Server-side rendering or SRR is a process of rendering a web page using a server where all the HTML is created before it is sent to the client browser. While client side rendering relies on the use of JavaScript to render content, with the server side rendering, the full page is rendered on the first request, and this eliminates the long load time associated with client side rendering and optimizes the SEO performance.
The key advantage of SSR is that it contributes to improving the quality of the user experience, for example, in cases when individuals have limited internet connectivity or low-performing devices. Thus, because the HTML is already present once the page gets to the browser, users are able to view what the page is offering almost right away. It expands the probability of engagement with the site’s content and ultimately reduces bounce rates easily and rapidly.
SSR operates in web-based applications by running the required application code on the server not on the browser. In the request-response model, when a specific page of the application is accessed by the user, the server works on data and assembles components and then generates the final HTML page. This results in making dynamic content appear the moment it can be done to assist in search engine indexing as long as JavaScript has partially loaded.
However, server-side rendering also has some limitations that must be considered. There is an increased load on the server since every request leads to the creation of a new HTML file that needs to be sent to the client. The developers are also generally required to handle more complicated cases, such as with Next.js or Nuxt.js which support both modes: static and static + hydration.
Thus, SSR is most effective in situations when a website requires a fast initial loading of the first page and good optimization for SEO. This behaviour of SSR is best for e-commerce sites, contents sites and any site which is HTML sites that mostly hosts public contents. When implemented appropriately, it makes the flow of the users more natural and guarantees that the content shall be reachable to both end users and search engines right from the onset.
Conclusion
In conclusion, server-side rendering is a good solution for improving the web applications’ performance and its accessibility to users. Focusing on speed, SEO, and customers’ experience, SSR helps to meet the important performance requirements of the current environment. It must also be noted that though it is not easy to implement, it is highly advantageous for content-oriented or changing websites, which makes it feasible for Web 2.0 solutions in the contemporary approach to Web development.