The Future of Web: Next.js

The Future is Fast

When I built this website using Next.js, I knew it was going to be fast. But I didn't realize just how fast it would be.

Next.js uses a technique called "Server-Side Rendering" (SSR) which allows the HTML to be generated on the server before it is sent to the user's browser. This is much faster than waiting for the browser to download all the JavaScript, parse it, and render the page.

But that's not all. Next.js also uses a technique called "Edge Caching" which stores a copy of the generated HTML on a Content Delivery Network (CDN) closer to the user. This means that when the user requests the page, the CDN can serve the cached version immediately, without even needing to talk to the server. This is much faster than downloading the HTML from the server and parsing it.

The Future is Global

Next.js is also designed to be globally distributed. When you deploy a Next.js app to the cloud, it will automatically generate a list of edge locations where the app can be served from. This means that when a user requests the page, they are routed to the closest edge location, which serves the cached HTML from the CDN.

This makes the app much faster to load, no matter where in the world the user is.

The Future is Here

But that's not all. Next.js is packed with a plethora of features that solidify its position as the future of web development. For instance, it offers seamless built-in support for TypeScript, allowing developers to write safer and more reliable code through static typing. Additionally, Next.js embraces modern CSS approaches by supporting CSS-in-JS out of the box, enabling developers to write CSS directly within their JavaScript files for more dynamic and component-specific styling. Beyond these, Next.js also provides automatic code splitting, image optimization, API routes, and full-stack capabilities, making it a comprehensive solution for building highly efficient and scalable web applications.

Shameless Plug

Speaking of the innovative features of Next.js, it's worth mentioning a recent project completed by Solheim Technologies. We've just launched a new website for Bronde Blvd Salon, showcasing our ability to create fast, responsive, and visually appealing web experiences utilising Next.js running on headless WordPress. This project exemplifies our commitment to leveraging the latest web technologies to deliver exceptional results for our clients.

-David