Server-Side Rendering Overview

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In order to truly appreciate the magic of web development, we need to peek behind the curtains and understand how the spectacle of our web pages comes to life. One such trick up the sleeve of web maestros is Server-Side Rendering(SSR). So, sit tight, grab your popcorn, and let's dive into this awe-inspiring world!

What is Server-Side Rendering?

Picture a restaurant. You place your order, and the chef whips up your meal in the kitchen (which is out of your sight) and then serves it to you. This is exactly how server-side rendering works.

The server, or in our analogy, the chef, prepares the entire HTML page on the server itself and sends it to the client. The webpage, or the scrumptious meal, is ready for consumption right after being served!

So, what's the magic trick? Simply put, server-side rendering is all about rendering a web page on the server-side before sending it to the client's browser.

Why SSR?

Now that you have a basic understanding of what server-side rendering is, you might be wondering, "Why do I need SSR?"

Well, imagine waiting at the restaurant while the chef sends you the ingredients one by one for you to cook yourself. Doesn't sound very efficient, does it? The same principle applies to web pages.

Without SSR, the browser gets a minimal HTML page and then has to make additional requests to load the content. This can lead to slower page loads and a not-so-great user experience. SSR allows for a faster initial page load because the browser has to do less work.

How SSR Works

Here's a simplified explanation of how SSR works:

1. A request is made to a server for a specific webpage.
2. The server executes the necessary JavaScript to render the page into HTML.
3. The server responds with a fully rendered page.
4. The client's browser displays the HTML as it receives it.

Libraries and Frameworks

There are several libraries and frameworks available that support server-side rendering. These tools do the heavy lifting for us, making it easier to implement SSR in our applications. Here are some popular ones:

• Node.js: This is a JavaScript runtime built on Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine. It is commonly used for server-side scripting.

• Express.js: This is a web application framework for Node.js, designed for building web applications and APIs.

• Next.js: This is a React framework that provides an efficient solution for SSR. It simplifies the process of building SSR applications with React.

• Nuxt.js: This is a framework for building Vue.js applications. It supports server-side rendering out of the box.

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