Comparison
Next.js vs. Gatsby for Modern Web Projects
Next.js. Gatsby had its moment for static sites in 2020. Next.js is the default React framework in 2025 — App Router handles static, dynamic, and server-rendered in one.
Both are React frameworks for production websites. Next.js has won this category.
Option A
Gatsby
Pros
- Pure static generation is fast
- Large plugin ecosystem for content sources
- GraphQL data layer for complex CMS setups
Cons
- Build times slow on large sites
- Dynamic content is cumbersome
- Smaller community since Next.js dominance
- Gatsby Cloud shutting down
Option B
Next.js
Pros
- App Router — static, server, and dynamic in one framework
- Edge runtime, server components, ISR
- Vercel deployment first-class
- Used by most of the industry
Cons
- More mental model to learn (server vs client components)
- Over-engineered for a pure static blog
Recommendation
New project in 2025: Next.js always. Existing Gatsby site that works: migrate only when you need dynamic features.
Common questions
Gatsby vs Next.js — which should I choose?
Next.js. Gatsby had its moment for static sites in 2020. Next.js is the default React framework in 2025 — App Router handles static, dynamic, and server-rendered in one.
When does Gatsby make sense over Next.js?
New project in 2025: Next.js always. Existing Gatsby site that works: migrate only when you need dynamic features.
I build on Next.js 14 App Router — this portfolio is Next.js, deployed on Vercel.