What is Next.js and Why Use It?

What is Next.js?

Next.js is the leading React framework, built by Vercel. It adds the things React leaves out: routing, server-side rendering, API routes, image optimization, and production-grade performance — all out of the box.

React vs Next.js

Feature	Plain React	Next.js
Routing	Add a library	File-based, built-in
SSR / SSG	Manual setup	Built-in
API endpoints	Separate server	Built-in route handlers
SEO	Hard (CSR)	Excellent (server render)

File-Based Routing

app/
  page.tsx          →  /
  about/page.tsx    →  /about
  blog/[slug]/page.tsx →  /blog/anything

Rendering Strategies

• SSG (Static) — pages built once at build time. Fastest.
• SSR (Server) — rendered per request. Great for dynamic data.
• ISR (Incremental) — static pages that re-generate on a schedule.

Why Companies Choose Next.js

• Best-in-class SEO because pages are server-rendered.
• Automatic image, font, and script optimization.
• Deploys instantly to Vercel, Netlify, or any Node host.
• Used by TikTok, Notion, Twitch, and Nike.

FAQs

Do I need to know React first?

Yes — Next.js is built on React. Learn React basics first.

Is Next.js free?

Yes, it's open-source (MIT). Hosting on Vercel has a generous free tier. More in our Next.js guides.