Static vs Dynamic Caching in Next.js: What Every Developer Should Know

Introduction

Many developers reach a crossroads when deciding how best to serve content—whether through static or dynamic means. In the first post of this series (placeholder for link), we explored the fundamentals of caching in Next.js, focusing on why it’s such a game-changer for performance and user satisfaction.

Now, let’s delve deeper into caching strategies and how they differ based on application needs. In the previous post (placeholder for link), we focused on how caching can dramatically speed up Next.js applications while lightening your server’s load. This time, we’re zooming in on the two main caching approaches you’ll be juggling on a day-to-day basis: static and dynamic caching.

Choosing the right strategy is more than just a technical decision—your choice influences everything from page load times to operational costs. For instance, a marketing site that rarely changes might benefit from being pre-rendered and served statically from a CDN, while a fast-moving application that shows real-time data may require fresh server-side generation. Over the next few sections, we’ll compare these two caching methods in depth, show you practical examples using Next.js features like getStaticProps and getServerSideProps, and walk through best practices to help you avoid common pitfalls.

By the end of this post, you’ll know exactly when to use static caching, when dynamic rendering is a better fit, and how to blend the two for an optimal, performance-boosted Next.js application. Let’s dive in!

Understanding Static and Dynamic Caching

Caching can be broadly categorized into static and dynamic strategies, each with its own strengths and ideal use cases. In Next.js, these two categories form the backbone of how content is delivered to end-users.

Static Caching

Static caching in Next.js involves generating HTML files at build time, meaning all the processing happens before your application is deployed. Once built, these files can be rapidly served from a CDN with minimal overhead. Because the files are effectively pre-rendered, you get lightning-fast performance and virtually no server load during runtime. Static caching is an excellent choice for pages where content changes infrequently—for example, landing pages, blogs, and documentation sites.

Dynamic Caching

Dynamic caching, on the other hand, focuses on generating or updating content on the fly, typically at request time. Here, the server processes each incoming request and produces a fresh response—perfect for scenarios where data needs to be updated frequently, like dashboards, real-time analytics, or personalized user experiences. While dynamic rendering ensures your data is always current, it does require more server resources and can introduce additional latency compared to static approaches.

Throughout this post, we’ll look at how Next.js implements both strategies, the specific features and methods you’ll need to use (like getStaticProps() and getServerSideProps()), and how to combine them effectively for different sections of your app. Let’s begin by examining exactly how Next.js handles static caching.

How Next.js Implements Static Caching

Static caching lies at the heart of Next.js’s performance advantages. By pre-rendering content at build time, your application’s pages can be delivered to visitors in record speed, often straight from a CDN. Below are some key methods and features that power static caching in Next.js.

Using getStaticProps() for Static Generation

getStaticProps() is the primary way to generate static pages at build time in Next.js. This method runs during the build process and fetches whatever data your page needs. Once fetched, Next.js compiles the data into static HTML that can be quickly served to users.

Here’s a simple code example of how you’d implement getStaticProps() in a blog listing page:

jsx
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// pages/blogs/index.js
export async function getStaticProps() {
  const response = await fetch('https://api.example.com/blogs');
  const blogs = await response.json();

  return {
    props: { blogs },
    // Re-generate the page every 60 seconds (optional)
    revalidate: 60,
  };
}

function BlogsPage({ blogs }) {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Recent Blog Posts</h1>
      <ul>
        {blogs.map(blog => (
          <li key={blog.id}>
            <h2>{blog.title}</h2>
            <p>{blog.excerpt}</p>
          </li>
        ))}
      </ul>
    </div>
  );
}

export default BlogsPage;

In this snippet:

1. Data Fetching: We call an external API during build time to grab our blog data.
2. Pre-rendered HTML: Next.js uses that data to generate a static HTML page.
3. Optional Revalidation: With revalidate, we tell Next.js to re-build this page in the background after 60 seconds, ensuring the data can stay relatively fresh without manually redeploying.

Because the page is pre-rendered, requests for this page don’t have to wait on server-side logic, making load times faster and reducing server overhead.

Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR) for Hybrid Static Caching

A major Next.js innovation is Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR). Traditional static sites required a complete rebuild whenever content changed, but ISR lets you update specific pages at runtime. Whenever a user visits a page that’s “expired,” Next.js will silently re-build it in the background while still serving the old version. The next visitor then receives the updated version.

Continuing with the blog example above, our revalidate value of 60 means the page is eligible for re-generation once every minute. If you publish a new blog post, the page will re-build automatically in the background upon the next request, ensuring visitors see your latest content with minimal delay—without any need for a full site rebuild.

Key advantages of ISR:

• Selective Updates: Only pages that need re-generation get rebuilt, saving considerable build time and resources.
• Smoother Deployments: You don’t have to re-deploy for every minor content tweak.
• Improved SEO: Pages remain static (fast) but still update over time.

