A Comprehensive Breakdown Of How Websites Render (And How It's Changing)

Introduction

We will take a deep dive into the evolution of website rendering, starting from sending HTML to the current complex JavaScript rendering methods.

Traditional Rendering Process

1. Sending HTML: Initially, websites were rendered by sending pre-built HTML files to the browser for display.

Evolution of Rendering

1. Sending JS: With the introduction of JavaScript, websites started sending JavaScript along with HTML to enable dynamic content rendering.

Modern JavaScript Rendering

1. Single Page Applications (SPAs): SPAs load once and dynamically update content by making requests to the server for data in JSON format.
2. Client-Side Rendering (CSR): The browser takes over rendering responsibilities, fetching data from an API and updating the DOM.
3. Server-Side Rendering (SSR): Content is pre-rendered on the server and sent to the client, reducing the time to first render.

Changing Landscape

1. Progressive Web Apps (PWAs): Hybrid apps that combine the best features of web and mobile apps, offering a fast and engaging user experience.
2. Isomorphic/Universal Rendering: Using the same codebase for both server-side and client-side rendering for improved performance and SEO.
3. Static Site Generators (SSGs): Pre-built static pages generated at build time, offering improved performance and security.

Conclusion

Website rendering has evolved significantly over the years, moving from basic HTML to complex JavaScript rendering methods like SPAs, CSR, and SSR. This evolution has led to faster, more interactive, and SEO-friendly websites, with new technologies like PWAs, Isomorphic/Universal Rendering, and SSGs shaping the future of web development.