I first really saw the potential of side-server rendering (SSR) when I saw a user try to load a React app on a budget smartphone.
The spinner taunted him for fourteen seconds before anything showed up; fourteen seconds he couldn’t afford, his prepaid data running out. That event crystallized what no technical document could tell me: rendering is more than just code. It has to do with dignity.
Early in my career, I built Single-Page Applications with the enthusiasm of a convert. But then came the complaints: a blogger in Calabar found our website inaccessible on Google.
When his connection stopped mid-load, the blogger saw blank screens. The very people my dazzling client-side rendering aimed to impress were the ones it failed.
SSR became my bridge between idealism and practicality. During an e-commerce project, we shifted from pure client-side rendering to Next.js.
The difference was immediately clear: users received fully prepared content rather than fragments they had to piece together.
Our server delivered fully formed product listings; text first, interactions afterward, instead of sending customers an empty HTML shell that their devices had to assemble.
On 3G networks, our Time to Interactive dropped significantly, from 8 seconds to 2.3 seconds. But the real victory emerged clearly in user satisfaction; seeing users comfortably engage with content immediately rather than waiting through frustrating load times.
Traditional SPAs let devices download JavaScript bundles, parse them, then produce content; hard work. For those with intermittent networks or lower-end smartphones, this is like asking someone to build a chair before letting them sit but SSR flips this scenario.
By generating pages server-side and delivering HTML/CSS first, users immediately have something usable, the digital equivalent of setting a welcoming table before visitors arrive.
Yet, SSR isn’t a magic solution. I learned this firsthand during a news portal implementation. Although the initial SSR deployment cut load times dramatically, I overlooked hydration, the process where client-side JavaScript reconnects event handlers to server-rendered HTML. Users reported frustration as buttons appeared clickable but took several crucial seconds to respond. This was solved through progressive enhancement, delaying non-essential scripts and prioritizing vital interactions in the initial payload. React’s Suspense also proved invaluable, enabling streaming content in manageable chunks and maintaining a Time to First Byte (TTFB) consistently below 1.5 seconds, even for extensive articles.
The SEO impact was particularly astonishing. A charitable site I worked with saw a 200% increase in organic traffic after implementing SSR. Why such a leap? Search engines could finally crawl content directly without relying on executing complex JavaScript. Moreover, SSR ensured our site became accessible to screen readers and older devices, enhancing digital inclusivity.
Still, SSR demands trade offs. Traffic spikes can sharply escalate server costs. Caching became essential; I’ve spent evenings fine-tuning caching strategies to efficiently store pages and prevent redundant computations for repeat visitors.
Not every site needs SSR, however, static pages like “About Us” sections might be better served by pre-rendered HTML. The art lies in understanding precisely where and when each rendering method best serves user needs.
SSR is particularly beneficial for e-commerce platforms that require rapid content delivery to boost conversions, news portals and blogs needing swift indexing by search engines, and applications featuring frequently updated content that must remain accessible on all devices.
Conversely, static pre-rendered HTML is ideal for simpler, rarely changing pages such as landing pages or “About Us” sections. Client-side rendering remains effective for highly dynamic applications like dashboards or frequently visited apps by users with stable internet connection.
What surprised me most wasn’t technical but deeply human. SSR changed people’s perception of speed during user tests for a medical application.
The immediate loading of an appointment scheduler reassured users that progress was happening, even if the full booking functionality took a few seconds longer to become available. One user remarked, “I can already tell it’s getting things ready,” underscoring how early visible progress greatly enhances user confidence.
For developers hesitant about SSR’s complexity, consider this: a student in Lagos urgently checking exam results doesn’t think about hydration strategies or rendering methods.
They simply need crucial information to load quickly before their limited mobile data runs outs. While tools like Next.js have simplified SSR adoption, the underlying principle remains timeless: meeting users where they truly are, not where our fast machines and fiber internet presume them to be.
SSR ultimately isn’t servers versus clients; it’s about deciding where to place complexity to best support users. When I see individuals instantly accessing meaningful content, even if buttons pause briefly before responding, I’m reminded that performance isn’t merely a metric. It’s about respecting users’ dignity and bridging the critical milliseconds between frustration and hope.
About the writer:
Abimbola Bakare is an experienced frontend engineer specializing in building intuitive, high-performance web and software interfaces. With a keen eye for design and functionality, she ensures seamless user experiences across devices while managing projects from concept to deployment.
Passionate about innovation and efficiency, Abimbola blends technical expertise with creativity to craft engaging digital solutions.