With these tools at your disposal, Next.js makes static caching both powerful and flexible. However, not all use cases fit neatly into a static model—especially when you need always-fresh, frequently updated data. That’s where dynamic caching comes in, which we’ll explore next.

How Next.js Implements Dynamic Caching

Static caching is great when data remains relatively constant, but certain scenarios call for always-fresh, frequently updated data. Dynamic caching—in Next.js—helps ensure users get the latest information at the cost of higher server overhead. Let’s look at how to implement it.

Using getServerSideProps() for Server-Side Rendering (SSR)

getServerSideProps() is a function you export from your page to fetch data on every request. Next.js runs this function on the server, allowing you to render up-to-date pages before sending the HTML to the client.

Here’s a quick example:

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// pages/dashboard.js

export async function getServerSideProps() {
  // For instance, fetch real-time analytics data from your database
  const response = await fetch('https://api.example.com/analytics');
  const analyticsData = await response.json();

  return {
    props: {
      analyticsData,
    },
  };
}

function Dashboard({ analyticsData }) {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Real-Time Dashboard</h1>
      <p>Active Users: {analyticsData.activeUsers}</p>
      <p>Page Views: {analyticsData.pageViews}</p>
    </div>
  );
}

export default Dashboard;

Key points about SSR with getServerSideProps():

1. Freshness: The data is always current because it’s fetched just before the response is sent.
2. Server Overhead: Every request triggers a server-side function, which can add to your infrastructure costs and affect scalability.
3. Use Cases: Ideal for pages where data changes constantly—like dashboards, social media feeds, or personalized user pages with dynamic content.

Using API Routes & Cache-Control Headers

When you need dynamic data but still want to optimize performance, Next.js API routes provide a flexible solution. For instance, you might fetch data on the server, apply some caching headers, and serve it to the client with controlled freshness.

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// pages/api/latest-posts.js

export default async function handler(req, res) {
  // Fetch from an external API or database
  const response = await fetch('https://api.example.com/posts?limit=5');
  const posts = await response.json();

  // Set HTTP caching headers
  // e.g., Cache for 60 seconds, then revalidate
  res.setHeader('Cache-Control', 'public, s-maxage=60, stale-while-revalidate=120');

  res.status(200).json({ posts });
}

By setting the Cache-Control header, you enable intermediaries like CDNs or reverse proxies to cache the response. This can significantly reduce the load on your server while still delivering fresh data.

• s-maxage=60: Tells a CDN or reverse proxy to cache the response for up to 60 seconds.
• stale-while-revalidate=120: Allows serving stale content for 120 seconds while revalidating in the background.

This pattern gives you dynamic data without fully sacrificing caching benefits, letting you strike a balance between speed and real-time freshness.

Combining these two dynamic caching approaches—on-demand server-rendering with getServerSideProps() and API-level caching with custom headers—can help you fine-tune your Next.js app for both performance and data accuracy. In the next section, we’ll compare static and dynamic caching head-to-head and explore the trade-offs you should consider before choosing one.

Comparing Static vs. Dynamic Caching: Which One Should You Use?

At this point, you might be wondering which caching strategy is best for your particular use case. While both static and dynamic caching can dramatically boost performance, they serve different needs. Below is a quick, high-level comparison to help you decide when to employ each approach.

Feature	Static Caching (getStaticProps)	Dynamic Caching (getServerSideProps)
Performance	⚡ Superfast (pre-built files served from a CDN)	🔄 Slower (server processes each request)
Scalability	✅ Highly Scalable (minimal server overhead)	❌ Requires More Infrastructure (server must handle all requests)
Data Freshness	❌ Potentially Outdated (unless using ISR)	✅ Always Fresh (real-time data on each request)
Best Use Cases	- Blogs, marketing pages, documentation- Content with infrequent updates	- Real-time dashboards, dynamic feeds- Personalized or authenticated pages
Implementation Complexity	⭐ Relatively Simple (focus on build-time data fetching)	⚠️ More Complex (must handle server requests, cache headers, etc.)

Performance Comparison

• Static Caching: Excels in performance, as pages are served directly from the edge (CDN) with no server computation.
• Dynamic Caching: Involves a server-side fetch or computation for every request, which is inherently slower.

Use Cases Comparison

• Static: Perfect for blogs, marketing pages, or documentation sites where content changes rarely or in predictable intervals.
• Dynamic: Essential for user-tailored pages, real-time data dashboards, or any scenario where data needs to be updated constantly.

