# What Is Next.js? The React Framework Explained > Next.js is an open-source React framework for websites and web apps, made by Vercel. What it does, how it renders pages, and when a B2B website needs it. Source: https://pentaclay.com/glossary/nextjs Glossary # What is Next.js? Next.js is an open-source framework, built on React and maintained by Vercel, for building websites and web applications that can render pages on the server, at build time or in the browser. ## How it works React is a library for building interfaces; on its own it leaves routing, data loading and rendering choices to you. Next.js adds those. Each page or route can be generated ahead of time as static HTML, rendered on the server for each request, or a mix of both, while interactive parts still run as React in the browser. Next.js was first released in 2016. Sites can be deployed to Vercel, to other hosts that support it, or to your own servers. ## Why it matters for B2B websites A visual builder covers most marketing sites. Next.js is the step up when the website has to do more than present pages: pricing calculators tied to real data, a docs portal, a customer login, a product demo inside the site, or content pulled from a headless CMS and your own systems. Because pages are rendered as HTML, Next.js sites can be fully readable by search engines and AI crawlers, unlike React apps that only render in the browser. The trade-off is that every change goes through developers and a deployment. ## Good fit and poor fit - Good fit: sites with app-like features, logins, integrations or custom data - Good fit: companies with developers who will own the code - Good fit: moving off an AI-generated or client-side React prototype - Poor fit: a marketing site that non-developers need to change every week ## Example A startup’s first site was generated with an AI app builder as a client-side React app, and its pages show up nearly empty to AI crawlers. Rebuilding it in Next.js keeps the same design and components but serves each page as HTML. ## How we handle it We use Next.js when a site needs custom logic or will be owned by an engineering team, with a CMS so marketers can still edit content. See [Next.js development](https://pentaclay.com/services/nextjs-development), or [moving a Lovable or Bolt site to Next.js](https://pentaclay.com/migrations/lovable-to-nextjs). Read next - [Next.js development](https://pentaclay.com/services/nextjs-development) - [Lovable to Next.js](https://pentaclay.com/migrations/lovable-to-nextjs) Last updated 15 November 2026 Related terms ## Terms that go with Next.js - [Server-side rendering (SSR) Server-side rendering (SSR) is a way of delivering web pages in which the server builds the complete HTML for a page when it is requested, so the browser, search engines and AI crawlers receive the full content straight away.](https://pentaclay.com/glossary/server-side-rendering) - [Client-side rendering (CSR) Client-side rendering (CSR) is a way of building web pages in which the server sends a mostly empty HTML file and the visitor’s browser runs JavaScript to fetch the content and draw the page.](https://pentaclay.com/glossary/client-side-rendering) - [Headless CMS A headless CMS is a content management system that stores and edits content but has no built-in website front end; it delivers the content through an API to a separately built site, app or other channel.](https://pentaclay.com/glossary/headless-cms) - [Astro Astro is an open-source web framework for building fast, content-focused websites that sends pages to the browser as HTML and adds JavaScript only to the parts of a page that need to be interactive.](https://pentaclay.com/glossary/astro) [All glossary terms](https://pentaclay.com/glossary) ## Questions about Next.js ### Can’t find your answer? Book a call and let’s talk. [Book a call](https://cal.com/pentaclay/discovery-call) Or email us at [contact@pentaclay.com](mailto:contact@pentaclay.com) Is Next.js good for SEO? Yes, when pages are rendered on the server or at build time, which is its default for most pages. Search engines and AI crawlers then receive full HTML. Problems come from moving content into browser-only components. Do I need Vercel to use Next.js? No. Vercel makes Next.js and offers the most direct hosting for it, but Next.js also runs on other platforms and on your own Node.js servers. Is Next.js better than Webflow or Framer? It is a different kind of tool. Next.js gives developers full control and suits custom features; Webflow and Framer let non-developers build and edit. Many companies start on a visual builder and move to Next.js when the site needs app features. Can marketers edit a Next.js site? Yes, if it is connected to a CMS. Editors change content in the CMS, and the site rebuilds or fetches the update. Layout changes still need a developer. ## Your business grew up. Your website should too If customers need a demo just to understand what you sell, your website isn’t doing its job. - We sign an NDA on request. - You own the site, the code and every account once it’s paid. - Your first call is with Erfan, the founder. **Kazi Mohammed Erfan** Founder Don’t want to fill in the form? [Book a call directly](https://cal.com/pentaclay/discovery-call) ## Not sure? Ask AI about Pentaclay ### Pentaclay, in short Updated 17 Oct 2026 Pentaclay is a B2B website design agency for AI companies that sell to enterprises. We write, design and build marketing websites in Framer, Webflow and Next.js, and stay to help after launch. Pentaclay LLC is registered in New Mexico, USA; our team works from Dhaka, Bangladesh, with calls until 12:30pm US Eastern. Founded in 2023 by Kazi Mohammed Erfan, who brings 12 years of design experience.