Server-Side Rendering (SSR)
Server-Side Rendering (SSR) is a technique in which the server generates the complete HTML page and sends it to the browser. The user sees the content immediately, without waiting for JavaScript to download and execute. SSR is crucial for SEO and fast initial page loads.
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How SSR works
On every request the server runs React (or another framework), generates HTML from the components and data, and sends the finished page to the browser. The browser displays the page immediately and then downloads the JavaScript that “revives” the page (hydration) to make it interactive. The result: fast first paint plus full interactivity.
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SSR vs. SPA vs. SSG
An SPA (Single Page Application) renders everything in the browser — fast navigation, but slow first load and poor SEO. SSG (Static Site Generation) generates pages at build time — the fastest option, but content only updates with the next build. SSR generates pages on every request — always up-to-date data, good SEO, but a higher load on the server.
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SSR in Next.js
Next.js offers all three approaches in a single framework. With the App Router, components are server-rendered (SSR) by default. Static pages are generated automatically wherever possible. Dynamic pages use SSR. You can combine them within a single page — a static layout with dynamic content.
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Business benefits of SSR
SSR brings better SEO (search engines see complete HTML), faster first paint (better Core Web Vitals), correct OG meta tags for social sharing and better accessibility. For company websites and e-shops, SSR is practically the standard. At Appitect we build all websites with SSR in Next.js.
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Practical example
When the Google bot visits your website, SSR serves it the complete HTML page with all the content. The bot does not have to wait for JavaScript and instantly sees every piece of text, every heading, every meta tag and every link. The result: better indexing and higher search rankings.
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