Server-Side Rendering (SSR)
Design Processes
Generating a page's HTML on the server for each request, so the browser receives it complete.
In practice
Server-side rendering builds the full HTML of a page on the server at request time and sends it down ready to display, rather than sending an empty shell and letting JavaScript assemble it in the browser. It means content is visible — to people and to search engines — immediately, at the cost of a server doing work on every visit.
Questions
What is Server-Side Rendering (SSR)?
SSR is rendering a page to HTML on the server per request, so the browser gets finished markup rather than building it from scripts.
Why do you use Server-Side Rendering (SSR)?
Faster first paint, content that search engines can read without running JavaScript, and pages that work before scripts load.
How do you use/apply Server-Side Rendering (SSR)?
Use a framework that renders on the server — Next.js, for example — fetch the page's data there, and send the result. Hydrate in the browser for interactivity.
When do you use Server-Side Rendering (SSR)?
For pages whose content is personalised or changes per request. For content that rarely changes, static generation is cheaper.
Who uses Server-Side Rendering (SSR)?
Front-end developers and anyone whose pages need to be fast and indexable.
