Next.js vs React: Which Should You Choose?

"Should I learn React or Next.js?" This is probably the most common question I get from developers starting out. The short answer? It's not really an either/or situation. Let me explain the differences and help you figure out which one you need.

First, Let's Clear Up the Confusion

Here's the thing: Next.js is built ON TOP of React. It's not a replacement or competitor - it's an extension. Think of React as the engine and Next.js as the whole car.

React is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. It handles the "view" layer - what users see and interact with.

Next.js is a React framework that adds features like routing, server-side rendering, and more. It's created by Vercel and has become incredibly popular.

If you don't know React, you can't effectively use Next.js. So if you're brand new, start with React basics first. Check out my Getting Started with React guide to learn the fundamentals.

What React Gives You

React is focused on one thing: building UI components. Here's what you get out of the box:

• Component-based architecture - Build reusable UI pieces
• Virtual DOM - Efficient updates to the actual DOM
• JSX - Write HTML-like code in JavaScript
• Hooks - Manage state and side effects
• Context API - Share data across components

That's pretty much it. React intentionally doesn't include things like routing, data fetching, or build optimization. You have to add those yourself (or use a framework like Next.js).

What Next.js Adds to React

Next.js takes React and adds all the "missing" pieces you need for production apps:

1. File-Based Routing

In plain React, you need to install React Router and manually define routes. Next.js does this automatically based on your file structure.

// In Next.js, this file structure:
pages/
  index.js      → /
  about.js      → /about
  blog/
    [slug].js   → /blog/any-post-slug

// Creates routes automatically!

2. Server-Side Rendering (SSR)

React apps are typically "client-side rendered" - the browser downloads JavaScript, then renders the page. This can be slow and bad for SEO.

Next.js can render pages on the server, sending fully-formed HTML to the browser. This means:

• Faster initial page loads
• Better SEO (search engines see your content immediately)
• Works even if JavaScript is disabled

3. Static Site Generation (SSG)

For pages that don't change often, Next.js can generate static HTML at build time. This is super fast because there's no server processing on each request.

// Generate static pages at build time
export async function getStaticProps() {
  const posts = await fetchBlogPosts()
  return { props: { posts } }
}

4. API Routes

Need a backend? Next.js lets you create API endpoints right in your project:

// pages/api/hello.js
export default function handler(req, res) {
  res.json({ message: 'Hello from the API!' })
}

This is great for small backends, form handling, or integrating with third-party services.

5. Built-In Optimizations

Next.js automatically handles:

• Image optimization - Automatic resizing, lazy loading, WebP conversion
• Code splitting - Only load JavaScript needed for each page
• Prefetching - Links preload in the background
• CSS handling - Built-in support for CSS Modules, Sass, etc.

When to Use Plain React

Plain React (with tools like Vite or Create React App) makes sense when:

• You're building a single-page application (SPA)
• SEO isn't important (like internal dashboards or tools)
• You want maximum flexibility in choosing your own tools
• You're learning React and want to understand the fundamentals
• Your app will be embedded in another application

When to Use Next.js

Next.js is the better choice when:

• SEO matters (blogs, marketing sites, e-commerce)
• You want fast initial page loads
• You need both frontend and a simple backend
• You want built-in routing without extra setup
• You want to focus on building, not configuring
• You're building a production application

Real-World Comparison

Let's compare building a blog with both:

With Plain React + Vite:

1. Set up Vite with React template
2. Install React Router for navigation
3. Install a data fetching library (React Query, SWR)
4. Set up a separate backend API (or use a headless CMS)
5. Configure SEO manually (react-helmet)
6. Set up code splitting manually
7. Deploy frontend and backend separately

With Next.js:

1. Create Next.js project
2. Create page files (routing is automatic)
3. Use getStaticProps for data fetching
4. SEO handled with built-in Head component
5. Code splitting is automatic
6. Deploy to Vercel (or anywhere) as a single unit

See the difference? Next.js handles a lot of the boilerplate for you.

Performance Comparison

For most use cases, Next.js will give you better performance out of the box:

• First Contentful Paint - Next.js wins (server rendering)
• Time to Interactive - Similar after hydration
• Lighthouse scores - Next.js typically scores higher without optimization

That said, a well-optimized React SPA can be just as fast for certain use cases, especially if SEO isn't a concern.

Learning Path Recommendation

Here's the path I recommend:

1. Learn React fundamentals first - Components, props, state, hooks
2. Build a small project with plain React - Understand how things work under the hood
3. Then learn Next.js - You'll appreciate what it does for you
4. Use Next.js for production projects - Unless you have specific reasons not to

My Personal Take

For almost all new projects, I default to Next.js now. The developer experience is fantastic, and you get so much for free. The only times I reach for plain React are:

• Quick prototypes or experiments
• Embedded widgets
• When the project specifically needs a different framework

If you're building something that needs to be on the web and SEO matters even a little bit, go with Next.js. You won't regret it.

Conclusion

The "React vs Next.js" debate is really a false dichotomy. Next.js IS React - just with extra features. Learn React to understand the foundation, then use Next.js to build production apps faster.

Both are excellent tools, and knowing when to use each is part of becoming a better developer. Start with React basics, graduate to Next.js, and you'll be building amazing web applications in no time.

If you haven't already, check out my Getting Started with React guide to learn the fundamentals. Once you're comfortable, Next.js will feel like a natural next step.