For years, developers debated whether to use static site generators, complex CMS setups, or lightweight frameworks for their personal sites. Next.js with the App Router definitively ends the debate.

The ability to mix Server Components—parsing complex local JSON files or remote databases at zero client cost—with interactive motion libraries via Client Components is a superpower. It means we get the SEO and instantaneous load times of pure static HTML, while retaining the complex state management of a full single-page application.

Furthermore, deploying natively to Vercel for free means frontend engineers can own their entire stack, from design to global edge distribution, without spending a dime.