The rendering method you choose for your web project makes a great impact on a lot of aspects such as app performance, page load speed, user experience, search engine optimization, user experience, etc., and many more. That’s why, choosing the right rendering strategy is important to make your project successful. Generally, there are three methods SSR, CSR, and SSG, and this blog covers all of them. But, it especially focuses on server side rendering (SSR) with its benefits. Here, we have also discussed how to implement React server-side rendering for an app so that you can successfully implement SSR in your app.
Server side rendering in React allows developers to create user-friendly, interactive, and dynamic web applications without relying on client-side JavaScript execution.
Let’s dive in-depth to learn the three ways of rendering web pages with what is SSR, what are the benefits of using SSR in React, and how to implement server side rendering in React. All that will help you to make a wise decision about rendering strategies for your future projects.
Server Side Rendering vs Client Side Rendering vs Server Side Generation
In the dynamic world of web app development, there are numerous ways to render web pages such as SSR( Server side rendering), SSG (Server side generation), and CSR (Client side rendering), etc. but, each approach has its pros and cons, and choosing the right one for your project depends on your project requirements and objectives that you want to achieve. Let’s start to know each type of rendering then you can learn about them, and select the best one according to your project.
What is Server Side Rendering?
Developers use server-side rendering to create dynamic web applications or websites, such as news and blog sites, where faster load times and good SEO optimization are required. SSR allows developers to create rendering solutions for React applications that offer amazing user experience with slow internet connection or devices that have limited memory. The best part of this is to create the interactive and ultimate user interface without relying on client-side JavaScript executions.
SSR is a process of rendering web pages on the server before sending them to the client. In this way, when a user requests a page, the server generates the HTML, including dynamic data, and fully rendered HTML is offered to the client as a complete page, and the page is displayed to the user without processing.
Next.js is a popular SSR framework. With this, developers write React code that is automatically rendered on the server, and there is no need to manage the server.
Server side rendering in React improves the page load time and offers you more control over how content appears on SERPs.
What is Client Side Rendering?
JavaScript is used to render web pages to clients in the client-side rendering. In this process, the server sends the initial HTML file, but then JavaScript dynamically updates the page according to the need. This process allows you to create more interactive and responsive web pages. Because clients can update specific parts of a web page without loading the entire page, in this way, server requests become so much less than SSR, and React is the most popular framework of CSR. To create a dynamic and interactive web application, you should use CSR (Client-side rendering).
When a user makes a page request then the server sends an HTML file, along with the required JavaScript file, and the client uses JavaScript to update the page as required without reloading the whole page.
What is Server Side Generation?
Server-side generation is used to build static websites that need faster loading times, and some degree of interactivity. You can also use it to build complex apps or websites that don’t require real-time updates. This is a hybrid process in which the benefits of both SSR and CSR are combined. This server generates static HTML files for each web page. However, client-side JavaScript is also used to update the page as required. Gatsby is the popular framework of SCG. By using Gatsby, you can write React code and automatically change it into static HTML files that offer you the benefits of SCG.
When a user requests any page, the server generates a static HTML file with JavaScript files. The client can display the web page without waiting for additional server requests. client-side JavaScript is used to update the page according to requirements if needed.
Now, Let’s have a look at the table that helps you to know the key differences between SSR, CSR, and SSG.
Key Difference Among SSR, CSR, and SSG
| Approach | Advantages | Disadvantages | Working | Uses |
| SSR | Faster load times, Improved SEO optimization, better UX on slow internet speed, and less powerful devices. | Increased server load, & limited interactivity. | The server renders HTML with dynamic data and sends it to the client for display. | Content-heavy websites, SEO optimization, and improved initial load time. |
| CSR | Interactive and dynamic web apps, Ultimate user experience, and reduced server requests. | Slow load times with poor SEO optimization | The server sends the initial HTML, and client updates with JavaScript. | Web applications, & single-page applications. |
| SSG | Fast initial load times, dynamic updates, better SEO optimization, and better user experience even on slow net speed. | Limited interactivity and dynamic updates, increased server load | The server generates static HTML, and the client uses JavaScript to update. | For a faster initial load Time, dynamic updates, and better SEO optimization. |
Server Side Rendering (SSR) vs Client Side Rendering (CSR)
When you are going to create a web application then the first question that comes to your mind is which rendering method should be chosen to make your project successful. Server side rendering and client-side rendering are two popular and mostly used techniques used in web application development. But, each one has its advantages and disadvantages. To choose one of them is very important, and for that, we have to know the key difference between them so you can make the right choice.
Server Side Rendering (SSR) vs Client Side Rendering (CSR): which should be opted for? Let’s start to know.
