Remix vs. Next.js: Which is the best React framework?

Remix and Next.js are considered to be two of the best full-stack React frameworks, so which one should you choose and why?

Different frameworks are usually built with different use cases and aim to solve different problems (or the same problems in different ways). This makes the choice subjective for each project: For some apps, you will need to prioritize performance and SEO, while others require more features and greater flexibility in their implementation.

This article will break down their features, benefits, trade-offs, and ideal use cases so you can confidently make the best choice between Remix and Next.js.

Untangling the jargon: Frameworks, SSR, CSR, and SSG

When working with full-stack React frameworks, you will want to decide which rendering method is right for your project. Some offer better performance, while others give you more flexibility, interactivity, or better search engine optimization (SEO).

SSR (server-side rendering)

SSR is a process where the server pre-renders the page on each request, then sends the complete page HTML to the client (that is, everything that is on the page is provided in the initial request, and nothing is loaded afterward). This approach is best for SEO, as the content is present immediately for the search engine to index. It is also good for websites that focus on performance. Both Next.js and Remix offer this rendering method.

CSR (client-side rendering)

With CSR, the server first sends a minimal HTML file, which the browser loads, and then the front end renders the page on the client’s device. This method is great for highly interactive apps, dashboards, and single-page applications (SPAs). Again, both Next.js and Remix offer this method.

SSG (static site generation)

SSG is when pages are pre-built at compile time and served as static HTML. With no need for a back end on request, this option is great for fast-loading blogs, landing pages, and marketing sites, and it is highly performant and good for SEO. While Next.js offers this method, Remix currently does not officially support it.

ISR (incremental static regeneration)

ISR is similar to SSG, but updates can be triggered at runtime without completely re-rendering and reloading the page. This is ideal for hybrid use cases (where a page includes some static and some dynamic content). Next.js supports ISR, while Remix does not.

Many projects use static site hosting (such as Vercel, Netlify, and Cloudflare) that provides or can be combined with cloud delivery network (CDN) caching for performance and scalability. SSG and ISR benefit the most from CDN-based hosting, whereas SSR and CSR require a running back end, making hosting more complex.

What is Remix?

Remix is a full-stack framework (one that combines frontend and backend functionality) built on React. It places a focus on server-side rendering and progressive enhancement, handling most processing on the server and reducing the amount of frontend development required.

Remix includes many developer-centric optimizations designed to reduce development and deployment overheads, including being decoupled from Node.js and using the Fetch API (broadening the number of potential hosting solutions), nested routing, and built-in error handling. 

Due to its implementation of server-side rendering (SSR), Remix is effective in use cases that prioritize SEO, with fast page load speeds that already contain all of the data search engines need to index, without additional API calls to fetch content.

Key features and advantages of Remix

The key developer features and advantages to developers provided by Remix include:

• A variety of hosting options: Remix relies on the native JavaScript Web Fetch API for exchanging data, and does not have a Node.js dependency. Instead, it has several adapters for running in different JavaScript environments, including Node.js, your own servers, and highly scalable services such as Cloudflare Workers.

• Stale-while-revalidate caching: Remix supports the stale-while revalidate caching directive, allowing cached content to be served until it can be refreshed with up-to-date data.

• Automatic code splitting: JavaScript code is split according to route, reducing bundle sizes for each page load, and increasing load speed. This can reduce the need for tools like React Suspense.

• Nested routes: Routes can be nested, inheriting code and layout from their parent routes, increasing modularity, and reducing the amount of code that needs to be written.

• Built-in error handling: Errors are handled at the nearest error boundary, so that entire pages aren't necessarily broken by a single error.

• Loaders and actions: Server-side loaders and actions process data and handle form submissions, reducing the number of API calls from the client, as well as reducing the amount of client-side processing, simplifying data handling and validation.

These features, combined with Remix’s deployment and end-user oriented features, result in numerous benefits to the user experience:

• Fast performance: The combination of SSR with loaders and actions, code splitting, and stale-while-revalidate caching leads to more responsive apps with reduced rendering time and smaller payloads.

• Reliability: Error handling reduces the chance of bugs making it into production, and allows you to build apps that can mitigate runtime issues.

• Progressive enhancement: By decoupling content from interactivity and providing basic functionality first, apps are compatible with more devices, and work better in low-bandwidth environments or when certain components fail to load.

• SEO optimization: SEO considers user experience and engagement, so the faster your page is rendered, and the wider its compatibility, the better your SEO prospects will be — making it easier for your audience to find you.

What is Next.js?

Next.js is also a full-stack, React-based framework for building web applications. While it places an emphasis on performance, it is not the sole priority: Next.js is designed to be highly flexible with an ability to use static site generation (SSR) and client-side rendering (CSR), in addition to server-side rendering. This gives it broader appeal but limits its optimization for SSR scenarios.

The ability to mix rendering methods, built-in image optimization, native internationalization features, as well as commercial support and a large community, are all contributing factors for the continued popularity of Next.js.

Key features and advantages of Next.js

Next.js provides a complete solution for building web applications that can be deployed to Node.js hosting environments, or for generating static sites:

• File-based routing: Create JavaScript or TypeScript files that are automatically turned into application routes, removing the need for manually implementing page routing with React router. API routes are also supported.

