Comparing React and Next.js: How to Choose the Right One for Your Project
Raaj Aryan
When building a web app, developers often face a critical decision: Should I use React or Next.js? Both are powerful, but they serve different purposes.
React: The Foundation
React is a library for building UI components. It’s flexible, component-driven, and widely used. However, it lacks built-in routing, server-side rendering (SSR), and SEO optimizations, requiring additional libraries like react-router.
Next.js: The Enhanced Framework
Next.js is a framework built on top of React. It includes file-based routing, SSR, static site generation (SSG), and built-in API routes, making it more suitable for SEO-friendly and high-performance applications.
Key Differences: A Quick Comparison
| Feature | React | Next.js |
| Routing | Manual (react-router) | Automatic (File-based) |
| SEO | Client-Side Rendering (CSR) | SSR, SSG, CSR support |
| Performance | Needs optimization | Optimized out of the box |
| API Handling | External backend required | Built-in API routes |
| Deployment | Requires configuration | Optimized for Vercel, easy to deploy |
👉 So, which one should you choose? If you need a custom setup with full control, go for React. If you want better SEO, performance, and built-in features, Next.js is the way to go.
🚀 Continue reading for a deep dive:
🔗 Read the full blog
Subscribe to my newsletter
Read articles from Raaj Aryan directly inside your inbox. Subscribe to the newsletter, and don't miss out.
Written by
Raaj Aryan
Raaj Aryan
MERN Stack Developer • Open Source Contributor • DSA With Java • Freelancer • Youtuber • Problem-solving •