Learning Remix: Full-Stack Nextjs Alternative [2024 Tutorial]

Profile Picture of Rafael Goulart
Rafael Goulart
Senior Full-stack Developer
A developer learning the Remix framework from a hammock

Many programmers, including myself, have hobbies or side projects that are tech related. Which at least somewhat explains why I decided to spend my recent vacation learning some new tech (but don’t worry, I also spent time doing nothing). After digging into a number of trends, I stopped on a web framework that piqued my interest: Remix. It’s a Next.js alternative that’s curious because it sits between basic and modern, simple and powerful, and together this makes a refreshing development experience. 

In order to learn more about it, I decided to approach it  with the mantra of old forums: RTFM (or, said more politely, I read the whole manual). After reviewing some video tutorials and articles, I got my hands dirty. In this article, I’m going to share my findings with you: the key features of Remix, new concepts it introduces, and of course, the pros and cons.

First things first, let’s talk about what Remix is (and what is not).

Table Of Contents

What is Remix? The Full-stack Web Framework Taking on Next.js

Remix development started in early 2020, and the first open-source version (v1.0) was released in November 2021.

Before bringing that to the table, however, it’s important to understand what Remix is and what it is not, so we can compare to the more well-known alternatives cited above.

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Remix vs Next.js vs Gatsby

The team behind Remix says it is a full-stack web framework. Similarly, Next.js is a React framework for building full-stack web applications, while Gatsby is a static site generator. Regardless of whether they’re similar or different in their definition, they are certainly different approaches to solving web development problems.

Originally published on Feb 19, 2024Last updated on Mar 1, 2024

Key Takeaways

What is Remix JS used for?

Remix.js is a full-stack web framework that facilitates the development of server-rendered React applications. It emphasizes server-side rendering (SSR) and provides a unified routing system that works both on the server and the client. Remix is an alternative to Next.js and Gatsby, and was developed with the goal of delivering better user experiences.

Is Remix better than Nextjs?

When deciding between Remix and Next.js, so the one you choose will depend on your project’s size and complexity.
Both Remix and Next are intended for web applications with static and dynamic content, but offer different approaches to solving development challenges. The one you use will depend on the size and complexity of your project. Remix is great for applications that are relatively small and straightforward. On the other hand, Next is a suitable choice for larger, more advanced projects that require long-term stability and strong performance. Because of it’s flexibility, scalability, and support for reusable REST APIs, Next is a solid contender for projects that involve a lot of data interactions.

Why Remix is better than React?

Remix is built on top of React, so all of React’s strengths - including it’s mature community and rich ecosystem - are available in Remix. In addition, Remix offers a quick project bootstrap, server side interaction based on web standards, a faster initial load time, and better SEO (search engine optimization), as the server does most of the heavy lifting. Lastly, Remix has a low learning curve for those already familiar with React.

What are the drawbacks of Remix?

While Remix offers a faster initial load time and better SEO for web applications, it has some limitations to be aware of. First, the shift away from client-side state may not be suitable for some projects, particularly those requiring chat-based functionality. Additionally, the need to fetch data for most visible routes can increase the number of server requests. This can translate to increased costs, and Remix therefore requires a nuanced testing approach reliant on end-to-end testing for comprehensive coverage.

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