Why I Switched from WordPress to Next.js 14

The Monolith vs The Framework

For years, I built client sites on WordPress. It's reliable, clients know it, and the plugin ecosystem is massive. But as my design requirements got more complex, WP started to feel like a cage.

The Breaking Point

I wanted to implement a complex 3D particle background (like the one on my new home page). In WordPress, this meant fighting with z-index, enqueueing scripts via functions.php, and praying a caching plugin didn't break it.

In Next.js?

<Canvas>
  <ParticleSystem />
</Canvas>

It just works.

Server Components are Magic

The new App Router in Next.js 13/14 shifted the paradigm. I can fetch data directly in my component, await it, and render. No useEffect, no loading states for SEO-critical content.

async function BlogPage() {
  const posts = await getPosts();
  return <BlogList data={posts} />
}

SEO Gains

Since switching this portfolio to Next.js:

• Lighthouse Score: 65 -> 98
• FCP: 1.2s -> 0.3s
• Organic Traffic: +40% in 2 months

Speed isn't just a metric; it's a user retention feature.