Next.js vs Qwik

Ferit Enes Güzel
2 min readMay 8, 2023

There are many JavaScript-based frameworks and tools available to create modern web applications, and two of them, Qwik and Next.js, stand out as fast, scalable, and modern options. However, they take different approaches to achieve their goals. In this article, we will explore the main differences between Qwik and Next.js.

Laptop with code and plant in coffee shop
Photo by James Harrison on Unsplash

Server-Side Processing Approach

The most significant difference between Qwik and Next.js is their server-side processing approach. Next.js is a React-based framework that relies on server-side rendering (SSR) to provide server-side non-SPA (Single Page Application) support. SSR involves performing full page refresh on the server side for each request, so each request gets processed on the server side. This requires application developers to write a separate API layer on the server side.

Qwik, on the other hand, utilizes techniques such as preloading to speed up the application instead of relying on server-side processing. Qwik can serve pages statically and only reprocesses the parts that are changing. This eliminates the need for application developers to perform any processing on the server side.

Performance and Loading Time

Another difference between Qwik and Next.js is their performance and loading time. Next.js performs full page refresh on the server side, so each request goes to the server. This can slow down the application and increase loading times, making it less suitable for high-performance applications.

Qwik, however, is optimized for startup time, efficiency, and speed. Qwik reprocesses only the changing parts of the web application and serves the rest statically, eliminating the need to reload pages. This ensures that users perceive the application to be faster.

Features and Structure

Qwik and Next.js both offer data binding, component-based design, and easy testability, among other features. However, they have different structures. Next.js is a React-based framework that is used to create React applications. This provides an easy transition for developers who are already familiar with React. Additionally, Next.js is compatible with popular tools such as TypeScript and Sass.

Qwik, on the other hand, is an Angular-based framework used to create modern Angular applications. Unlike AngularJS (AngularJS 1), Qwik supports modern Angular applications and also supports features such as TypeScript, Sass, PWA (Progressive Web App), and SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

In conclusion, Qwik and Next.js take different approaches to creating modern web applications. Next.js requires additional API layers to achieve efficiency by performing full page refresh on the server side. Qwik, on the other hand, increases the speed of the application by using preloading techniques instead of relying on server-side processing. They both offer different approaches in terms of performance, features, and structure. The choice may vary depending on the needs of the application and the preferences of the developer.

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