"Let's do it in Next.js, it's more modern!" This is a phrase I often hear from tech teams. But technically superior doesn't mean commercially valid.
1. Client Desires vs Developer Desires
Modern frameworks may be technically faster and more flexible, but clients don't buy "code-splitting" or "hydration". They buy a manageable business asset.
What the client wants:
- A working backend out of the box to manage content.
- Ease of updates without calling the developer.
- Integrated SEO without complex configurations.
- Code maintainable by any future agency.
2. WordPress: The "Batteries Included" Solution
WordPress offers all this "out of the box", plus significantly faster development speed. When you install WordPress, you already have: user authentication, media management, visual editor (Gutenberg), URL structure, menu management, and REST API.
With Next.js, you have to build or configure each of these things. Or use a Headless CMS, introducing another layer of complexity and costs.
3. The Hidden Costs of "Custom"
With a custom site on frameworks like Next.js, you can easily double the development time. And the problem doesn't end at launch.
The "Bus Factor"
Who will know how to handle the code in two years? Often, only the original developer knows how to update the architecture. If that developer disappears, the client remains with a "zombie" site that no one wants to touch, often at very high refactoring costs.
WordPress is a market standard. Any professional knows where to put their hands.
When to use what?
Use Next.js if: You are building an interactive Web App, a dashboard, or a digital product where the user interface is complex and reactive.
Use WordPress if: You are building a marketing site, a corporate blog, a standard e-commerce, or any site where content is king.