Next.js Server Components Guide

Overview

React Server Components (RSC) enable you to render components on the server, reducing JavaScript sent to the browser and improving performance significantly.

Key Benefits

• Zero JavaScript: Server components don't ship JavaScript to the client
• Direct Database Access: Query databases without API routes
• Secret Safety: API keys stay on the server
• Performance: Faster initial page load and better Core Web Vitals
• Streaming: Progressive rendering with Suspense

Quick Start

By default, all components in the app/ directory are Server Components:

// app/page.tsx - Server Component by default
export default async function Page() {
  const data = await fetch('https://api.example.com/data')
  
  return <div>{/* Your content */}</div>
}

Client Components

Mark components that need interactivity with 'use client':

'use client'

import { useState } from 'react'

export default function Counter() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0)
  
  return <button onClick={() => setCount(count + 1)}>{count}</button>
}

Best Practices

1. Keep data fetching on server - Reduce client-side queries
2. Use Suspense - Stream UI progressively to users
3. Minimize client boundaries - Keep 'use client' at leaf components
4. Cache aggressively - Use Next.js caching strategies

Proper use of Server Components can reduce your bundle size by 40-60%.