JavaScript Stack from Scratch vs Next.js
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A step-by-step tutorial for wiring together a modern JavaScript web stack by hand.
Open source · MIT
A React framework for building websites and web apps with server rendering and routing built in.
The short answer
Choose JavaScript Stack from Scratch if you need…
- Developers who already know JavaScript basics and want to understand how a React and Node setup is put together
- People who want to learn what goes into a boilerplate instead of using a pre-made configuration
- Developers joining a team that uses this kind of stack and need to see the pieces
- Learners who prefer following written chapters that build on each other
Choose Next.js if you need…
- Developers already comfortable with React who want a full framework around it
- Teams building sites that need server rendering or static generation
- Projects that want routing and build tooling included rather than assembled by hand
Side-by-side
| JavaScript Stack from Scratch | Next.js | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Learning resource | Framework |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 20.1k | 143k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Clone and build from source | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 2 years ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
JavaScript Stack from Scratch
This is a tutorial that walks you through assembling a JavaScript web stack piece by piece, from Node, Yarn and package.json through Babel, ESLint, Flow, Jest, Express, Webpack, React, Redux, server-side rendering and Socket.IO. It focuses on connecting tools together with the simplest possible example for each, rather than teaching each tool in depth. People use it to understand what a boilerplate contains and why, or to build their own starter project from scratch.
Next.js
Next.js is a framework built on top of React, the JavaScript library for user interfaces. It adds features such as page routing, server rendering, and static site generation so that a React project can be a complete website or web app. Developers use it to ship React applications with less custom setup.
Best for
JavaScript Stack from Scratch
- Developers who already know JavaScript basics and want to understand how a React and Node setup is put together
- People who want to learn what goes into a boilerplate instead of using a pre-made configuration
- Developers joining a team that uses this kind of stack and need to see the pieces
- Learners who prefer following written chapters that build on each other
Next.js
- Developers already comfortable with React who want a full framework around it
- Teams building sites that need server rendering or static generation
- Projects that want routing and build tooling included rather than assembled by hand
Strengths
JavaScript Stack from Scratch
- Explains how tools are wired together rather than hiding the configuration
- Each chapter gives a minimal, focused example
- Code examples are provided for each chapter and the final code is available in releases
Next.js
- Built on React, so it uses a widely known component model
- Supports both server rendering and static generation in one framework
- Open source under the MIT license with a large community (about 143k stars)
Not ideal for
JavaScript Stack from Scratch
- Complete beginners, since the README says it requires general programming knowledge and JavaScript basics
- People who just want to learn React quickly; the README points to create-react-app for that
- Anyone needing a current, maintained starter, since the README notes some libraries have changed APIs since the tutorial was last edited in May 2017
Next.js
- Complete beginners with no JavaScript or React experience, since the framework assumes those basics
- Simple static pages where a plain HTML file or lighter static generator would be enough
- Teams that want a framework-agnostic setup, because Next.js is tied to React
Trade-offs
JavaScript Stack from Scratch
- The README says the tutorial was last edited in May 2017 and some libraries have changed APIs since then
- Covers several tools that may now be outdated, and the README lists the V2 chapters as the current version
- Many chapters are required reading in sequence, so it is not a quick reference
Next.js
- Requires understanding of React and modern JavaScript tooling
- The README excerpt provided is truncated, so detailed feature coverage is limited here
- Framework conventions and version changes mean projects may need upgrades over time
Getting started
JavaScript Stack from Scratch
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/verekia/js-stack-from-scratchRun the code examples
yarn && yarn startNext.js
Create a new app (command from the project's standard setup)
npx create-next-app@latestFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between JavaScript Stack from Scratch and Next.js?
JavaScript Stack from Scratch: A step-by-step tutorial for wiring together a modern JavaScript web stack by hand. Next.js: A React framework for building websites and web apps with server rendering and routing built in. JavaScript Stack from Scratch suits developers who already know javascript basics and want to understand how a react and node setup is put together, while Next.js suits developers already comfortable with react who want a full framework around it.
Are JavaScript Stack from Scratch and Next.js free?
JavaScript Stack from Scratch: Free and open source. Next.js: Free and open source.
Is JavaScript Stack from Scratch or Next.js more popular?
Next.js has more GitHub stars (143k) than JavaScript Stack from Scratch (20.1k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to JavaScript Stack from Scratch and Next.js?
Other options people compare them with include Vite, Remix, Gatsby, Nuxt, React Static.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.