Why Choose Next.js for Your Website in 2025

Next.js has rapidly become one of the most popular frameworks for building modern websites. If you're planning a new web project, you've likely heard it mentioned - but what exactly makes it special, and should you use it for your website?

As someone who builds sites with Next.js regularly, I'll explain what it is, why it's exceptional, and when it makes sense for your project.

What is Next.js?

Next.js is a React framework that makes building production-ready web applications straightforward. Created and maintained by Vercel, it extends React with powerful features that solve common web development challenges.

Core features:

• Server-side rendering (SSR) and static site generation (SSG)
• File-based routing
• API routes built-in
• Image optimisation automatic
• Fast refresh for instant feedback
• Production-ready out of the box

Think of it as React with superpowers - all the benefits of React, plus solutions to its typical challenges.

Why Next.js is Exceptional

1. Performance Out of the Box

Next.js is fast by default. It automatically:

• Code splits your JavaScript for faster page loads
• Optimises images on-the-fly
• Prefetches pages you might visit next
• Enables streaming for faster time-to-first-byte

Result? Your website loads incredibly fast without extensive optimisation work.

2. SEO-Friendly

Unlike traditional React apps where content renders client-side (bad for SEO), Next.js can render pages on the server. Search engines see your content immediately.

You get both the interactivity of React AND the SEO benefits of server-rendered HTML.

3. Excellent Developer Experience

The developer experience is genuinely delightful:

• Hot module replacement shows changes instantly
• TypeScript support built-in
• Intuitive file-based routing
• Clear error messages
• Comprehensive documentation

This translates to faster development and fewer bugs.

4. Flexible Rendering Options

Choose how each page renders:

• Static Generation (SSG) - Generate HTML at build time (fastest)
• Server-Side Rendering (SSR) - Generate HTML on each request (dynamic)
• Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR) - Update static pages without rebuilding
• Client-Side Rendering (CSR) - Render in browser when needed

Use the right approach for each page.

5. Built-in API Routes

Need backend functionality? Next.js includes API routes so you can build your backend and frontend in one project.

No separate server needed for many use cases.

6. Image Optimization

Next.js automatically optimises images:

• Resizes for different screen sizes
• Converts to modern formats (WebP, AVIF)
• Lazy loads automatically
• Prevents cumulative layout shift

What would take hours to implement manually is built-in.

When to Use Next.js

Next.js excels in specific scenarios:

Perfect For:

1. Content-Heavy Websites Blogs, documentation, marketing sites - anywhere with lots of content that needs to be SEO-friendly.

2. E-commerce Sites Product pages need fast loading and good SEO. Next.js handles both beautifully.

3. Dashboards and Applications Mix of public pages (static) and dynamic authenticated pages? Next.js handles this elegantly.

4. Portfolios and Agency Sites Beautiful, fast, SEO-optimised - everything a showcase site needs.

5. Marketing Sites Landing pages that need to convert visitors and rank in search.

Maybe Not Right For:

1. Very Simple Sites A single-page site might be overcomplicated with Next.js. Simple HTML might suffice.

2. Pure SPAs with No SEO Needs If you're building an authenticated app where SEO doesn't matter, plain React might be simpler.

3. Teams Without React Experience Next.js requires React knowledge. Without it, the learning curve is steep.

Next.js vs Alternatives

How does Next.js compare to other options?

Next.js vs Plain React

React:

• Client-side rendering only by default
• You handle routing, optimisation, SSR yourself
• More flexible but more work
• Better for pure SPAs

Next.js:

• Server rendering built-in
• Routing automatic
• Optimization included
• Better for websites and hybrid apps

Next.js vs Gatsby

Gatsby:

• Static site generator (build-time only)
• Great for blogs and documentation
• Large plugin ecosystem
• Slower builds for large sites

Next.js:

• Static generation OR server rendering
• More flexible for dynamic content
• Faster builds typically
• Better for applications

Next.js vs Remix

Remix:

• Newer, excellent framework
• Different mental model
• Great nested routing
• Smaller ecosystem currently

Next.js:

• More mature and widely adopted
• Larger ecosystem
• More documentation and resources
• More job opportunities

Real-World Performance

Let me share some concrete examples:

Case Study: E-commerce Site

Before (Traditional React SPA):

• 4.2s time to interactive
• Poor Core Web Vitals
• Google ranking on page 2
• 2.1% conversion rate

After (Next.js with SSG):

• 1.1s time to interactive
• Excellent Core Web Vitals
• Ranking improved to page 1
• 3.8% conversion rate (+81%)

The improved performance directly impacted business results.

