The Basics: Library vs. Framework
Before we dive into the comparison, let's clarify the terms: React is a JavaScript library for user interfaces. It handles one thing – rendering components – and does it well. Everything else (routing, data fetching, build configuration) you need to add yourself.
Next.js is a framework built on top of React. It comes with a complete architecture: routing, server-side rendering, API routes, image optimization, and much more. Choosing Next.js is simultaneously choosing a specific architectural pattern.
When React (without a Framework) is the Right Choice
1. Single Page Applications (SPAs)
If you're building a pure client-side application – like a dashboard, admin interface, or app behind a login – you often don't need SSR. React with Vite or Create React App is perfectly sufficient.
2. Maximum Flexibility
With pure React, you decide every aspect of your architecture: Which router do you use? How do you structure your folders? Which state management fits? This freedom can be valuable when you have specific requirements.
3. Integration into Existing Systems
When React is just one part of a larger application – like a widget in a legacy app – the framework overhead of Next.js is unnecessary.
When Next.js is the Better Choice
1. SEO Matters
As soon as search engines need to index your content, Server-Side Rendering becomes relevant. Next.js makes SSR trivial: every page can be server-rendered without additional configuration.
2. Performance for End Users
Next.js optimizes automatically:
- Automatic code-splitting: Users only load the code they need
- Image optimization: The Image component compresses and scales images automatically
- Prefetching: Links are preloaded in the background
3. Full-Stack Applications
With API Routes, you can implement backend logic directly in your Next.js project. For many projects this means: one repository, one deployment, less complexity.
4. Quick Start
Next.js makes many decisions for you. That's not a disadvantage – it's a feature. Instead of spending time on tooling configuration, you can start actual development immediately.
The Elephant in the Room: React Server Components
With React 18 and Next.js 13+, Server Components are the new standard. They fundamentally change how we build React apps:
- Less JavaScript in the browser: Server Components aren't sent to the client
- Direct database access: No more API layer needed for simple data queries
- Streaming: The page loads progressively instead of waiting for all data
If you want to use Server Components, Next.js is currently the easiest path.
Our Recommendation
For most new projects, we recommend Next.js. The reason: you get a solid, production-ready architecture without extra effort. Even if you don't need SSR initially, you have the option later.
Choose pure React if:
- You're building a pure client-side app (dashboard, admin)
- You're integrating React into an existing system
- You need maximum control over the architecture
Choose Next.js if:
- SEO is relevant
- You're building a public website or web app
- You want to start quickly and configure less
- You want to develop full-stack in one repository