Next.js is still a solid tool, but for a lot of developers it’s starting to feel kind of heavy and slow, especially once your app gets past the early MVP stage. It’s also pretty opinionated, which can be great at first, but frustrating when you need more control.
In this video, I’m taking a look at Vike. A modular framework built on top of Vite, and seeing if it’s actually a legit alternative to Next.js in 2025. We’ll talk about what Vike is, how it works, what it does really well, and where it can be annoying.
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📌 Chapters:
00:00 The Problem With All-in-One React Frameworks
00:41 What Is Vike? (Vite-Based Meta Framework)
01:15 Vike vs Next.js: Flexibility and Control
01:50 Performance: Bundle Size, HMR, and Speed
02:05 Photon, Edge Deployment, and Low TTFB
02:40 An inside look into Vike
04:05 Vike Drawbacks: Learning Curve & Boilerplate
04:42 Smaller Ecosystem and Missing Built-Ins
05:15 Vike vs Next.js: When Each One Makes Sense
