When a client asks us what framework to use for their web project, the answer is almost always Next.js. That recommendation has only gotten stronger since the App Router and React Server Components landed.
Server Components Change the Default
With React Server Components, data fetching happens on the server by default. Pages arrive pre-rendered with their data, load instantly, and send zero JavaScript for components that don't need interactivity. The performance baseline is dramatically better without any extra work.
The App Router Gives Us Real Layouts
Nested layouts, loading states, error boundaries, and streaming are all first-class in the App Router. We can build complex dashboard UIs with shared navigation that doesn't re-mount on every navigation — something that was painful to achieve before.
- Automatic code-splitting per route
- Built-in image optimisation with next/image
- Edge runtime for sub-50ms API responses globally
- First-class TypeScript support
- Seamless Vercel or self-hosted deployment
Next.js lets us deliver production-grade performance without forcing clients into a complex infrastructure setup. That's the trade-off we want to make every time.