweight platform, but with fewer tools or features than Next.js.
Aplyca and the Next.js developments
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