Don't understand benefit of using getserversideprops instead of getInitialProps

[rajatdhoot123]

I am Upgrading from getInitialProps -> getServersideprops and saw the API request is made from node server and passes the data the .json API to the client (Client-side routing)

Don't it increases the overhead rather than making the API from the browser and getting response directly from the API now it has to call from node server and getting the response and passing to the client through .json API.

Can Someone please clarify my understanding regarding new update.

[illuminist]

getInitialProps run first time on serverside, then in sub sequence page routing, getInitialProps will run in clientside.

getServerSideProps always runs on serverside. In sub sequence page routing, client will send a request to server to run only getServerSideProps function to get only prop object and send back to client. As it runs only on server, this part code will never be in clientside which you can write a code that communicates with database directly by using this function.

[rajatdhoot123]

So what I understand if we are using a database with node server then only it will benefit.
In the case when we are using API call to get data then it was an extra overhead communication because it first has to make a request to node server then it will make an API call when it gets resolved node server sends data back to the client.
In this case, it increases one level of communication.

[illuminist]

getInitialProps isn't like going to be deprecated soon. I still have plenty of usecases of it.

getServerSideProps acts like combination of page generation and API. So if there already are API endpoints for client to call, then using getInitialProps is still more reasonable. But it's available as an option so that's nice too.

[rajatdhoot123]

Then in docs, it should not recommend using getServerSideProps instead of getInitialProps if there are use case which was not great fit for getServerSideProps

[zimv]

The question is my question too.
I think the NextJs document only recommend that using getServerSideProps instead of getInitialProps, but not to remove it in future.
It has more choice for different application scenarios. So you could use getInitialProps if you want.

[sromexs]

i have this issue too
in first requesting to page i want to get data from api
but in second navigation with next/link in client side i dont want to wait to page render in server side but with getServerSideProps it will be render in server every time
now one ever find solution for this ?

[illuminist]

That's the point of using getServerSideProps-- to get data from server and that function can be server-only code. Use getInitialProps instead if you already have api to fetch data.