Introduction

Next.js offers two routing systems: Pages Router and App Router. While Pages Router has been the default for years, App Router was introduced in Next.js 13 to provide more advanced features like nested layouts, React Server Components, and improved data fetching. This document compares the two systems to help you decide which one to use for your project.

1. Pages Router

Overview

The Pages Router is the traditional file-based routing system in Next.js. Every file in the pages directory automatically becomes a route. For example:

• pages/index.js → /
• pages/about.js → /about

Pros

• Simple and intuitive: Easy to set up and understand.
• Mature and stable: Widely used in production with minimal issues.
• Great for small projects: Perfect for smaller applications with straightforward routing needs.

Cons

• Limited flexibility: Difficult to implement complex layouts or nested routes.
• No built-in support for React Server Components: Requires workarounds for advanced features.
• Performance limitations: Less optimized for large-scale applications.

Use Cases

• Small to medium-sized projects.
• Projects that don't require advanced routing features.