Did we get frontend rendering wrong?

For years, the frontend world was dominated by Client-Side Rendering (CSR) and Single-Page Applications (SPAs) built with libraries like React and Vue. The thinking was simple: let the user's powerful browser do the heavy lifting. But a major shift is underway. Frameworks like Next.js (for React) and Nuxt.js (for Vue) are championing a return to Server-Side Rendering (SSR), and developers are embracing it.

This isn't just a nostalgic trend; it's a strategic move to solve the very real performance and SEO problems that have long plagued client-rendered sites. The question is no longer just "what can we render on the client?" but "what should we render on the server?"

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What to Know About SSR

The core difference between the two approaches is where the page's HTML is constructed. With traditional Client-Side Rendering, the server sends a nearly empty HTML file and a large bundle of JavaScript. The user's browser must then download, parse, and execute that JavaScript to fetch data and render the content on the screen.

This process can be slow, leading to a blank page on initial load and creating challenges for search engine crawlers that need to see content immediately. Server-Side Rendering flips this model. The server does the work of fetching data and rendering the complete HTML page before sending it to the browser.

The user receives a fully-formed page, resulting in a significantly faster "First Contentful Paint" (FCP) and a much better experience, especially on slower devices or networks.

This shift doesn't mean CSR is dead; instead, modern SSR frameworks offer a hybrid approach. They use SSR for the initial page load to get content to the user instantly and boost SEO. Then, they "hydrate" the page with JavaScript, turning it into a fully interactive SPA for seamless navigation without full page reloads.

JavaScript frameworks like Next.js have made this sophisticated approach almost effortless, offering built-in file-based routing, image optimization, and the flexibility to choose the rendering strategy on a per-page basis.

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