React with Server Components and Server Actions is becoming a full-stack framework. This article reflects on the evolution of React and its impact on full-stack development ...

Robin Wieruch is a software engineer and author known for his tutorials, books, and courses on JavaScript, React, and GraphQL. Learners can gain practical insights into modern web development techniques, React.js best practices, and GraphQL APIs, and learn how to build full-stack applications with Robin's expertise and guidance.

Robin Wieruch

React has evolved into a full-stack framework with the introduction of Server Components and Server Actions, allowing for seamless integration between frontend and backend. This paradigm shift has created an environment where TypeScript has become the industry standard, and tools like tRPC make calling backend functions more efficient. While initially popular as a frontend framework, React's new capabilities, especially as implemented in Next.js, empower developers to directly access server-side resources. This marks the beginning of a new era of full-stack development where React developers can implement features across the entire stack, from UI to database.

React is a Full-Stack Framework

I mean…nothing Next does replaces a backend…something still needs to sit on a server and handle requests that aren’t “show me a page”.

Hey everyone! I’d really like to get your thoughts on this paradigm shift that’s happening in React land. I am excited, but I can also understand when people don’t want to adjust to a meta framework.
I have been coding with Next 14/15 for more than 6 months now, in preparation for my full-stack course, and yes, there have been rough edges, but these will mostly go away with Next 15 becoming GA. So I am excited for this new world :)

Unnecesarily complicated features to lock you into using React.

I have had a great time working with server components. The absolute simplicity in getting data using async functions and populating your app is amazing and I don’t think I can ever go back.
And server actions are awesome, I think it’s a good design pattern to bring POST calls to forms. Just seems more semantically clean and it doesn’t even need JS, and there is even the option to bring the server actions to buttons if need be.
But I did run into a pain point trying to create toast messages based off the results of the server action. I do believe there is a Next.js api for it regarding the form status, but it seemed clunky and my hacky version seems a bit lackluster.
But otherwise, pretty happy with it!