Mastering Server Components in Next.js 14

React Server Components (RSC) represent a paradigm shift in how we build React applications. By moving non-interactive UI logic to the server, we can significantly reduce the amount of JavaScript sent to the client.

Why Server Components?

Traditionally, React apps rendered entirely on the client (CSR) or hydrated a server-rendered HTML payload (SSR). Both approaches required the full application bundle to download and execute before interactivity.

RSCs allow components to render exclusively on the server. They don't send their code to the client, only the HTML output. This means:

• Zero Bundle Size: Dependencies used only in Server Components (like markdown parsers or database clients) are never bundled.
• Direct Backend Access: Query your database directly from your component. No API layer needed for simple fetches.

Streaming and Suspense

Next.js 14 leverages Suspense to stream UI updates. You can show a skeleton loader instantly while the heavy server component fetches data.

async function BlogPost({ id }) {
  const post = await db.posts.get(id);
  return <div>{post.title}</div>;
}
      

This is just the beginning. The ecosystem is evolving rapidly.