Netflix Removed React?

Summary

The speaker discusses the evolution of web development practices, focusing on Netflix's past decision to remove React from the client-side for landing page rendering in favor of faster server-side rendering. While Netflix's approach aimed at improving performance by reducing JavaScript bundle sizes, the speaker criticizes misinterpretations of this choice. They emphasize the role of modern solutions like React Server Components and frameworks such as Next.js, which allow dynamic web pages without bloated client-side JavaScript. The speaker argues that these new solutions are misunderstood and urges the community to adopt updated, efficient practices rather than clinging to outdated criticisms.

Takeaways

• 😀 Netflix initially removed React from the client-side bundle for better performance on their landing page, which was highly dynamic and included A/B testing, localization, and personalized content.
• 😀 React’s server-side rendering (SSR) allowed Netflix to send pre-rendered HTML, eliminating the need for large JavaScript bundles, thus enhancing load times.
• 😀 The problem of double-fetching—when both server-rendered HTML and client-side JavaScript are sent—was addressed by server-side rendering, which reduced redundancy and bandwidth usage.
• 😀 Netflix preloaded data during server-side rendering, speeding up the user journey, especially during the signup process by having everything ready when the user clicks.
• 😀 Server components in React (introduced later) further optimize performance by sending only necessary HTML to the client, reducing JavaScript overhead.
• 😀 The advent of React Server Components (RSC) provides a new paradigm, eliminating the need for sending entire JavaScript bundles to the client, offering a more performant approach.
• 😀 Criticism of React’s performance based on outdated examples from the past, like Netflix’s initial use of React, is misinformed—current technologies, such as RSC, solve the issues previously encountered.
• 😀 The rise of AI-driven grifting, where individuals misuse outdated critiques to gain attention, often overlooks the modern advancements in web development like server components.
• 😀 Netflix’s past decisions, such as removing React from their client-side bundle, were made at a time when solutions like server components didn’t exist. Now, with server components, many of those past issues are resolved.
• 😀 The ongoing discussion on React’s performance in production should evolve to focus on new solutions like server components, which offer clear performance benefits over older methods.

Q & A

Why did Netflix remove React from their landing page codebase?

Netflix removed React from their landing page codebase to improve page load speed. They shifted to server-side rendering using React, delivering only the generated HTML to users instead of a large JavaScript bundle.

Was React completely removed from Netflix's platform?

No, React was not completely removed. It was only removed from the client-side bundle for the landing page. React continued to be used in the rest of the platform, including the signup flow.

What were the main reasons for using React in Netflix's landing page despite removing it from the client-side?

React was used in Netflix's landing page for its dynamic content, which included A/B testing, localization, and machine learning models. React's ability to handle these dynamic aspects efficiently was a key factor.

What were some of the challenges that Netflix faced with React before implementing server-side rendering?

Netflix faced issues with the large client-side JavaScript bundle, which included redundant data being sent to the user. For example, the terms of service page would require the same data to be fetched twice: once in HTML and once in JavaScript.

How did server-side rendering solve Netflix's problems?

Server-side rendering allowed Netflix to generate the HTML on the server, thus reducing the need for a large JavaScript bundle on the client side. This improved load times and reduced redundant data fetching.

What is the difference between traditional React rendering and the server-side rendering approach used by Netflix?

Traditional React rendering involves sending a JavaScript bundle to the client, which then renders the HTML. In contrast, server-side rendering generates the HTML on the server and sends it to the client, avoiding the need for JavaScript to re-render the page.

What is the role of server components in modern React applications?

Server components in modern React applications allow for HTML to be generated on the server and sent to the client without the need for large JavaScript bundles. This results in faster load times and reduced client-side complexity.

Why is the use of server components more efficient than traditional React rendering methods?

Server components are more efficient because they allow the server to send only the necessary HTML to the client, without redundant JavaScript or extra data. This eliminates the need for client-side re-renders and large JavaScript bundles.

How does the concept of 'server-driven UI' work?

A server-driven UI means that the server sends the client the exact HTML and state it should render, rather than sending raw data for the client to render. This avoids sending unnecessary JavaScript for UI permutations that the client does not need.

What is the main criticism of people who still refer to the old Netflix approach as the best solution for dynamic web apps?

The main criticism is that the old approach, which involved removing React from the client-side, is outdated. Modern solutions like server components have solved the performance issues described in the old approach, and continuing to reference outdated practices ignores current advancements in web development.