Next.js, Remix, Gatsby: Which JavaScript framework to use for building your Apps?

JavaScript frameworks have become indispensable tools for developers aiming to build efficient, scalable, and robust applications.

Among them, React-based frameworks stand out as their component-based architecture is ideal for developing complex user interfaces like wallets, trading platforms, and interactive dashboards.

In this article, we’ll look at three popular React-based frameworks — Next.js, Remix, and Gatsby — for app development. We’ll delve into their unique features, and use cases, make a brief comparison to help developers decide, and show developers how they can get their apps built with these frameworks deployed on Fleek

Next.js

The Next.js framework is designed for building scalable applications that require server-side rendering (SSR) or static site generation (SSG).

Unique features

Here are some unique features of Next.js that simplify the development process and reduce page load times.

1. Flexible rendering methods: One of the core strengths of Next.js is its flexibility in rendering methods. Unlike other frameworks that are universally committed to a single rendering approach, Next.js offers various options to cater to specific needs.  It supports:

• Static site generation (SSG), which pre-renders pages during build time, optimizing for speed and reducing server load, is ideal for unchanging content.
• Server-side rendering (SSR), which renders pages on each request, is suitable for frequently updated content like blockchain data, social media platforms, and weather forecasting services.
• Incremental static regeneration (ISR), which updates static pages post-build when the revalidation period expires. This method combines static efficiency with dynamic freshness. It’s useful for scenarios like NFT marketplaces and ecommerce platforms where listing details might change.

2. Built-in routing system: Next.js has a file-based routing system that automatically determines routes based on the file names and directory structure. This simplifies the development process significantly compared to other frameworks where routing can be more complex and require manual configuration.

3. Optimization features: Next.js includes features like automatic code splitting, and image optimization to efficiently manage resources and serve optimized content to users dynamically based on their needs. This improves SEO and enhances user experience.

Use Cases

• Real-time trading platforms
• Event ticketing websites
• eCommerce platforms
• DAO voting systems
• Cryptocurrency wallet interfaces
• Quickly deploy a Next.JS app using the Fleek.xyz’s starter kit here

Gatsby

Gatsby is the go-to framework for building static websites. It integrates GraphQL for data management and supports a wide array of plugins for added functionality.

Unique features

Here are some standout features that help streamline the development process and improve site performance.

1. GraphQL integration: Gatsby’s integration with GraphQL allows developers to query exactly what they need from various data sources in a single request. This minimizes data transfer, which in turn reduces the load on the network and speeds up the response times of web pages.

Additionally, managing data becomes more straightforward because the structure of the data requested is defined upfront in the query.

2. Static site generation (SSG): Gatsby pre-builds web pages into static HTML at build time, enhancing loading speeds and security. It also integrates data from various sources using GraphQL, optimizes images, and prefetches links during this process, making it ideal for static and content-heavy sites.

3. Rich plugin ecosystem: Gatsby’s extensive plugin ecosystem can handle tasks ranging from image optimization and SEO enhancements. This means developers don’t have to go through extensive API documentation or delve into SDKs to add complex features to their applications.

Use Cases

• Blog and content hosting
• Information portals and databases
• Product landing pages
• NFT galleries

Remix

Remix is a modern web framework that is specifically useful for creating server-side applications.

Unique features

Here’s a closer look at the Remix features which help enhance the speed and user experience of web applications.

1. Nested routes: Unlike flat routes with no hierarchy or dependence between them, nested routes have a hierarchical structure similar to a directory tree. This makes development easier and eliminates code duplication as each route doesn’t necessarily need to have its own loading logic, error-handling, and UI components.

2. Server-side rendering with hydration: Remix leverages SSR extensively but enhances it with efficient client-side hydration. That means the server sends a fully-rendered HTML page to the client, which can then become interactive with minimal JavaScript.

This approach reduces the time to first paint and the time to become interactive, greatly improving performance on mobile devices or slow networks.

3. Parallel data fetching: Loader functions in Remix are designed to execute in parallel, not just sequentially.

When a page is requested, all the necessary data for that page and its nested components can be fetched at the same time, rather than one after the other. This parallel execution significantly reduces the overall time required to load all the data needed for rendering the page.

Use cases

• Analytics dashboards
• Education portals
• Blockchain games

Comparing the three frameworks on key decision-making factors

Next.js, Gatsby, and Remix each offer unique features that cater to different aspects of Web3 development. In this section, we compare these frameworks based on key factors like performance, developer experience, and ecosystem support to determine their suitability for web3 projects.

Deploying on Different Frameworks using Fleek

Gatsby, Next.js, and Remix provide robust foundations for developers looking to build applications. They each offer unique strengths—Gatsby with static sites, Next.js with hybrid applications, and Remix with real-time, interactive experiences.

Fleek is designed to simplify the deployment, hosting, and storage of web projects. It connects seamlessly with Next.js to provide benefits like:

• Simplified deployment: With Fleek, developers can leverage frameworks like OpenNext to enable the entire Next.js application to be deployed without the complexities of server setup and maintenance.
• Diverse storage options: Developers can store their Next.js application data on decentralized storage platforms like IPFS, Arweave, and Filecoin. This is because Fleek Network allows for easy integration with these storage options using just a few lines of code.

FAQs

1. Which framework is best for a beginner in application development?

For beginners, Next.js is often recommended due to its extensive documentation, large community, and the simplicity of its file-based routing system. It also provides flexibility with rendering methods (SSG, SSR, ISR) that are easier to learn and implement, making it a good starting point for new developers.

2. Why is Next.js the most popular framework for building applications?

Next.js stands out for application development due to its versatile rendering options (SSG, SSR, ISR), making it ideal for both static and dynamic content. Its strong community support and robust ecosystem, backed by Vercel, ensure continuous improvement and extensive resources for integrating blockchain technologies efficiently.

3. How does Next.js integrate with blockchain technologies for Web3 development?

Next.js integrates smoothly with blockchain technologies using libraries like web3.js and ethers.js. These tools enable Next.js applications to interact with Ethereum smart contracts and access blockchain data directly, facilitating the development of responsive and dynamic Web3 applications.