Choosing the Right Web Framework: Why I Use Next.js and Ruby on Rails (But Respect the Rest)

Introduction: Frameworks Are Strategy, Not Just Syntax

The choice of framework is not just a tech preference. It shapes how fast you launch, how much you can customise, and how maintainable your business becomes over time. I work primarily with Ruby on Rails and Next.js, not because they are trendy, but because they let me move fast, stay safe, and deliver both frontend flexibility and backend robustness. Still, that does not mean they are always perfect or the only answer.

In this article, I compare the frameworks I use with others in the field, from Laravel and Django to Express, Phoenix and Spring, and break down why my stack works well for ecommerce, SaaS and growth-focused companies.

Ruby on Rails: Batteries Included for Business Logic

Strengths:

  • Mature, stable, deeply documented
  • Convention over configuration means you write less boilerplate
  • Enormous ecosystem of gems (libraries), especially for commerce and billing
  • Scales well for B2B workflows, admin panels, reporting dashboards

Use case sweet spot: Internal tools, SaaS platforms, marketplaces, workflows where business logic matters more than pixel-perfect UX.

Limitations:

  • Less flexible for high-end frontend interactivity
  • Performance ceiling under extreme concurrency unless optimised with Sidekiq, Puma tuning and caching

Why I use it: It lets me deliver robust systems fast. In growth projects, speed to value matters more than trendiness, and Rails delivers fast. For ecommerce and SaaS backend logic, it remains unmatched in developer productivity.

Next.js: The Sweet Spot Between Frontend and Fullstack

Strengths:

  • Hybrid rendering (static, server, ISR) gives performance and SEO
  • Tight integration with React means reusable UI logic across platforms
  • File-based routing, middleware and server functions make it truly fullstack
  • Massive Vercel and open source ecosystem

Use case sweet spot: Landing pages, ecommerce frontends, content-driven apps, SaaS dashboards with advanced interactivity

Limitations:

  • Still evolving fast, breaking changes and shifting standards
  • Requires discipline around performance (hydration, API boundaries, layout shifts)

Why I use it: For modern UX and frontend-focused products, nothing beats Next.js right now. When paired with a robust backend like Rails or a headless ecommerce engine, it becomes unstoppable. I use it for anything customer-facing where speed, responsiveness and polish matter.

Laravel: The Rails of PHP (And That’s a Compliment)

Pros:

  • Great DX, active community
  • Strong for monolithic apps, internal dashboards, and admin portals
  • Mature tools like Nova (admin), Forge (deployment)

Cons:

  • PHP baggage still applies, shared hosts, legacy habits, lower testing culture
  • Scaling and modern frontend integration require effort

When I recommend it: For teams already in PHP, or businesses with in-house PHP support, Laravel is a great choice. I just prefer Rails for its consistency and culture.

Django: Secure, Fast, But Heavy-Handed

Pros:

  • Excellent admin interface out of the box
  • Secure defaults, great ORM and migrations
  • Well suited to data-heavy apps

Cons:

  • Tightly coupled model-view-template stack can make frontend modernisation harder
  • Django REST Framework adds complexity

When I use it: For data science apps with heavy Python logic and where analytics pipelines matter more than presentation. I still prefer Rails for API speed, or Next.js for UI-heavy projects.

Express: Great for APIs, Weak for UX

Pros:

  • Minimal, fast
  • Fits well in microservices or lightweight backends

Cons:

  • Not opinionated, you build everything yourself
  • Requires glue for migrations, validation, testing

My view: I use Express when building microservices or edge API endpoints. For bigger apps, it becomes a tangle of choices without guardrails.

Phoenix (Elixir): Elegant, Performant, Underrated

Pros:

  • Excellent concurrency and real-time handling (LiveView)
  • Elixir brings functional elegance
  • Lightweight and blazing fast

Cons:

  • Smaller talent pool
  • Harder to onboard junior teams

Use case: High-concurrency apps like chat, trading, live dashboards. I do not use Phoenix often for ecommerce or marketing-driven platforms because the frontend tooling and team ramp-up is slower.

What This Means for You

If you are building:

  • A SaaS backend with billing, onboarding, reporting → Rails
  • A modern, dynamic frontend with split testing and marketing integrations → Next.js
  • A hybrid of both → I pair Rails and Next.js with a GraphQL or REST API bridge

I do not believe in hype-based frameworks. I use tools that solve your problems fast, scale safely, and give you flexibility when growth requires pivots.

Final Thought: Choose What Solves Your Constraint

Every business has different constraints, team experience, time to market, maintainability, flexibility, cost. I build with Rails and Next.js because they let me navigate those constraints better than any other combination I have found.

Still, great outcomes do not come from frameworks. They come from how they are used. If you want a developer who can choose the right tool for your growth stage, and use it to build something fast, stable and adaptable, I would be glad to help.