Next.JS or Express.JS, how are they different?
Next.js is a framework for building server-rendered React applications. It is built on top of Node.js and uses Express.js as the underlying web server. Next.js provides a set of features and conventions specifically designed for building server-rendered React applications, making it a higher-level framework compared to Express.js.
One of the key features of Next.js is automatic code splitting. This means that the application is divided into smaller chunks of code that are loaded on demand as the user navigates through the application. This helps to improve the performance of the application by only loading the code that is necessary for the current page.
Another key feature of Next.js is server-side rendering out of the box. With server-side rendering, the application is rendered on the server and the HTML is sent to the client. This improves the performance of the application and makes it more SEO friendly.
Next.js also has a built-in development server and supports hot module replacement. This means that the application updates automatically as the code changes, making the development process more efficient. Additionally, Next.js has a file-based routing system, which means that the routes are defined in the file system, making it easy to organize and maintain the routes.
Lastly, Next.js has built-in static file serving, which means that the static files can be served directly from the file system. This is a convenient feature for serving images, stylesheets and other static files.
Express.js, on the other hand, is a lower-level framework that provides a simple and flexible way to build web applications and APIs. It does not have the same set of features and conventions specifically designed for server-rendered React applications that Next.js has, but it is more flexible and can be used to build any type of web application.
With Express.js, you have to manually split the code into smaller chunks, set up server-side rendering, set up the development server and configure it to support hot module replacement. The routing is also defined in the code instead of file system. And for serving static files, it need manual setup.
In summary, Next.js is a higher-level framework that provides a specific set of features and conventions for building server-rendered React applications, making it a good choice for building React-based apps that require server-side rendering. Express.js, on the other hand, is a lower-level framework that provides a simple and flexible way to build web applications and APIs and can be used to build any type of web application, but it require more manual setup.
At Interprogram, we have a team of experienced developers who are proficient in both Next.js and Express.js. Based on the specific needs and goals of your project, we can help you determine which framework would be the best fit for your application. If you are looking to build a server-rendered React application with built-in features such as automatic code splitting, server-side rendering, and a file-based routing system, Next.js would be the ideal choice. On the other hand, if you are looking for a more flexible and lower-level framework to build any type of web application, Express.js would be a good option. Our team can guide you through the entire process of building your application, from initial design and development to deployment and maintenance. If you are interested in developing your next Next.js or Express application, please don't hesitate to contact us.