React Server Components Demo

Compare different rendering methods using real, live data from our database. Open browser DevTools (F12) → Network tab, then visit each demo to see the differences in bundle size, load times, and SEO-friendliness. All demos use the same content but different rendering strategies - perfect for demonstrating the evolution from CSR to RSC!

Demo Instructions

Follow these steps to see the differences in action

Chrome DevTools

Network tab for bundle analysis, Performance tab for runtime metrics

Lighthouse

Comprehensive performance, SEO, and accessibility audits

View Page Source

See the actual HTML content search engines receive

Rendering Method Comparison

Same real database content, different rendering strategies. All demos use live production data to show authentic performance differences.

Server-Side Rendering (SSR)

Live Site

Pages rendered on the server for each request - the production implementation

Performance Metrics

Bundle
~45KB
TTFB
200-500ms
SEO
Excellent
Interactive
Delayed
✓ Advantages
  • Perfect SEO - full HTML on first load
  • Fresh data on every request
  • Good Core Web Vitals
  • Works without JavaScript
⚠ Considerations
  • Slower Time to First Byte
  • Server load on each request
  • Hydration delay for interactivity
💡 Best For

Dynamic content that changes frequently and needs excellent SEO

Client-Side Rendering (CSR)

Demo

Content rendered entirely in the browser after JavaScript loads

Performance Metrics

Bundle
~120KB
TTFB
50ms
SEO
Poor
Interactive
Immediate
✓ Advantages
  • Immediate interactivity once loaded
  • Reduced server load
  • Rich client-side interactions
  • App-like experience
⚠ Considerations
  • Poor SEO without additional setup
  • Large JavaScript bundle
  • Blank page until JS loads
  • Slower on mobile devices
💡 Best For

Interactive dashboards and tools where SEO is not critical

Static Site Generation (SSG)

Demo

Pages pre-rendered at build time and served as static files

Performance Metrics

Bundle
~30KB
TTFB
20ms
SEO
Excellent
Interactive
Delayed
✓ Advantages
  • Blazing fast load times
  • Excellent SEO
  • CDN cacheable
  • Minimal server load
⚠ Considerations
  • Data can become stale
  • Requires rebuild for updates
  • Not suitable for dynamic content
💡 Best For

Content that changes infrequently but needs maximum performance

React Server Components

Modern

Next.js App Router with React Server Components - the modern approach

Performance Metrics

Bundle
~25KB
TTFB
100ms
SEO
Excellent
Interactive
Selective
✓ Advantages
  • Smallest JavaScript bundle
  • Direct database access in components
  • Automatic code splitting
  • Streaming and progressive loading
  • Zero bundle impact for server components
⚠ Considerations
  • Learning curve for mental model
  • Requires Next.js 13+ App Router
  • Some ecosystem compatibility issues
💡 Best For

Modern applications that need the best of all worlds

Conference Talk Resources

Additional materials for your "Everything you need to know about React Server Components" presentation

Key Metrics to Highlight

  • Bundle Size Reduction: RSC vs CSR shows ~80% reduction
  • Time to First Byte: Compare SSG (fastest) vs SSR vs CSR
  • SEO Effectiveness: View source comparison across methods
  • Core Web Vitals: LCP, CLS, and FID differences

Demo Flow Suggestion

  1. 1. Start with CSR demo (show loading state)
  2. 2. Show SSR version (immediate content, slower TTFB)
  3. 3. Demonstrate SSG (fastest, but static data)
  4. 4. Reveal RSC (best of all worlds)
  5. 5. Compare bundle sizes in DevTools

Suggest a Resource

Have a great JavaScript SEO resource to share? Let us know!