Glossary · Definition
SSR (Server-Side Rendering)
SSR (Server-Side Rendering) is a pattern where web pages are rendered to HTML on the server (per-request) and sent fully-formed to the browser. Improves initial-load + SEO vs purely client-rendered apps.
Definition
SSR (Server-Side Rendering) is a pattern where web pages are rendered to HTML on the server (per-request) and sent fully-formed to the browser. Improves initial-load + SEO vs purely client-rendered apps.
What it means
Three patterns: SSR renders fresh on each request (Next.js getServerSideProps), SSG renders at build time (most static sites), ISR renders at build but updates on demand. Modern frameworks (Next.js 14+, Remix, SvelteKit, Nuxt) make SSR the default for marketing pages + dashboards that need both interactivity and SEO.
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Why it matters
Pure client-side React apps have terrible SEO and slow initial loads. SSR fixes both — Google sees real HTML, users see content faster. The cost is server complexity + per-request compute. For most marketing + content sites, SSG or ISR is more efficient than full SSR.
Frequently asked questions
SSR vs SSG?
SSR re-renders per request (always fresh). SSG renders once at build (faster + cheaper). Pick SSG if your content doesn't change often per user; SSR if it does (logged-in dashboards, etc.).
Best framework in 2026?
Next.js (most-used), Remix (data-fetching focused), SvelteKit (smaller bundle), Astro (content-heavy).