Gatsby vs Next.js in 2021

Dec 9, 2020

Scott and Wes dive into the rivalry between Gatsby and Next.js, detailing their latest features and updates. They compare rendering techniques, focusing on Gatsby's build-time static generation versus Next.js's server-side capabilities. Learn about data management differences, with Gatsby's GraphQL API and Next.js’s flexibility using third-party tools. The hosts also cover image handling nuances and the shifting landscape of serverless e-commerce solutions, offering insights on how developers can optimize user experience across both frameworks.

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ANECDOTE

Client Confusion with Gatsby

Scott recounts client confusion with Gatsby's rebuild process, as clients expect changes to be live immediately like WordPress.
He received multiple emails from clients about this, despite prior explanations.

INSIGHT

Next.js Background Revalidation

Next.js's revalidate flag allows for background regeneration of static pages after a set time.
The first visitor triggers the regeneration, ensuring the next visitor gets the updated content.

INSIGHT

Gatsby's Unified GraphQL API

Gatsby's GraphQL API aggregates data from various sources into a unified, typed API.
Wes enjoys this feature but finds image handling through GraphQL queries cumbersome.

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In this episode of Syntax, Scott and Wes talk about Gatsby vs Next. A lot has changed in the last year — what are the differences, and do the recommendations from Syntax 120 still hold true?

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Show Notes

03:34 - Server-rendered

Both do server rendered
Gatsby is gone at build time
Next is done at build and on deploy

05:26 - Static generation

getStaticProps()
getServerSideProps()

08:25 - Re-rendering pages

Gatsby can be re-rendered and re-deployed - any CMS lets you do this on only the pages that changed.
Gatsby-cloud
Next.js has the revalidate flag that will re-render when stale

18:54 - Data management

Gatsby has a built in GraphQL API feature with
Next.js has nothing - it’s not their problem. Use Apollo, or SWR, React Query, or redux, or whatever you want.

23:16 - Client-side data

Neither do anything, next.

26:33 - Dynamic Pages

List of 100 shoes, each one gets a page
List of four types of shoes: basketball, runners, casual, bowling, etc.
List of 10 colors: each color gets its own page.
List of 12 sizes, each size gets its own page.
Now it gets complicated when you do this:
- Show me basketball shoes, in red, in size 5
- 600 pages minimum
- What about size 6+7?
- Then you get into having to fetch data on the client side - but all your data is in GraphQL?!
- The queries are different!
Gatsby will get “Hosted GraphQL”: https://twitter.com/kylemathews/status/1252803849775009794

30:41 - Routing

Neither do nested routing still
Both do folder based wrapper

34:50 - Hosting

Anywhere

35:54 - Images

Compression/resize
Lazy loading
SVG
Blur up
Next 10 released first revision of Next.js image
- It’s not as good as Gatbsy-image
- Must specify width and height, whereas gatsby has fixed and fluid
- Compression
- No blur up
- Yes lazy loading
- both don’t support gifs
- Gatbsy requires annoying GraphQL query OR another plugin like MDX to do it
  - Not for long! https://twitter.com/ascorbic/status/1320770231657238529
- Next.js is just