Next.js vs Razzle
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A React framework for building websites and web apps with server rendering and routing built in.
Open source · MIT
A framework for server-rendered universal JavaScript apps that needs no configuration
The short answer
Choose Next.js if you need…
- Developers already comfortable with React who want a full framework around it
- Teams building sites that need server rendering or static generation
- Projects that want routing and build tooling included rather than assembled by hand
Choose Razzle if you need…
- Developers who want server-rendered React or Preact apps without writing webpack configuration themselves
- Developers who want to try a configuration-free setup for universal JavaScript apps
- Teams evaluating older server-rendering frameworks and comparing them against newer options
Side-by-side
| Next.js | Razzle | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Framework | Framework |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 143k | 11k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Clone and build from source |
| Main language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 3 years ago |
What each one is
Next.js
Next.js is a framework built on top of React, the JavaScript library for user interfaces. It adds features such as page routing, server rendering, and static site generation so that a React project can be a complete website or web app. Developers use it to ship React applications with less custom setup.
Razzle
Razzle is a framework for building JavaScript apps that render on both the server and the browser, based on its description as a tool for server-rendered universal applications with no configuration. Its topics list React, Preact, TypeScript, and webpack, which suggests those are the main pieces it works with. The README was not available for this review, so the details of how it is set up are unconfirmed.
Best for
Next.js
- Developers already comfortable with React who want a full framework around it
- Teams building sites that need server rendering or static generation
- Projects that want routing and build tooling included rather than assembled by hand
Razzle
- Developers who want server-rendered React or Preact apps without writing webpack configuration themselves
- Developers who want to try a configuration-free setup for universal JavaScript apps
- Teams evaluating older server-rendering frameworks and comparing them against newer options
Strengths
Next.js
- Built on React, so it uses a widely known component model
- Supports both server rendering and static generation in one framework
- Open source under the MIT license with a large community (about 143k stars)
Razzle
- Its description says it needs no configuration, which can reduce initial setup work
- It is an established open-source project with 11,019 stars and an MIT license
- It lists support for React, Preact, and TypeScript in its topics
Not ideal for
Next.js
- Complete beginners with no JavaScript or React experience, since the framework assumes those basics
- Simple static pages where a plain HTML file or lighter static generator would be enough
- Teams that want a framework-agnostic setup, because Next.js is tied to React
Razzle
- Projects that need a framework with documented, current maintenance, because the last push was 2024-03-11 and this review could not confirm its current status
- Beginners with no JavaScript experience, because the README was not reviewed and no beginner guidance could be confirmed
Trade-offs
Next.js
- Requires understanding of React and modern JavaScript tooling
- The README excerpt provided is truncated, so detailed feature coverage is limited here
- Framework conventions and version changes mean projects may need upgrades over time
Razzle
- The README was unavailable, so features and setup details could not be verified
- The last push date of 2024-03-11 suggests development may have slowed, so check activity before adopting it
Getting started
Next.js
Create a new app (command from the project's standard setup)
npx create-next-app@latestRazzle
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/jaredpalmer/razzleFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Next.js and Razzle?
Next.js: A React framework for building websites and web apps with server rendering and routing built in. Razzle: A framework for server-rendered universal JavaScript apps that needs no configuration. Next.js suits developers already comfortable with react who want a full framework around it, while Razzle suits developers who want server-rendered react or preact apps without writing webpack configuration themselves.
Are Next.js and Razzle free?
Next.js: Free and open source. Razzle: Free and open source.
Is Next.js or Razzle more popular?
Next.js has more GitHub stars (143k) than Razzle (11k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Next.js and Razzle?
Other options people compare them with include Remix, Gatsby, Nuxt, React Static, Nextra.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.