Next.js

Next.js is our default framework for web applications. Not because it is trendy, but because it solves real problems: server-side rendering for SEO, static generation for performance, API routes for backend logic, and a file-based router that keeps projects organized as they grow.

React Server Components changed how we build web applications. Data fetching happens on the server, close to the database. The client gets HTML, not a loading spinner. This means faster page loads, better SEO, and less JavaScript shipped to the browser.

We use the App Router for all new projects. Layouts, loading states, error boundaries, and parallel routes give us patterns that used to require complex client-side state management. The result is simpler code that is easier to maintain.

Vercel for deployment gives us preview environments for every pull request, edge functions for low-latency APIs, and image optimization that works without configuration. For clients who need to self-host, we deploy Next.js on AWS with Docker.

Next.js is not the right choice for everything. For static marketing sites with no dynamic content, we sometimes use Astro. For mobile apps, React Native. But for web applications that need SEO, performance, and developer productivity, Next.js is hard to beat.