Next.js Rendering Strategies: SSR, SSG and Dynamic Rendering

The App Router blurs old “SSR vs SSG” labels. You still need a clear story for when HTML is produced and how often it is reused.

Static when content is known

Markdown blogs are a classic static case: read files at build time, generate params, ship HTML.

export async function generateStaticParams() {
  return getAllArticleSlugs().map((slug) => ({ slug }));
}

Static pages are fast and cache-friendly. They are wrong when every request needs personalized or rapidly changing data.

Dynamic when the request matters

Use dynamic rendering when you read request-time data (cookies, headers, search params that change output). Be explicit so caching behavior is intentional—not accidental.

Caching is part of the strategy

Think in layers:

• Full route cache / static output
• fetch cache (when using fetch)
• Client navigation cache

For file-based content modules (like fs + gray-matter), build-time generation is usually enough.

Streaming and suspense

Streaming improves TTFB perception for slow server work. Place Suspense boundaries around slow islands so the shell can paint early.

Choosing for a portfolio blog

Conclusion

Pick the cheapest correct strategy. Static markdown with client-side filtering is often faster—and simpler—than making every blog interaction a server round-trip.