1. Rendering Process
The key difference between SSR and CSR is that SSR’s rendering process happens on the server while CSR’s rendering process occurs on the client. In the CSR, the server only serves the blank HTML, and the remaining rendering process is handled by the browser. However, in the SSR, the server renders the page with the complete HTML file to the browser.
2. Search Engine Optimization
In SSR, a fully rendered HTML file is sent to the client, and that’s why web crawlers can properly analyze the page’s content, index it, and rank it accordingly. However, In CSR, crawlers encounter a minimal page at first so they struggle to index web pages properly, and your web pages lack.
3. Initial Page Load Time
In the CSR, the browser has to download the JavaScript code to render the page, and that’s why the initial page load time is slow. Meanwhile, in SSR, fully rendered HTML is sent to the client, and that helps it offer faster page load speed. Page load speed is an important aspect of SSR and CSR.
4. Interactivity
When it comes to interactivity then CSR is more advanced than SSR. CSR is known to offer highly interactive and dynamic user experiences. Because rendering directly happens in the browser. However, SSR is not so advanced in comparison to CSR because any changes in UI or updates require communication between the client and server, and that consumes too much time.
5. User Experience
To offer an amazing user experience, you should opt for server side rendering. , when a user interacts with a client-side rendered page then he faces an empty page or a loading indicator before JavaScript code fetches the data and renders it to the User Interface. While, in server side rendering, a fully-rendered HTML page loads, and users get an immediate and better experience that helps you to engage users.
6. Server Load
By using CSR, you can reduce the server load time, because the server’s prime objective is to serve the initial HTML file. However, in SSR, the server renders the complete UI for every time the user makes a request, and all that increases the load time.
7. Number of HTTP Requests
In server side rendering, every page is rendered from scratch, and that’s why there are more HTTP requests than CSR. With CSR, only a few requests are made to the server, as the JavaScript code handles most of the UI updates and data fetching. If your web project requires fewer HTTP requests then go with client-side rendering.
8. Dependency of JavaScript
Client-side rendering depends a lot on the JavaScript to work, and if JavaScript is disabled then the user may experience a blank page. While server side rendering offers you an average user experience, whether JavaScript is disabled or not.
By having a look at the above-given aspects, you can know the difference between Server-side rendering and client-side rendering. A detailed analysis of both SSR and CSR helps you to know every positive and negative side of both, and according to your project demands, you can choose rendering options.
Now, let’s start by explaining the benefits of server side rendering in React.
Advantages of Server Side Rendering in React
To offer the ultimate user experience, server-side rendering has become the first choice for developers. There are numerous benefits of using SSR in web application development, and here, we are going to discuss a few of them.
There are numerous benefits of React server side rendering like enhanced user experience, faster load time, SEO friendliness, etc. Let’s start to know more.
Load time is a significant factor that plays a vital role in offering amazing user experience, or user satisfaction. SSR offers you reduced load time, and pages load within a few moments. That’s why, to develop large, and complex projects, SSR has become the first choice for developers. After the initial loading, your SSR platform will function like a single-page application. The best part of SSR is it enables smooth transitions between web pages.
To improve the performance of web applications most developers use server side rendering. The best part of SSR in React is there is no need for any spinners or loaders for the initial load, and that’s where SSR beats the CSR.
2. Distribution Of Content
Distribution of content is one of the most important benefits of React server-side rendering. Apps or sites whose content and pages are rendered on the server side are very easy to share on social media platforms. When you share a link to your SSR app anywhere, it will automatically prompt a title and an image for it, and social network snippets also help you to get more traffic on your SSR app.
In short, for the distribution of content, React server side rendering is beneficial and also helps you to get more traffic. This way, you will be able to achieve more traffic on your app.
3. Accurate Page Loading Metrics
React server side rendering helps you to get accurate metrics in real-time. Like if a user navigates from one page to another, it will give you detailed information so that you can optimize your app accordingly. Detailed data on user behavior plays a vital role in offering enhanced UX/UI. Once you get the data about user interactions then you can offer more like that so that you can attract more userbase. Such kind of detailed analysis can be obtained only from SSR, and in CSR it is not possible.
4. Search Engine Optimization
The slow load time of the application is the biggest drawback that is not liked by either users, not Google bots. The prime task of bots is to index web pages, and they index static pages faster in comparison to JavaScript. Like a user, bots also have to download the web content to crawl and index it. However, bots have a fixed time to index a single page, and if your page doesn’t download within the given time, your page remains unindexed.
Server side rendering offers you all the necessary aspects to make your platform SEO friendly. That’s why, web pages that are rendered on the server side will load faster, and hence, bots index them easily. A website or application using React server side rendering will get better results on the search engine result page (SERP).
5. Support for Browsers
Server side rendering in React ensures that your app will be accessible to end-users with browsers that have disabled JavaScript. As we all know SSR offers pre-rendered HTML, and that’s why, content is viewable even if the client can not execute JavaScript. Frameworks like Next JS can be used to implement SSR in a React application.
