Next.js

Next.js is a React framework used by some of the world's largest companies to build high-quality web applications with the power of React components. Where React is a library for building interfaces, Next.js supplies the surrounding structure a production application needs, which is why the two are usually adopted together.

Data fetching is the clearest example of what it adds. A React component can be made async so it awaits its data directly, and Next.js supports both server and client data fetching, so the same component model works regardless of where the data is resolved. That removes the separate data-loading layer earlier React applications required.

Server actions go further and remove an entire architectural layer. Server code runs by calling a function, skipping the API entirely, and cached data can then be revalidated and the UI updated in a single network round trip. For an application whose API existed only to let the frontend reach the database, that is a substantial simplification rather than a convenience.

Routing is defined by the file system, including support for more advanced routing patterns and UI layouts, so the structure of the application on disk is the structure users navigate. Next.js is free and open source, developed by Vercel, and can be deployed to Vercel or self-hosted. Buyers should note that some of the smoothest deployment behaviour is on Vercel's own platform, so it is worth confirming which capabilities depend on that hosting before committing.