The fact that server-side rendering is made possible by Next.js is one of its key advantages. This implies that rather than having the client construct the HTML using JavaScript, the server can create the HTML for a page and transmit it to the client. This can enhance your app's functionality and SEO.
Other functionalities that Next.js offers can be useful while creating and deploying web apps. For instance, it supports automated code splitting, which means that rather than loading all the code at once, your app will just load the code required for the current page. Your app's performance may be enhanced as a result. A development server and tool chain for deploying your project to production are also included with Next.js.
What’s New in Next.js 13?
App/Directory for File-Based Routing
File-based routing is one of Next.js's the most advantageous features. Routes can be supplied using the directory project structure, as opposed to navigating through convoluted route settings in a tool like react-router. You can make a new path by adding an entry point to the directory page.
With the new directory, Next.js 13 offers revised file routing. A new layout structure, as well as some new capabilities, are introduced by the optional app directory.
The new routing system has resulted in some minor changes to the directory structure. There is a directory and page specifically for each path in the route. The content entry point in Next is a JS file.js 13.
The new structure allows us to incorporate more files in each path directory. In addition, a route's page.js file, such as
- layout.js - a system for paths and their sub-paths.
- loading.js - a React-based approach for instant loading.
Suspense under the hood & error.js, a component is displayed if the primary component cannot load.
Now that each path is its own directory, we can co-locate source files within those folders.
React Server Components
The enhanced support for React server components is what excites me the most about the new Next.js release. For quicker delivery, a smaller JavaScript bundle, and less expensive client-side rendering, server components enable us to run and render React components on the server side.
Additionally, server components are automatically cached at build-time or runtime for added efficiency benefits depending on the type of data needed to produce a route.
Combining server and client components enables you to use client components for interactivity, browser APIs, and other capabilities while using server components for quickly loaded, non-interactive portions of your program.
Data Fetching & A-sync Components
Additionally, Next.js 13 provides a-sync components, a novel method of data collecting for components that are rendered on the server. We can render systems that use promises using a-sync & await when using a-sync components.
Streaming
In the past, users might have had to wait while the entire page generated. Now, as the UI is generated, the server will send bits and pieces of it to the client. It suggests that larger pieces won't obstruct smaller ones. Of course, as of now, this feature only supports the app directory, and it doesn't appear that this will change.
Strong internet connections or quick Wi-Fi will not help users of this new functionality as much as poorer ones will. In actuality, there are more of them than you may have imagined. It's wonderful that a quicker website load time will enhance user experience.
Turbopack
Turbo pack, dubbed the "successor to Webpack," is a new JavaScript bundler that was added with Next.js 13 as the final significant modification. One of the most popular JavaScript build tools, Webpack, is incredibly powerful and configurable but may occasionally be cumbersome and slow.
The Rust-built Turbo pack, created by the Webpack creators, claims to be 700 times quicker than the original Webpack.
Additional improvements :
- next/image:
Next.js's updated image component has less client-side JavaScript, better accessibility, styling, and configuration. The next/legacy/image import has been renamed to next/image, and the next/future/image import has also been changed to next/image in terms of code changes. An accessible code mod enables easy migration.
- next/font:
The new @next/font allows you to utilize Google Fonts (or any other custom font) without the browser submitting any queries. During build time, CSS and font files are downloaded in addition to other static components.
- next/link:
By offering automatic font optimization, the ability to incorporate custom fonts, and all of these functions without utilizing any outside network requests, it is a revolutionary font system that boosts productivity and privacy.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that Next.js 13 has a tonne of awesome features and fantastic improvements. However, it's so incomplete that it almost qualifies as an alpha. Even the most cutting-edge, extensively used features of the most recent React, which are still in the RFC stage, are regularly left out.
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