• Built-in internationalization: i18n support facilitates apps targeting multiple locales with language detection and localization routing based on either URL or domain.

• Automatic code splitting: Like Remix, Next.js apps benefit from smaller bundles by automatic code splitting.

• Hybrid rendering and prefetch: You can mix rendering methods for different pages, allowing pages with unchanging content to be statically served to reduce hosting costs, while still using SSR and CSR for dynamic content. Pages can also be pre-loaded when links to them appear onscreen to further improve the user experience.

• Commercial backing and large ecosystem: Next.js is backed by Vercel, who use it for their commercial hosting platform. It also has an extensive ecosystem of libraries, and a large support community.

This, in turn, leads to applications that give users a more dynamic experience:

• Improved performance and SEO: Next.js provides good performance and SEO when used with SSR and deployed to scalable hosting. If server-side processing isn't required, completely static sites can be generated for the best possible load times.

• A wider variety of possible functionality: The flexibility and ecosystem of Next.js allows for the rapid development of more kinds of applications, from ecommerce to social apps, that can reach more users with internationalization.

• A more “app-like” experience: A heavier focus on frontend functionality makes it easier to build an “app-like” experience for use cases that are less SEO focused and require higher interactivity.

Remix vs. Next.js: Side-by-side features comparison

Below is a table showing the difference in high-level features for Next.js and Remix:

Although Next.js and Remix are quite similar in purpose, there are some key technical and developer experience differences:

Data fetching

Next.js offers four ways to fetch data:

1. getInitialProps (server + client)

2. getServerSideProps (server-side)

3. getStaticProps (build-time)

4. Client fetching (in the browser)

Remix simplifies this with just one approach: the loader. By comparison, it always fetches data on the server and sends it to the client, and it is easier to reason about compared to managing four different strategies.

Server fetching 

In Remix, server fetching starts as soon as the request is received; there is no delay waiting for the browser to download JavaScript before fetching data. Next.js, by default, requires client-side data fetching for dynamic pages unless explicitly handled with SSR (getServerSideProps).

Data mutations

Remix uses server-side actions to handle form submissions. It works with standard HTML forms (enhanced with JavaScript), automatically updates the UI, revalidates data, and is less manual work for developers. Next.js requires API routes for form submissions and client-side fetch calls to update data, and the UI needs to be manually revalidated.

Error handling

Remix provides built-in error boundaries, but they are quite simple, opinionated, and not highly customizable. Next.js requires custom error handling, but this allows for more flexibility.

Flexibility

Remix offers a structured, opinionated approach as it always fetches data on the server, handles data mutations automatically, and encourages progressive enhancement. Next.js, on the other hand, is more flexible but requires more decisions: you have to choose between SSG, SSR, ISR, or CSR and handle API routes and mutations manually.

Long-term scalability 

Remix scales consistently well due to server-first fetching and edge compatibility. Next.js allows for more control, which is better for large, complex applications, but it requires careful data management to maintain performance.

Comparing Remix and Next.js performance

• Server vs. client: Remix prioritizes server-rendered data, reducing client-side fetch delays, whereas Next.js provides flexibility, allowing for both server-side and client-side rendering.

• Data fetching: Remix uses a single loader function for fetching data only on the server, while Next.js requires choosing between getStaticProps, getServerSideProps, ISR, or client fetching.

• Optimizations: Next.js offers ISR, API caching, and automatic code splitting, while Remix uses HTTP caching and progressive enhancement for faster loads.

Overall, both frameworks handle performance well, but Remix ensures consistent server speeds, while Next.js allows developers to fine-tune their rendering strategies based on their specific needs.

Choosing Remix vs. Next.js for your project

Choosing between Remix and Next.js depends on your project’s needs and future scalability requirements. Here are some factors to keep in mind:

• Rendering method: Static-heavy sites may benefit from Next.js due to its ISR and hybrid rendering, while Remix excels in server-first rendering and complex routing for dynamic, data-heavy applications.

• Future requirements: Consider whether the framework scales with your needs — Next.js offers more rendering options, making it easier to adapt to changing needs, such as adding dynamic content or enhancing SEO. Remix simplifies development with a single data-fetching model, which can help with maintenance and scaling.

• Community and ecosystem: If you’re accustomed to having a large community to turn to for answers, Next.js may be better as it’s backed by Vercel and widely used, ensuring long-term support and extensive community resources. Remix, on the other hand, is growing fast after joining Shopify, offers cutting-edge features, and may appeal to developers seeking innovation.

• Developer experience: Remix offers a consistent, opinionated, data-fetching model, reducing boilerplate and helping maintainability, while Next.js offers more flexibility and customization, enabling fine-tuning for complex projects.

Both frameworks are actively evolving, so you should also check out the roadmaps to see the upcoming features for Next.js and Remix.

Remix and Next.js with composable content

Whether you choose Remix or Next.js, both frameworks can be used with Contentful, giving your developer, creative, and marketing teams the tools they need to manage and deploy your content using our scalable, API-driven, content management platform.

Contentful provides structured data that can be fetched efficiently on the server, using GraphQL and REST APIs. This ensures content is delivered to your apps, websites, billboards, newsletters, AI assistants, and other channels super fast so your audience is never left waiting.

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