Also Read: React Native App Development with Benefits and Best Practices
How to Implement SSR in React Using Next.js
Now, you have cleared all your doubts regarding server side rendering (SSR) and its benefits. Here, we are going to discuss the step-by-step process of implementing React server side rendering by using Next.js for an application so that you can offer a user-friendly experience, and make a big stride in the competitive world.
1. Create a New Next.js Project
This is the first step in which you have to create a new Next.js project. But, before this, you have to install Node.js and npm. To simplify this process, you can hire node js developer.
2. Add Required Dependencies
In this step, the React JS developer will add dependencies to the new project by using commands.
3. Set up the Environment Configuration
Once developers have added the dependencies, this is time to set up the configuration environment, and for that, developers will define an environment variable that will be stored in a local file. This file has all the necessary information regarding configuration settings that can be used by React JS developers for multiple environments such as development, staging, production, etc.
4. Create a New Page
In this step of React server side rendering, you have to create a new page for your application project, and to create a new page, developers have to create a new file in the page’s directory. Next.js developers must keep in mind that this framework uses a file-based routing system and that means all the files of the page directory will define each page of the app.
Once the file is ready, the developers can specify the React components in this file. That file will be rendered to users when end-users visit the same book path.
5. Create an API Endpoint
When you have created a new page then you have to create an API endpoint. The API endpoint is used to fetch the details of each product that is listed or available on the website. To create serverless API endpoints for an app or site, developers can use a built-in API routing system in the Next.js framework. To introduce a new API endpoint, developers have to create a new file in the directory.
For hassle-free server-side rendering in React, you can hire full stack developers.
6. Page Updation for Server Side Rendering
Once you have done with the API endpoint, Next.js uses CSR as a default option to render pages. But to use server side rendering in React, developers have to switch to it, and for that, they update the page component. For that, developers use the getServerSideProps function. By using this function, developers can easily render the pages on the server side.
7. Start the Development Server
This step is used by developers to start the development of the servers and for that, they use commands.
8. Test the Application
This is the final step of server side rendering in React in which the URL path is visited to test the React application. Once it is done it means your React server-side rendering in the app is done.
Why Choose Amplework for Server Side Rendering in React?
Amplework is a leading mobile app development company that has the best team of developers and designers that has rich development experience across various industries. That’s why, they enrich your idea with exceptional functionalities that have never been experienced before. They have developed a wide range of applications across different industries, and all of them are successful. And for that, they have earned a big reputation and have become the first choice for application development. Their developed software solutions are creating a big difference in the digital world. When you are going to create an app with an amazing user interface, and reduced load time, then all is possible while you opt for server side rendering, and to implement that you can hire React Native developer from Amplework.
Final Words
This blog covers the rendering techniques such as SSR, CSR, and SSG in detail, and especially focuses on SSR with their benefits. It all helps you to know how server side rendering in React plays a vital role in offering an application with interactive user interfaces, improved performance, and reduced load time. React server side rendering offers you an optimized way of delivering content that truly impacts the success of the project. Both client-side rendering and server-side rendering are the most popular and used rendering strategies for web development. The key differences between them help you to choose the best one for your project. We hope this blog flawlessly guides you to improve the performance of your web app for both users and SERPs.
Also Read: A Complete Guide to Hire React Developers for 2024
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q.1 What are the advantages of server side rendering?
Ans. Here is the list of the benefits you get when you use SSR in web application development.
- Improved rendering speed.
- Improved SEO optimization.
- Enhanced user experience.
- Accessibility.
- Sharing on social media.
- Reduced load time.
- Better control over data.
- Efficient management of high traffic.
Ans. Here is the list of the server side rendering frameworks and tools that are the first choice for developers to build web applications-
- Next.js
- Nuxt.js
- SvelteKit
- Gatsby
- Angular Universal
- Remix
- Astro
- Qwik
Q.3 When to use server side rendering?
Ans. SSR (Server side rendering) has various benefits. But, it is not always recommended. Let’s start to know when you should use SSR-
- Enhancing website’s SEO performance.
- A faster initial page load is required.
- When you end-users are using slow internet connection and low-memory devices.
Q.4 What are the key factors in choosing the rendering method in web development?
Ans. When you are going to build a web application then it is important to count various aspects like its performance, initial page load speed, user experience, search engine optimization, and the rendering method. There are two popular approaches for rendering in web development, and choosing one of them is also a critical factor. Let’s have a look at the key factors that will help you to make the right rending approach for your web project.
To make an informed decision, you should count these below-given aspects-
- Type of application whether dynamic or static.
- Search Engine Optimization is a priority.
- Tech stacks used by the development team.
- Project’s performance requirements.
- The user experience you want to offer.
- User interaction is too much or negligible.
