Next.js vs. Wasp: Best Path Forward for a New Developer?
Hi everyone,
I've just finished learning the basics of React and I also have experience with Node.js, Express, MongoDB, and Mongoose. My next plan was to start learning Next.js due to its server-side rendering (SSR) capabilities, which can improve performance and SEO.
Recently, I came across an Open SaaS template that uses Wasp. I'm really intrigued by how quickly I can set up features like authentication and other functionalities using Wasp. Now, I'm at a crossroads trying to decide what to learn and use next for building applications.
I have few questions:
Should I continue exploring Wasp and the Open SaaS template, or should I proceed with learning Next.js?
Is it possible to integrate Next.js with the Open SaaS template and Wasp? If so, how can I go about it?
What are the potential benefits and challenges of combining these technologies?
I appreciate any insights or advice you can provide. Thanks in advance!
5 Replies
Hi @edin6. I'm kapa.ai, your friendly support bot. I will try to answer your question by searching through the knowledge base. :wave:
----------------------
Hello,
Based on the knowledge sources provided, here are some insights that might help you make a decision:
1. Should I continue exploring Wasp and the Open SaaS template, or should I proceed with learning Next.js?
It depends on your needs and goals. Wasp is a great choice if you want to quickly set up features like authentication and other functionalities. It's designed to handle boilerplate setup and provide some niceties out of the box, which can be great for developer experience. On the other hand, Next.js is known for its server-side rendering (SSR) capabilities, which can improve performance and SEO. If these are important factors for your project, Next.js might be a better choice. However, it's worth noting that not all web development tutorials use Next.js, and there are many other high-level frameworks to consider source (https://discord.com/channels/686873244791210014/1221301825462866022).
2. Is it possible to integrate Next.js with the Open SaaS template and Wasp? If so, how can I go about it?
According to the discussions in the Wasp community, adding Next.js to Wasp is not currently possible, nor are there plans to do so. The two technologies are not designed to work together. You would typically choose one or the other based on your project's needs source (https://discord.com/channels/686873244791210014/1221301825462866022).
3. What are the potential benefits and challenges of combining these technologies?
As mentioned above, combining Wasp and Next.js is not currently feasible. However, if you're considering using different technologies for different parts of your project (for example, using Wasp for the core application and Next.js for the landing page), this could potentially work. The benefit of this approach is that you could leverage the strengths of each technology. The challenge, however, is that you would need to manage two different frameworks, which could complicate your development process source (https://discord.com/channels/686873244791210014/1219684155072184440).
In conclusion, both Wasp and Next.js have their strengths, and the best choice depends on your specific needs and goals. If you're interested in Wasp, I recommend starting with the Wasp tutorial (https://wasp-lang.dev/docs/tutorial/create) and exploring the OpenSaaS.sh template (https://wasp-lang.dev/docs/project/starter-templates#available-templates). If SEO and SSR are important factors for your project, you might want to proceed with learning Next.js.
----------------------
Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon:
----------------------
Sorry @edin6, I seem to be having a bit of trouble. Don't worry though, I've pinged my support and they will try to fix me up! :technologist:
Perhaps try again in 15mins?
hey @edin6,
seeeing that you just learned React and Node/ExpressJS, Wasp would be a perfect fit because that's what it's using under-the-hood.
What kind of app are you planning on building? If you're going to build a single page application, e.g. a SaaS app behind a login screen, then Wasp/OpenSaaS is the way to go, because you won't get any benefit from SSR with these types of apps.
The only benefit you would get from Next/SSR would be in your landing page. But Wasp has meta tag integration, which are just as benefiicial for SEO.
As an example, if you search "Cover Letter GPT" the first non-sponsored result will be my wasp app CoverLetterGPT.xyz -- SEO working great 🙂
@Vinny (@Wasp) Thanks for reply , I really like wasp and will definitely use it in the future, I'm self-taught and right now I'm confused what to learn next. In the future, I plan to create more complex applications (an application for monitoring and editing students' grades) that should be native for mobile devices, for that I thought of using the nextjs feature for pwa (progressive web app). Since there are more video tutorials and projects for nextjs, I think I will understand it more easily. Maybe I'm wrong, because now that I've just learned react, I'm not making some simpler projects, maybe with wasp. I honestly don't know what the next right step is for me, but I guess it's all part of learning and practice. I really appreciate the creation and maintenance of wasp.
It is true that you will find more resources for Next! Whatever you do will be a good choice at the end as you will learn quite a bit, and I suggest trying both, see what you like. The more app is heavy with backend logic and database stuff, the more it probably makes sense to use Wasp. We are here if you will have any questions, or even feedback on how you found one vs the other!