Next.js vs React Router: What are the differences?

Introduction

Both Next.js and React Router are popular JavaScript libraries used in web development. While they both aim to enhance routing capabilities in a React application, there are several key differences between the two. In this article, we will explore and highlight the main distinctions between Next.js and React Router.

1. Server-side rendering vs. client-side rendering: One of the main differences between Next.js and React Router is the rendering strategy. Next.js is a framework built on top of React that offers server-side rendering (SSR) out of the box. This means that pages in a Next.js application are rendered on the server and then sent to the client. On the other hand, React Router is a client-side routing library, which means that all the routing logic is handled by the client's browser.

2. File-based routing vs. component-based routing: Next.js follows a file-based routing approach, where each page in the application corresponds to a specific file in the project structure. This file-based routing simplifies the organization of the codebase and makes it straightforward to add new pages. In contrast, React Router uses component-based routing, where routing is defined based on specific components and their hierarchy within the application.

3. API routes: Next.js provides built-in support for API routes, allowing developers to define serverless functions that can be accessed client-side. With API routes, you can define custom backend logic and handle requests directly within your Next.js application. React Router, on the other hand, does not include this functionality and requires an additional setup for handling server-side functionality.

4. Static site generation: Another key feature of Next.js is static site generation (SSG), which enables the generation of static HTML files at build time. This approach offers improved performance and SEO benefits, as the HTML content is served directly from the server rather than dynamically rendered client-side. React Router does not have native support for static site generation and is primarily designed for client-side rendering.

5. Prefetching: Next.js incorporates automatic link prefetching, which means that when a user hovers over a link, Next.js will asynchronously load the linked page's assets in the background. This prefetching capability helps improve the perceived performance of the application by reducing the waiting time when navigating between pages. React Router does not include this feature natively and requires manual implementation or the use of third-party libraries.

6. Built-in data fetching: Next.js provides built-in data fetching capabilities through features like getStaticProps and getServerSideProps. These functions allow you to fetch and pre-render data on the server before sending it to the client. React Router, being primarily a routing library, does not have built-in support for data fetching and requires the use of additional libraries or custom implementations.

In summary, Next.js and React Router differ in their rendering strategies, routing approaches, support for server-side functionality, static site generation, prefetching capabilities, and built-in data fetching functionality. These distinctions make each library suitable for different use cases and development scenarios.