Definition
What is Next.js?
What it is
Next.js is an open-source framework built on top of React (the JavaScript library from Meta). Where plain React renders everything in the browser, Next.js can render pages on the server or at build time — producing fully-formed HTML that search engines can read and users see immediately. It was created by Vercel and is used by companies including Netflix, TikTok, and Twitch.
Why it matters
Page speed directly affects both Google rankings and conversion rates. Studies from Google's Web.dev show that a one-second improvement in load time can increase mobile conversions by up to 27%. WordPress and Webflow sites, by contrast, often rely on JavaScript-heavy page builders and plugin chains that slow load times and fail Core Web Vitals. Next.js sidesteps those bottlenecks by shipping clean, pre-rendered HTML. It also generates structured data, sitemaps, and Open Graph tags in the same codebase — no plugins required.
When you need it
You need Next.js when you've outgrown a template platform and need one or more of the following: sub-second load times, custom dynamic features (dashboards, booking systems, authentication), reliable SEO and AEO performance, or a codebase you own outright with no vendor lock-in.
Source: Next.js official documentation
People Also Ask
- Is Next.js better than WordPress for SEO?
- For most modern sites, yes. Next.js produces clean server-rendered HTML that search engines index immediately. WordPress with a page builder produces slower, JavaScript-heavy pages that often fail Core Web Vitals — the performance signals Google uses in ranking. That said, WordPress can rank well if optimised correctly; Next.js just makes it easier to start fast.
- What is the difference between Next.js and React?
- React is a library for building UI components. Next.js is a framework built on React that adds routing, server-side rendering, image optimisation, and deployment tooling. You can think of React as the engine and Next.js as the full car.
- How much does a Next.js website cost?
- A custom Next.js marketing site starts around €3,000 from a specialist developer. Add-ons — e-commerce, authentication, booking — push that to €6,000–€18,000 depending on complexity. Hosting on Vercel runs €0–€20/month for most small sites.
- Can I use Next.js without a developer?
- Not practically. Next.js requires writing code in JavaScript or TypeScript. If you're not a developer, you'll need to hire one. The upside is that a custom Next.js site gives you something no drag-and-drop builder can: a codebase you own, features you can extend, and performance that holds up at scale.
- Is Next.js good for AI search (AEO/GEO)?
- Yes. Next.js makes it straightforward to add structured data (JSON-LD), FAQ schema, and Article schema — the signals that AI answer engines like Perplexity and Google AI Overviews use to identify authoritative sources. Static and server-rendered pages are also fully crawlable by AI bots without JavaScript execution.