Next.js

Next.js is a React framework for the web. It adds what React leaves out: file-based routing, server and client rendering, data fetching, image and font optimization, and a way to write backend code alongside the front end. Pages can be rendered on the server, generated ahead of time or refreshed on a schedule, chosen page by page.

Next.js is built on current React features such as Server Components, which let parts of a page render on the server without sending extra JavaScript to the browser. Route Handlers and Server Actions let the same project receive webhooks, handle form submissions and talk to other services.

Features that matter for business sites

• Server rendering, so search engines and AI crawlers receive complete HTML
• Automatic image, font and script optimization for Core Web Vitals
• Nested layouts and file-system routing for large sites
• API endpoints in the same project for forms, webhooks and integrations
• Incremental regeneration to refresh pages without a full rebuild

When Next.js fits

Next.js fits custom marketing sites, headless storefronts, client portals and web applications. It pairs well with a headless CMS such as Payload, which runs inside a Next.js app. Because the same framework handles pages and server logic, a project can start as a marketing site and later add logins, dashboards or booking tools without switching platforms.

Next.js needs developers to build and maintain. It is less suited to a business that wants to rearrange page layouts itself without a development partner.

Next.js projects can be deployed to Vercel, which is made by the same company, or run in containers on other hosting. That choice can be made per project based on traffic, budget and integration needs, and the application code stays the same either way.