Why I picked Astro over Next.js for my site

Short summary

A developer explains choosing Astro over Next.js for a five-page personal site with no forms, auth, or database. Astro ships zero JS by default, offers typed content collections via Zod schemas, and includes built-in Shiki code highlighting with dual-theme support. Next.js remains the right pick for full-stack apps with mutations, auth, and databases — the key is matching tool complexity to problem complexity.

• •Astro is ideal for content-only sites: zero JS by default, typed frontmatter, built-in code highlighting
• •Next.js is overkill for static sites but correct for apps with auth, mutations, and databases
• •Framework selection should be intentional — defaulting to Next.js for everything atrophies engineering judgment

Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.