Trade-offs

• Freshness vs. Speed: Static pages can go stale if data changes frequently, unless you use Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR). Dynamic pages are always fresh but come with higher server overhead.
• Operational Costs: Generating pages on-demand can be more expensive in terms of server resources.
• Development Complexity: Dynamic caching solutions often involve added layers of caching logic, authentication, and personalization.

Ultimately, the choice between static and dynamic caching is rarely all-or-nothing. Many Next.js applications blend the two—using static generation where possible, and dynamic rendering only where absolutely necessary. In the upcoming sections, you’ll see how to pull these strategies together effectively while adhering to Next.js best practices.

Best Practices & Common Pitfalls

Every application has unique requirements, but there are some universal practices to keep your Next.js caching strategy both efficient and maintainable. Below, we’ll walk through some dos and don’ts for both static and dynamic caching.

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Static Caching Best Practices

1. Use Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR) Wisely
   • If your content updates occasionally, a moderate revalidate interval ensures fresher data without excessive builds.
   • Keep revalidate durations balanced—too short an interval can cause unnecessary rebuilds, while too long risks outdated content.
2. Optimize Your Data Fetching
   • Make sure calls in getStaticProps() are efficient and only request the data needed.
   • Cache API responses upstream if possible (e.g., in a Redis store or with a hosted caching solution) to reduce build times.
3. Leverage a CDN
   • Static files served from a global CDN reach users faster and reduce hosting load.
   • Use edge caching services like Vercel’s CDN for a seamless integration.
4. Avoid Over-Engineering
   • Not every page needs ISR or advanced caching headers. If the data rarely changes, simple static generation might suffice.

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Dynamic Caching Best Practices

1. Minimize Server-Side Requests
   • Keep getServerSideProps() data fetching efficient—batch or aggregate multiple queries into a single request if possible.
   • Use caching headers (e.g., Cache-Control, s-maxage, stale-while-revalidate) to offload work to CDNs or proxies.
2. Scope Dynamic Rendering to What Matters
   • Don’t dynamically render entire pages if only a small component requires constant updates. Combine static rendering for stable content and client-side data fetching (e.g., using React Query or SWR) for the sections needing real-time data.
3. Plan for Scalability
   • Consider server load when using SSR extensively. If your application has traffic spikes, you might need autoscaling or load balancing.
   • Utilize caching layers (like Redis or Memcached) to store commonly requested data, offloading some of the work from your origin server.
4. Security and Authentication
   • Dynamic pages often involve personalized or restricted data. Ensure you handle tokens and credentials securely on the server.
   • Implement rate-limiting or other protective measures for API endpoints that are in heavy rotation.

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Common Pitfalls to Avoid

1. Using SSR When Static Generation Is Enough
   • Overly relying on getServerSideProps() can needlessly increase server costs and slow down page loads. If data doesn’t change frequently, consider static generation with revalidation.
2. Setting Inappropriate Revalidation Times
   • A revalidation window that’s too short might cause performance bottlenecks; too long can lead to stale content.
3. Neglecting Edge Cases
   • For pages that mix static and dynamic content, failing to handle specific scenarios (like logged-in vs. logged-out views) can lead to inconsistent caching behavior.
4. Forgetting About Browser Caching
   • Next.js handles a lot for you, but don’t forget basic browser-level optimizations. Use appropriate Cache-Control headers to control how browsers cache static assets.

By avoiding these pitfalls and following best practices, you’ll ensure that your Next.js app maintains high performance without sacrificing data freshness or inflating your server costs. In the final section, we’ll recap the key concepts and tease the next post in this series.

Conclusion & Next Steps

Choosing between static and dynamic caching in Next.js boils down to balancing performance needs, data freshness, and development complexity. For pages with data that rarely changes, static caching can skyrocket performance while keeping infrastructure costs low. For real-time or highly personalized apps, dynamic caching provides the up-to-the-minute data your users expect—though it requires more careful planning and might add server overhead.

This post covered:

• The fundamental differences between static and dynamic caching
• How Next.js implements both strategies via getStaticProps() and getServerSideProps()
• Best practices and common pitfalls to avoid

If you’re uncertain about which route to take, remember that a hybrid model is often the best of both worlds—using static caching for stable pages while reserving dynamic rendering for content that genuinely needs it.

Up Next

Stay tuned for the third post in this series, “How to Implement Revalidation in Next.js for Fresh Data Without Performance Loss”, where we’ll delve deeper into Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR), its revalidation mechanics, and real-world scenarios that showcase its true potential.

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This blog is part of an ongoing series on caching in Next.js.

• Previous Post: Understanding Caching in Next.js: A Beginner’s Guide (placeholder link)
• Next Post: How to Implement Revalidation in Next.js for Fresh Data Without Performance Loss - Will update the link once its live

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• My Portfolio: www.melvinprince.io
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/melvinprince

Thanks for reading, and see you in the next post!