Where and when pages are produced.
CLIENT-SIDE RENDERING
The browser downloads scripts, then builds the page.
What it costs: nothing visible until scripts load and run.
SERVER-SIDE RENDERING
The server produces the markup for each request.
What it provides: content present immediately, and reliable indexing.
STATIC GENERATION
Pages produced at build time, served as files.
What it provides: the fastest possible delivery, with no server work.
INCREMENTAL REGENERATION
Static pages regenerated periodically or on demand.
What it suits: content changing occasionally, at scale.
HYDRATION
Attaching behaviour to server-produced markup in the browser.
WHAT IT COSTS
Downloading and executing the same component code again.
WHAT NEWER APPROACHES ADDRESS
Sending less JavaScript, by hydrating only what needs interactivity.
WHAT TO CHOOSE
Static where content allows Server rendering for dynamic content Client rendering only for genuinely application-like interfaces
WHAT MATTERS MOST LOCALLY
That something useful appears quickly on a modest device.
WHAT TO MEASURE
First meaningful content, on a real phone.
