Why We Build with Next.js
Landon Shine · 2026-01-28
Every year, new frameworks promise to change everything. Most don't. Next.js has earned its place in our stack not by being flashy, but by being reliable.
What Matters to Us
Server-side rendering that works. Not as an afterthought or a plugin — as a first-class feature. SEO, performance, and initial load times are non-negotiable for production applications.
File-based routing. Convention over configuration. New developers on a project should be able to find any page in under 30 seconds. Next.js makes that possible.
The ecosystem. Vercel's deployment pipeline, edge functions, image optimization, and middleware — these aren't extras. They're the infrastructure that lets us ship faster without sacrificing quality.
When We Don't Use It
Not every project needs Next.js. Static documentation sites, simple landing pages, or projects where the team has deep expertise in another framework — we're pragmatic about our choices. The best tool is the one that serves the project, not the one we're most comfortable with.