Case Study: Content Blog

Before (WordPress):

• 3.5s page load
• 250KB page weight
• Difficult content updates
• $30/month hosting

After (Next.js + Markdown):

• 0.8s page load
• 45KB page weight
• Git-based workflow
• $0 hosting (Vercel free tier)

Faster, cheaper, better developer experience.

Getting Started with Next.js

Want to try Next.js? Here's how:

1. Create a New Project

npx create-next-app@latest my-website

This sets up everything you need.

2. Basic Page Structure

// app/page.tsx
export default function Home() {
  return (
    <main>
      <h1>Welcome to My Website</h1>
      <p>Built with Next.js</p>
    </main>
  )
}

3. Add Dynamic Pages

// app/blog/[slug]/page.tsx
export default async function BlogPost({ params }) {
  const post = await getPost(params.slug)

  return (
    <article>
      <h1>{post.title}</h1>
      <div>{post.content}</div>
    </article>
  )
}

// Generate static pages at build time
export async function generateStaticParams() {
  const posts = await getPosts()
  return posts.map((post) => ({
    slug: post.slug,
  }))
}

4. Deploy

vercel

Your site is live in minutes.

Key Features Explained

App Router (New in Next.js 13+)

The modern way to structure Next.js apps:

app/
├── layout.tsx          # Shared layout
├── page.tsx            # Homepage
├── about/
│   └── page.tsx        # About page
└── blog/
    ├── page.tsx        # Blog index
    └── [slug]/
        └── page.tsx    # Blog post

File system = routing. No configuration needed.

Server Components

Components that render on the server:

// This runs on the server
async function BlogPosts() {
  const posts = await db.posts.findMany()

  return (
    <ul>
      {posts.map(post => (
        <li key={post.id}>{post.title}</li>
      ))}
    </ul>
  )
}

No API needed - fetch data directly in your component.

Metadata API

SEO made simple:

export const metadata = {
  title: 'About Us - My Company',
  description: 'Learn about our company and mission',
  openGraph: {
    images: ['/og-image.jpg'],
  },
}

Next.js handles the meta tags automatically.

Common Questions

Is Next.js free? Yes, completely open source and free to use.

Do I need to use Vercel for hosting? No. Deploy to any Node.js host, static host, or edge platform.

Is it difficult to learn? If you know React, you'll pick it up quickly. If you're new to React, learn React first.

Will my site be fast? Yes, when built correctly. Next.js makes it easy to build fast sites.

Can I add it to an existing project? Yes, but it's easier to start new projects with Next.js.

The Ecosystem

Next.js has a rich ecosystem:

Popular Tools:

• Tailwind CSS - Styling
• Prisma - Database ORM
• NextAuth.js - Authentication
• Vercel - Deployment
• Sentry - Error tracking

Everything integrates smoothly.

My Honest Take

After building dozens of sites with Next.js:

The Good:

• Performance is consistently excellent
• Developer experience is superb
• SEO works beautifully
• Deployment is simple
• The ecosystem is strong

The Challenges:

• Learning curve if new to React
• Build times can grow with very large sites
• Some features are complex
• Documentation quality varies

The Verdict: For most modern websites and applications, Next.js is my first choice. The benefits far outweigh the learning investment.

When I Recommend Next.js

I recommend Next.js to clients when:

1. SEO matters - Content needs to rank in search
2. Performance matters - Speed impacts conversions
3. Growth is expected - Site will evolve and scale
4. Modern tech is valued - Client wants cutting-edge
5. Budget allows proper development - £8,000+ typically

When I Don't Recommend Next.js

I suggest alternatives when:

1. Budget is very limited - Consider Webflow or WordPress
2. Client wants self-service content updates - Consider a traditional CMS
3. Project is very simple - Static HTML or simple WordPress might suffice
4. Team lacks React skills - Stick with familiar tools

The Future of Next.js

Next.js continues to evolve rapidly:

• Improved server components
• Better streaming
• Enhanced caching
• Partial prerendering

The framework is actively developed and improving constantly.

Getting Help

Learning Next.js? Great resources:

• Official Next.js documentation (excellent)
• Next.js Learn course (interactive)
• Vercel's examples repository
• Lee Robinson's YouTube channel

The community is large and helpful.

Conclusion

Next.js represents modern web development done right. It solves real problems, delivers excellent performance, and provides a great developer experience.

Is it perfect? No. Is it right for every project? No. But for most modern websites and applications, it's an excellent choice that will serve you well for years to come.

The combination of performance, SEO, and developer experience makes Next.js my go-to framework for new projects.

Ready to Build with Next.js?

I specialise in building fast, SEO-optimised Next.js websites and applications. Whether you need a marketing site, e-commerce platform, or custom application, I can help design and develop a Next.js solution tailored to your needs.

Get in touch to discuss your project and see if Next.js is the right choice for you.