Why I Chose Next.js Over React: The New Standard for Modern Web Development

In the web development ecosystem, React has long been the most beloved tool. I have used React for many years and have been fascinated by its flexibility and powerful component ecosystem. However, as projects grow in scale, and especially as Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Initial Load Speed become critical for user acquisition, I began to feel the limitations of the traditional React (CSR) approach.

Today, I want to share in detail why I chose Next.js instead of pure React, and what practical changes this choice brought to the project.

1. The Revolution of SEO and Rendering Techniques

The most decisive reason was SEO. By default, React follows the Client-Side Rendering (CSR) method. This means the browser receives a blank HTML file and executes JavaScript to draw the screen. However, most search engine bots or crawlers for SNS sharing do not wait perfectly for the JavaScript execution results.

Next.js provides Server-Side Rendering (SSR) and Static Site Generation (SSG) out of the box.

• SSR: Pre-renders HTML on the server for every request.
• SSG: Generates pages during build time to maximize response speed.

Thanks to this, users can see completed content as soon as they access the site, and search engines can collect our site's data much more accurately and quickly. For a utility service like hafuture, visibility is life, making this an irreplaceable advantage.

2. Intuitive File-System Based Routing

When using React, I had to install external libraries like react-router-dom and write complex Route structures manually in code. As the project grew, the routing configuration files became bloated and difficult to maintain.

Next.js provides File-System Routing based on the app directory. The folder structure directly becomes the URL structure, providing a very intuitive experience for developers.

• app/about/page.tsx -> /about
• app/[locale]/layout.tsx -> Layout with multi-language support

This standardized approach makes it easy to find code locations even during collaboration and has dramatically improved development productivity.

3. Built-in Performance Optimization (Zero Setup)

Web performance directly impacts user bounce rates. Next.js handles optimization tasks that developers used to have to worry about individually.

1. Image Optimization (next/image): Automatically resizes images, converts them to modern formats like WebP, and supports Lazy Loading.
2. Font and Script Optimization: Provides font loading methods that prevent Layout Shift and efficient ways to load external scripts.
3. Automatic Code Splitting: Automatically splits JavaScript so only the code necessary for each page is loaded, keeping the overall site lightweight.

Since these features apply by default without additional configuration, I could focus more on the core logic of the service.

4. Full-stack Capabilities

Next.js is not just a frontend framework. Through Route Handlers, you can create API endpoints very easily. You can securely handle form submissions, database integration, and external API calls without setting up a separate Express server.

The Middleware feature is particularly powerful for handling user authentication or multi-language redirection. It is thanks to Next.js Middleware that hafuture can seamlessly support English, Korean, and Japanese.

5. Excellent DX (Developer Experience) and Ecosystem

Integration with Vercel has completely transformed the deployment and hosting experience. With a single git push, the site is deployed to edge networks worldwide, and team members can exchange immediate feedback through Preview Deployments.

Furthermore, the strong community and high-quality official documentation speed up problem-solving. Next.js has moved beyond a mere trend to become a standard in web development, meaning countless libraries and examples prioritize support for Next.js.

Conclusion: The Difference Users Feel First

The most important criterion when choosing technology is "What value can it provide to the user?" By choosing Next.js, users experience faster site speeds, and I can write more robust and scalable code.

While the freedom pure React provides is great, I realized that for operating a real service and growing a business, the 'guidelines' and 'optimizations' provided by Next.js are much more powerful weapons. Considering the future, Next.js is not just an option; it's a necessity.

Thank you.