I recently jumped into web development and started my journey by using "npm create vite@latest" without realizing the implications of choosing between a Single Page Application (SPA) and Static Site Generation (SSG). Coming from a low-level game development background, I initially felt great about my progress, creating various projects and learning from resources like Theo - T3.gg. However, as I began exploring backend development, I noticed that my app was loading slowly—about a second—which I initially attributed to my connection issues.
After researching more about Server-Side Rendering (SSR) this week, I came to understand that my SPA is not suitable for SSR. This realization made the slow load times make more sense, and now I'm torn about how to improve my site's performance. I don't want to completely rewrite my app in Next.js, though I've considered using Astro as an alternative. I'm uncertain if that would address the loading issues I'm facing. Would it be better to try a quick fix, accept the slow load times, or port to Next.js now while it's still manageable? I'm probably missing something here. Thanks for the help!
P.S. I also use React for my app.
4 Answers
If you're considering SSR, have you looked at the SSR section of the Vite docs? There might be solutions or optimizations there that could help without a full transition to Next.js.
I think trying Astro could be worthwhile, especially if most of your content is static. It might not be as interactive as a full React app, but if you're mostly showcasing, it could fit your needs without the load time issues. Just keep in mind, it depends on how interactive you want the site to be.
I’ve been exploring Astro too! It seems great for balancing performance and interactivity.
Before making any major changes, identify if specific assets like large images, audio, or video could be slowing your site down. If they load all at once, that can cause delays. Look into different loading strategies as well to see if that helps with performance.
Good point! I need to see if I'm loading too many heavy files right away.
When you mentioned 'ticking time bomb,' I get that the app likely doesn’t scale well. Make sure to check your structure and see if you can optimize how components load. Maybe investigate code-splitting with React's lazy and Suspense—it’s not a full fix for SEO, but it can significantly reduce your load times without a full migration.
Yeah, code-splitting can really help! Just be sure to implement it correctly; it could make a noticeable difference in performance.
I haven't yet, but I'll definitely check it out! Thanks for the tip!