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Between Laravel and Nextjs - A Guide
Anna Edeghoghene Enerieta - Published Spetember 29, 2025
Nextjs is a framework that has gained prominence grobaly in web development due to its pre-rendered content feature (among others). It is officially recommended by Reactjs to be used along Reactjs for both front-end and back-end development.
It is easy to feel overwhelmed by all the options out there. But two frameworks that dominate modern web development conversations are Laravel and Next.js. They are powerful, but operate differently.
Web development frameworks and libraries often spark debate among developer, and so is the standards that should be adopted in web development.
The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy (FMICIDE) and the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation have wrapped up a two-day workshop focused on the Nigeria Web Design Standards (NWDS) Project.- FMCIDE
What Exactly is Backend Development
Backend development refers to the server-side of a website or application. It is everything the user doesn't see, but for the front-end to work. It involves creating and maintaining the core logic, databases, servers, and APIs that power a web application.
The backend handles data storage, communicates with the front end, and ensures the application's security and performance.
Some key components of backend development include:
- Databases: This is where all data is stored and retrieved.
- Servers: These host the application and respond to requests.
- APIs (Application Programming Interfaces): This allows the front end to communicate with the backend.
- Business Logic: This is responsible for the core functionality and rules that define how the application operates.
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What is Laravel?
Laravel is a powerful and elegant PHP framework designed to make backend development easier, cleaner, and much quicker. Rather than starting from scratch, it provides a sturdy structure and tool set that handles the common, repetitive tasks of web development, allowing you to focus on building unique features for your application.
Here is what Laravel is all about:
- MVC Architecture: The Model handles all the data logic, the View is responsible for what the user sees, and the Controller acts as a bridge between the two, managing user requests and coordinating the flow of data.
- Blade Templating: It lets you write clean, easy-to-read code with special syntax to create dynamic web pages. You can easily reuse code and layouts across your site, making development faster and more efficient.
- Eloquent ORM: The Eloquent ORM (Object-Relational Mapper) enables you to work with your database using an intuitive, object-oriented approach, rather than writing complex, raw SQL queries.
- Routing System: It lets you define clear routes for your application's pages and actions, ensuring smooth and logical navigation for users and making your application's structure easy to understand.
- Artisan CLI: Artisan: This tool significantly speeds up the development process and simplifies common workflows.
- Authentication Tools: It provides easy-to-use tools for handling user registration, login, and password management, allowing you to secure your application without having to build a complex system from scratch.
- Scalability: Its architecture and tools make it a great choice for both small projects and large, enterprise-level applications with thousands of users.
- Community Support: This means you can easily find extensive documentation, tutorials, and forums to help you solve any problem you encounter.
What is Next.js?
Next.js is a powerful framework built on top of React, which is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. It takes React's front-end capabilities and extends them to the server, giving you the power to build a full-stack application with a single codebase.
Next.js is designed to solve common web development challenges, making it easier and faster to create modern, high-performance websites and applications.
Here is what Next.js is all about:
- Full-Stack Potential: Next.js can handle both the frontend and the backend, giving you an all-in-one solution. By using Node.js on the server, you can build APIs, manage databases, and handle authentication all within the same project.
- Server-Side Rendering (SSR): This is a key feature that boosts your application's performance and search engine optimization (SEO).
- API Routes:You can build a backend directly inside your project using API Routes. These act like serverless functions, allowing you to create APIs for your application.
- Dynamic Routing: Next.js provides a flexible and logical routing system that makes navigation simple.
- TypeScript Support: Next.js has excellent built-in support for TypeScript, which is great for developers who want to write safer, more reliable code.
- Static Site Generation (SSG):Next.js can pre-render pages at build time and serve them as plain HTML files.
- Deployment Ease: Next.js is optimized for modern hosting platforms like Vercel and Netlify. Deploying your application is often incredibly simple, making it easy to get your work live fast.
- Evolving Ecosystem:Since Next.js is built on React, it benefits from a constantly growing and changing ecosystem.
Understanding The Differences Between Laravel And Next.js
Picking a web development framework can feel like choosing between two very different tools. On one side, you have Laravel, a stable, full-featured workhorse.
On the other hand, you have Next.js, the sleek, modern front-end powerhouse that's now getting serious about the backend. They both build amazing things, but they go about it in completely different ways.
| Differences | Laravel | Next.js |
|---|---|---|
| PHP vs.JavaScript | A PHP framework, built on a language that has powered a huge chunk of the web for decades. Known for stability and strong server-side capabilities. | A React framework, meaning it's all about JavaScript and its server runtime, Node.js. This lets you use one language for your entire application. |
| Architecture | A complete, all-in-one package that follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern. It manages everything from the database to the user interface in one self-contained system. | A hybrid framework. It started as a front-end tool but now has strong backend features like API Routes. It's often used as a "backend for a frontend," handling server tasks while integrating seamlessly with modern, decoupled front ends. |
| The Database Connection | Comes with its own robust, built-in tool called Eloquent ORM for managing data. This allows for intuitive, object-oriented database interaction. | Doesn't come with a built-in ORM. It relies on external libraries like Prisma or Mongoose to connect to and manage databases. This offers flexibility but requires more initial setup. |
| Performance & Rendering | Fast, but its performance often depends on a traditional server-side setup and relies on caching to speed up page loads. | Where it shines. Offers different rendering methods for lightning speed. Server-Side Rendering (SSR) builds a page on the server for better SEO. Static Site Generation (SSG) pre-builds pages at compile time for lightning-fast static delivery. |
| Ecosystem & Community | Very mature and structured ecosystem. The community is large and well-established, with extensive documentation and a rich collection of packages, offering a sense of stability. | Part of the massive JavaScript and React world, which is incredibly fast-paced and always changing. You get access to a huge variety of tools and libraries, but the ecosystem can feel less structured as new technologies. |
How Early Code Institute Bridges the Gap
Deciding between Laravel and Next.js can be a very challenging task. However, at Early Code Institute, we focus on tailored learning programs. We know that both frameworks are valuable in the tech world.
That's why we've designed our programs to provide you with the best of both worlds, ensuring you acquire the skills that are right for your career goals.
- Mentorship: Our instructors are experienced industry professionals who are passionate about teaching. They provide hands-on guidance and one-on-one support to ensure you truly understand and follow the course properly and can easily build real-world projects.
- Hands-On Projects: We believe the best way to learn is by doing, which is why at Early Code Institute, our curriculum is project-based, making sure that our students gain real-world experience while on training.
- Updated Curriculum: The world is evolving, and the same goes for tech. At Early Code Institute, we make sure that our curriculum is always updated to keep up with the latest industry trends.
- Flexible Learning: As a business man/woman or a student in search of a new career in tech, Early Code Institute has you covered. We offer flexible learning that operates on weekdays and weekends, depending on your schedule.
- Affordable Fees: Quality education should not be expensive. Early Code Institute provides flexible learning options. Plus, we are committed to providing high-quality and practical training at an accessible rate.
Author's Bio
Anna Edeghoghene Enerieta
A Technical Writer and PublisherA creative storyteller who brings words and visuals to life, a technical writer who simplifies tech concept through clear, engaging content. With a background in English Education, writes practical guides and articles to help beginners navigate the digital world with confidence.
