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React is a powerful UI library—but as your project grows, you start to feel the edges. That’s where Next.js shines. It’s not just a framework—it’s a productivity multiplier.

Here’s why I reach for Next.js instead of starting with vanilla React:

Built-In Routing

No need to configure React Router. Just drop your pages in the /pages or /app directory and Next handles the rest.

Performance Out of the Box

Image optimization, code splitting, prefetching—Next does it automatically. With React, you’d have to stitch together tools to get close.

SEO-Friendly

Next supports server-side rendering (SSR) and static site generation (SSG) by default. That means search engines can actually see your content—something vanilla React struggles with.

Fullstack Capable

Need an API route? Add a file under /api. Done. No need to spin up a separate Express server.

Developer Experience

Next.js is opinionated just enough. File-based routing, TypeScript support, fast refresh—it all just works. You focus on building features, not wrangling webpack.

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TL;DR: React is a great engine. Next.js is the whole car.

If you’re starting a new project, save yourself the config rabbit hole—start with Next.