Nuxt.js

Nuxt is a Vue-based framework for building modern web applications. It provides server-side rendering, static site generation, and a powerful module ecosystem that makes Vue development more productive.

Key Features

• Universal rendering: SSR, SSG, SPA, and hybrid
• File-based routing: Automatic route generation
• Auto-imports: Components and composables just work
• Nitro server: Powerful, universal server engine
• Module ecosystem: Rich collection of integrations

Project Structure (Nuxt 3)

nuxt-app/
├── app.vue              # Root component
├── pages/
│   ├── index.vue        # Home (/)
│   ├── about.vue        # About (/about)
│   └── blog/
│       └── [slug].vue   # Dynamic route (/blog/my-post)
├── components/          # Auto-imported components
├── composables/         # Auto-imported composables
├── server/
│   └── api/            # API endpoints
├── public/             # Static assets
└── nuxt.config.ts      # Configuration

Rendering Modes

// nuxt.config.ts
export default defineNuxtConfig({
  // Universal (SSR + client hydration) - default
  ssr: true,
  
  // Static site generation
  // Run: nuxt generate
  
  // Per-route rules
  routeRules: {
    '/': { prerender: true },
    '/admin/**': { ssr: false },
    '/api/**': { cors: true },
    '/blog/**': { swr: 3600 },
  },
});

Example Page with Data Fetching

<template>
  <div>
    <h1>{{ post.title }}</h1>
    <div v-html="post.content" />
  </div>
</template>

<script setup>
const route = useRoute();

const { data: post } = await useFetch(`/api/posts/${route.params.slug}`);
</script>

Popular Modules

Module	Purpose
@nuxt/content	Markdown/MDX content management
@nuxtjs/tailwindcss	Tailwind CSS integration
@pinia/nuxt	State management
@nuxt/image	Image optimisation
@sidebase/nuxt-auth	Authentication

What We Like

• Developer experience: Auto-imports, TypeScript, hot reload
• Vue ecosystem: All Vue libraries work seamlessly
• Nitro: Deploy anywhere - Node, Cloudflare, Vercel, AWS
• Content module: Excellent for documentation and blogs
• Configuration: Sensible defaults with easy overrides

What We Don't Like

• Smaller community: Less resources than React/Next.js
• Module compatibility: Some modules lag behind Nuxt 3
• SSR complexity: Hydration mismatches can be tricky
• Build times: Can be slow for large applications

Nuxt vs Next.js

Aspect	Nuxt	Next.js
Framework	Vue	React
Server	Nitro (universal)	Node/Edge
Auto-imports	Built-in	Not native
Content	@nuxt/content	MDX
Learning curve	Gentler	Steeper

When to Use Nuxt

• Vue.js applications needing SSR/SSG
• Content-heavy sites (documentation, blogs)
• Teams preferring Vue over React
• Projects wanting flexible deployment options