Comparing Astro and Next.js for Personal Blogs

Both Astro and Next.js are powerful frameworks for building modern websites, but they have different strengths. In this post, I’ll explore why I chose Astro for my personal blog.

Content-First vs. App-First

Next.js is an excellent framework for building web applications. It has robust support for React, offers an intuitive routing system, and provides powerful data fetching capabilities. However, for content-focused websites like blogs, it can sometimes feel like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Astro, on the other hand, was built specifically with content sites in mind. Its unique “partial hydration” approach means you only ship JavaScript for interactive components, keeping most of your site as lightweight static HTML.

Performance Comparison

For a blog, load time is crucial. Astro websites typically load significantly faster than equivalent Next.js sites because:

Zero JavaScript by default: Astro only ships JavaScript for components that need it
Partial Hydration: Only hydrates components when necessary
Optimized Assets: Built-in image optimization and CSS processing

Developer Experience

Both frameworks offer excellent developer experiences, but in different ways:

Next.js: Unified API for server and client, excellent TypeScript support, large ecosystem
Astro: Component islands from any framework, Markdown/MDX support out of the box, simpler mental model

When to Choose Each

Choose Astro when:

Building content-focused websites (blogs, documentation, marketing sites)
Performance is a top priority
You want to use multiple frameworks together
Markdown/MDX content is central to your site

Choose Next.js when:

Building web applications with complex state management
You need real-time updates or websockets
You’re building a highly interactive UI
You need advanced server-side rendering patterns

Conclusion

For my personal blog, Astro was the clear winner. Its performance benefits, content-focused approach, and flexibility make it perfect for this use case. However, I still reach for Next.js when building more application-like projects.

What framework do you prefer for your personal projects?