Server-Side Rendering

Server-Side Rendering (SSR) is a web development technique where the initial HTML content of a web page is generated on the server, rather than entirely by client-side JavaScript. This results in a fully rendered page being sent to the browser, making it immediately visible to the user without the need for JavaScript to be loaded and executed.

SSR is crucial for SEO and provides a better user experience as it improves loading times.

SSR vs Traditional Server-Side HTML Rendering

The original approach to web development involved generating static HTML pages on the server and sending them directly to the client's browser. However, as web applications grew more complex and interactive, the limitations of traditional server-side rendering became evident. Generating entire pages on the server for every user interaction could be inefficient, particularly for dynamic content.

The rise of JavaScript frameworks like Angular, React, and Vue introduced a new paradigm called client-side rendering. These frameworks enable developers to build dynamic and interactive web applications using JavaScript. While client-side rendering offers several advantages, such as faster updates and a more responsive user experience, it also presents some drawbacks, including potential SEO issues and slower initial page loads.

SSR was introduced as a hybrid approach, combining the benefits of both traditional server-side rendering and client-side rendering. It involves generating the initial HTML structure on the server and subsequently allowing client-side JavaScript to handle dynamic updates.

Technical Breakdown

SSR is more complex than traditional server-side HTML rendering.

Server-Side Rendering:

  • The server receives a request for a web page.
  • The server processes the request, fetch data, render components to HTML.
  • The server generates the complete HTML markup for the page, including the initial state of any dynamic components.
  • The server sends the rendered HTML to the client's browser.

Client-Side Hydration:

  • The browser receives the fully rendered HTML and parses it.
  • The browser executes any embedded JavaScript code.
  • The client-side JavaScript framework takes over and "hydrates" the rendered HTML, connecting the JavaScript components to the DOM elements.
  • The application can then handle user interactions and update the DOM dynamically.

Frameworks

SSR (Server-Side Rendering) frameworks are primarily written in JavaScript, as they need to render client-side components on the server.

Some most popular options:

  • Next.js (React)
  • Remix (React)
  • Astro (framework agnostic)
  • Nuxt (Vue)
  • SvelteKit (Svelt)