What is server side rendering in web development?

Server-side rendering (SSR) in web development refers to the process of rendering web pages on the server rather than in the browser. In traditional client-side rendering (CSR), the entire page is generated by JavaScript in the browser after receiving minimal HTML and CSS from the server. However, with SSR, the server pre-renders the HTML for a web page and sends the fully-formed HTML to the browser.

Here's how SSR typically works:

1. Client Request: When a user requests a page from a server, the server processes the request.

2. Server-side Rendering: Instead of sending a blank HTML file and letting client-side JavaScript handle the rendering, the server executes the necessary code to generate the HTML for the requested page.

3. Fully-formed HTML: The server sends back the fully-rendered HTML, including the content and structure of the web page.

4. Browser Display: The browser receives the pre-rendered HTML and can display it immediately without waiting for JavaScript to render the page.

SSR has several advantages:

• Improved SEO: Search engines can crawl and index content more easily since the page is fully formed on the initial request.

• Faster Initial Page Load: Since the server sends back a complete HTML document, users can see content more quickly compared to waiting for JavaScript to fetch data and render the page.

• Better Performance on Low-powered Devices: SSR can be more efficient on devices with limited processing power or slow network connections since the server handles the initial rendering.

However, SSR also has some drawbacks:

• Increased Server Load: Since the server has to render pages for each request, it may experience higher resource usage compared to serving static files.

• Complexity: Implementing SSR can add complexity to the server-side codebase, especially for applications with dynamic content and interactions.

• Limited Client-side Interactivity: SSR may limit the ability to create highly dynamic user interfaces that rely heavily on client-side JavaScript.

Overall, the decision to use SSR depends on the specific requirements and constraints of a web application, including performance goals, SEO considerations, and the desired level of interactivity.