Maximizing Performance and Flexibility with Server-Side Rendering, Static Site Generators, and Headless CMSs
Tags: webdev, javascript, nextjs, programming
Published: 2023-04-25 12:40:12

Being current with the most recent trends and advancements in web development is crucial for producing websites and online applications of the highest calibre. In this post, we'll examine some of the most significant trends in web development, such as headless content management systems (CMSs), static site generators, and server-side rendering.


## Server-Side Rendering

A method for creating HTML on the server and sending it to the client as a finished page is called server-side rendering (SSR). Client-side rendering (CSR), in contrast, generates the page dynamically within the browser using JavaScript. SSR can speed up page loads and enhance user experience, especially for users with sluggish or unstable internet connections.

Next.js, a popular SSR framework built on React, is one such example. The advantages of Next.js include automatic code splitting, server-side rendering, and the creation of static websites. Your website can benefit from these qualities to function better and increase its SEO, making it more appealing to both visitors and search engines.


Here is an illustration of how to apply Next.js to SSR:

```
import React from 'react';
import { renderToString } from 'react-dom/server';
import App from './App';

function renderFullPage(html, preloadedState) {
  return `
    <!DOCTYPE html>
    <html>
      <head>
        <title>My Website</title>
      </head>
      <body>
        <div id="app">${html}</div>
        <script>
          window.__PRELOADED_STATE__ = ${JSON.stringify(preloadedState).replace(
            /</g,
            '\\u003c'
          )}
        </script>
        <script src="/bundle.js"></script>
      </body>
    </html>
  `;
}

function handleRender(req, res) {
  const html = renderToString(<App />);
  const preloadedState = { data: 'My preloaded data' };
  res.send(renderFullPage(html, preloadedState));
}

export default handleRender;

```
In this illustration, we used React to render our application on the server and provide a finished page to the client. The **renderToString** function from **react-dom/server **is also being used to translate our React components into HTML. Finally, we're passing some preloaded state to the client using the **window.__PRELOADED_STATE__ **global variable.

## Static Site Generators

Another development trend in web design that has grown in popularity recently is static site generators (SSGs). SSGs give developers the ability to create quick, secure, and simple to maintain websites. SSGs produce static HTML files at build time rather than dynamically producing pages on the server or client. This indicates that customers may access the website with speed and reliability by hosting it on a straightforward static server or a content delivery network (CDN).

One of the most well-known SSGs is Gatsby, which is based on React. Gatsby offers many advantages, including as support for a variety of data sources, a strong plugin system, and a simple development approach. These characteristics might assist you in creating quick, secure websites.


Here's an illustration of how to create a straightforward website with Gatsby:

```
import React from 'react';
import { graphql } from 'gatsby';

const IndexPage = ({ data }) => (
  <div>
    <h1>{data.site.siteMetadata.title}</h1>
    <p>{data.site.siteMetadata.description}</p>
  </div>
);

export const query = graphql`
  query {
    site {
      siteMetadata {
        title
        description
      }
    }
  }
`;

export default IndexPage;

```

In this illustration, Gatsby is being used to create a static HTML file during build time. The **graphql** function from **Gatsby **is also being used to query our data source, which is a straightforward JSON file containing some website metadata. Our data is finally rendered as React components, which Gatsby will then transform into static HTML files.


## Headless CMSs

A new kind of content management system called a headless CMS separates the front-end presentation layer from the content management functionality. As a result, programmers may create websites and applications using any front-end framework or library and yet benefit from a robust content management system. The advantages of headless CMSs include flexibility, scalability, and user-friendliness.

Contentful is a well-liked headless CMS that offers a robust content management API and an adaptable data model. You can define your own content types and fields using Contentful, and you can access them via a GraphQL endpoint or a RESTful API. You may manage assets like photos and videos as well as build intricate connections between your material using Contentful.

Here's an illustration of how to combine React and Contentful:

```
import React from 'react';
import { useStaticQuery, graphql } from 'gatsby';

const IndexPage = () => {
  const data = useStaticQuery(graphql`
    {
      allContentfulBlogPost {
        edges {
          node {
            id
            title
            body {
              raw
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  `);

  return (
    <div>
      <h1>My Blog</h1>
      {data.allContentfulBlogPost.edges.map(({ node }) => (
        <div key={node.id}>
          <h2>{node.title}</h2>
          <div dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: node.body.raw }} />
        </div>
      ))}
    </div>
  );
};

export default IndexPage;

```

In this case, we're querying our Contentful data source using the **useStaticQuery** hook from **gatsby**. Additionally, we render the content of our blog posts as HTML using the **dangerouslySetInnerHTML** prop. Because Contentful stores its material as raw JSON, we must utilise a third-party library, such as **@contentful/rich-text-react-renderer**, to convert it to HTML.

## Conclusion

In conclusion, there are three key trends in web development that can assist you in creating quick, safe, and adaptable websites and online applications: server-side rendering, static site generators, and headless CMSs. You can take advantage of these trends and produce high-quality websites and web applications that offer a wonderful user experience and are simple to maintain by using technologies like Next.js, Gatsby, and Contentful.