Is server-side rendering worth it for us?
If your content is public and your first paint matters, probably. If you are behind a login, probably not.
Server rendering trades server cost and complexity for a faster first paint and content that exists without JavaScript. Whether that trade is worth it depends almost entirely on whether anybody sees the first paint.
| Situation | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Public content, search traffic matters | Yes |
| Internal tool behind a login | Rarely |
| Highly personalised dashboard | It depends |
And remember that server rendering does not remove the hydration cost. It moves the paint earlier, not the interactivity.