Hey folks, I'm a full-stack developer who mainly works with the MERN stack and I've been enjoying Next.js for its speed and developer experience. However, I've started hearing mixed opinions from experienced developers that got me thinking. I'd appreciate any insights from those with more experience!
Specifically:
1. Why do some senior devs argue that Next.js isn't ideal for large-scale projects? I've come across comments about instability due to structural changes and that new updates might break older functionality. Is there any truth to this regarding its long-term suitability for enterprise applications?
2. I've also heard that Next.js is heavily optimized for Vercel. Is this accurate? Do features like ISR, middleware, and edge functions work best—or only—on Vercel?
3. If that's the case, does this mean we might face vendor lock-in by choosing Next.js? Wouldn't it be better to opt for something more versatile?
4. Given these efficiency and flexibility concerns, why should one select Next.js if it doesn't perform equally well across other platforms (like AWS or Netlify)?
5. Finally, what would you recommend as better alternatives if I'm looking for long-term stability, backend control, deployment flexibility—basically a smooth experience across different environments? I'm keen to hear about your experiences with large, maintainable React projects, particularly where performance and stability are crucial.
4 Answers
Next.js has its merits, but it can be quite opinionated—meaning it makes a lot of assumptions about how you should build your app. Many developers do feel that Vercel does the best job with Next.js optimizations. If you're using these features like ISR or edge functions, then you're somewhat locked into Vercel for optimal performance. If you'd prefer more flexibility, frameworks like Tanstack might be the way to go. They aren’t tied to a specific platform and can run virtually anywhere that supports JavaScript.
If you're leaning towards stability, PHP is often recommended for long-term projects. It has a more mature ecosystem and is easy to maintain, but you'll lose out on some modern capabilities that modern JS frameworks offer. For frontend needs, you can't completely ignore the benefits of Next.js with static site generation and client interactivity through React. It's all about what trade-offs you’re willing to make depending on your specific project requirements.
Self-hosting Next.js is entirely possible and there’s a lot of documentation out there to help with it. People sometimes think it can’t be done, but that’s not true. However, many developers have noted it can be tricky and may not work as smoothly as using Vercel. My own experience has been with an on-premise Next.js app, which works fine, but there have been some quirks that impact developer experience, such as performance issues during development. You might want to consider alternatives like Vite if you're looking for something that can be easier on resources.
A lot of the skepticism about Next.js comes from its frequent breaking changes. Senior devs often worry that when you’re managing a big project, constant updates can become burdensome. If you don't have the budget or time for continual updates, that's a risk. Plus, when it's primarily tied to Vercel, that can restrict where you can host your app, leading to vendor lock-in. The bonus with Next.js is that it offers plenty of features out of the box, which can simplify development, but you need to weigh that against the potential headaches in a long-term project.
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