I’ve been working with Next.js for my frontend development because it’s super convenient. With just one command I get everything set up including Tailwind CSS, routing works great, and installing packages is really smooth.
The thing is, I’m using .NET for my backend instead of the built-in Next.js server features. I know Next.js is designed to handle both frontend and backend together, but I only need the frontend parts.
Would it make more sense to use Vite instead? I’m worried I might be missing out on better performance or that I’m not following best practices by only using half of what Next.js offers. Has anyone else been in this situation?
vite’s way faster for dev builds if that’s what you need. I switched from next.js to vite + react router last year with an express backend - the hot reload difference is huge. next.js felt bloated since I wasn’t using ssr anyway. vite’s config is much simpler too.
what kind of app are you building? if it’s mostly static content or SPA stuff, vite’s probably worth it. are you using next.js features like dynamic imports or their built-in optimizations? also, how are your build times right now?
Had this same problem two years ago with a React app and Python backend. Stuck with Next.js and I’m glad I did. Performance difference between Next.js and Vite is basically nothing in production, and Next.js still feels great to work with even when you’re not using the server stuff. You still get automatic code splitting, image optimization, and solid TypeScript support. Unless you’re hitting real performance issues or your bundle’s getting huge, don’t bother migrating. Next.js works fine as just a React framework - you can turn off whatever you don’t need in the config.