Nobody likes a slow website. Whether you’re building a portfolio, SaaS dashboard, or an
e-commerce platform, performance is key. Users expect blazing-fast loading times, and search
engines reward sites that load quickly.
In this complete guide, we’ll show you how to optimize Next.js performance using the latest
built-in features, tools, and best practices — including font optimization, image optimization,
bundle analysis, and more.
Let’s unlock your app’s full potential.
Why Next.js Performance Optimization Matters
A fast app delivers:
● Lower bounce rates
● Better Core Web Vitals
● Higher SEO rankings
● Increased conversions
● Better user satisfaction
If you want to improve Next.js performance, it starts with optimizing what gets sent to the
browser — fonts, images, scripts, and JavaScript bundles.
1. Font Optimization in Next.js
Next.js includes automatic font optimization for Google Fonts using the next/font module.
✅Use next/font/google
// app/layout.tsx (App Router)
import { Inter } from 'next/font/google'
const inter = Inter({ subsets: ['latin'] })
export default function RootLayout({ children }) {
return (
<html lang="en" className={inter.className}>
<body>{children}</body>
</html>
)
} This prevents blocking render and eliminates the need for external <link> tags, boosting your Next.js performance score.
2. Image Optimization in Next.js
Using next/image is the best way to apply image optimization in Next.js.
✅Example with next/image
import Image from 'next/image'
export default function Banner() {
return (
<Image
src="/banner.jpg"
alt="Main Banner"
width={1200}
height={600}
quality={75}
priority
/>
)
} Benefits:
● Lazy loading
● Responsive sizes
● Automatic format conversion (WebP)
● Reduced layout shift (important for CLS)
3. Next.js Bundle Optimization
Reducing your JavaScript bundle size is critical for performance.
✅Use Dynamic Imports (Code Splitting)
import dynamic from 'next/dynamic'
const HeavyChart = dynamic(() => import('../components/Chart'), {
ssr: false,
loading: () => <p>Loading...</p>,
})
export default function Dashboard() {
return <HeavyChart />
} This helps load heavy components only when needed, improving initial load time.
4. Analyze with Next.js Performance Analyzer
Use the official Next.js performance analyzer to visualize bundle size and dependencies.
Setup @next/bundle-analyzer
npm install @next/bundle-analyzer In next.config.js:
const withBundleAnalyzer = require('@next/bundle-analyzer')({
enabled: process.env.ANALYZE === 'true',
})
module.exports = withBundleAnalyzer({
reactStrictMode: true,
}) Then build and analyze:
ANALYZE=true npm run build 5. Remove Unused Code & Libraries
Keep your bundle lean to optimize Next.js performance:
● Remove unused code
● Replace large libraries with smaller alternatives (e.g., use dayjs instead of moment)
● Use tree-shakeable packages
● Avoid loading unnecessary polyfills or shims
6. Optimize External Scripts
Use the next/script component for better control.
import Script from 'next/script'
<Script
src="https://example.com/ads.js"
strategy="lazyOnload"
/>Script Strategies:
● beforeInteractive → for critical scripts
● afterInteractive → for non-blocking scripts
● lazyOnload → load when idle
7. Use ISR for Static Optimization
Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR) lets you serve static pages with optional background
updates.
export async function getStaticProps() {
const res = await fetch('https://api.example.com/data')
const data = await res.json()
return {
props: { data },
revalidate: 60, // update every 60 seconds
}
} This keeps pages fast while ensuring the content is fresh — the best of SSR + static.
✅Final Thoughts
Next.js performance optimization isn’t just about tools — it’s about smart architecture, lazy
loading, and minimizing what goes to the browser.
Whether you’re optimizing fonts, images, or bundle size, every tweak makes a difference.
Start small, measure results, and iterate.
