What is the difference between server-side and client-side rendering?
Server-side rendering generates HTML on the server for each request, while client-side rendering relies on JavaScript to render content in the browser. Each approach has its use cases and performance implications.
The distinction between server-side rendering (SSR) and client-side rendering (CSR) is fundamental in web development, impacting performance, SEO, and user experience. In server-side rendering, the server generates the complete HTML for a web page upon each request. This means that the browser receives fully rendered pages, which can improve load times and SEO since search engines can easily index the content. SSR is particularly beneficial for content-heavy applications where fast initial load times are critical. On the other hand, client-side rendering relies on JavaScript to dynamically render content in the browser after the initial page load. In this approach, the server sends a minimal HTML document along with JavaScript files that fetch data and render the content on the client side. While CSR can enhance user experience by enabling faster transitions between pages and more interactive applications, it may lead to slower initial load times and can pose challenges for SEO unless properly managed with techniques like prerendering or server-side rendering for the initial load. Ultimately, the choice between SSR and CSR depends on the specific needs and goals of the application.