Server-Side vs. Client-Side Rendering: What Google Recommends

Web development is evolving fast in this modern era of the digital landscape. In all this, methods to render the content are also evolving to determine the optimal performance of a website and user experience (UX). There are two well-known methods of website rendering, the server-side (SSR) and client-side (CSR). Every website is built differently, with a different set of requirements. This blog clears all your doubts on server-side vs. client-side rendering: what Google recommends.

Let’s explore the topic in detail by shedding light on the key aspects of both server-side vs. client-side rendering. How they work, their pros & cons, and the best suitability for your business goals, everything will be discussed.

Understanding Server-Side Rendering

Server-side rendering generates a webpage on the server and delivers it to the client’s browser. All webpages are generated and combined on the server before being sent to the client’s browser. This reduces client-site processing to a certain extent. Search engines can more easily index the content because it is pre-rendered, which improves search speed and ranking even more. This type of rendering is considered best for JavaScript frameworks when one needs to create a SEO-friendly website. This aids in resolving the critical page speed issue.

How does SSR work?

• In the address bar, the user enters the URL they wish to visit.
• An HTML response that is prepared for the browser to render is served by the server.
• The browser downloads the JavaScript and publishes the page for viewing.
• After the browser completes React, the page becomes interactive.

Understanding Client Site Rendering

This is a new method acquired to render websites. It renders a website’s JavaScript in your browser, where a server responds with an HTML document containing JS files. It does not directly receive the content from the HTML document. At first, the website uploads slowly, but the successive pages load faster as they are dependent on a different HTML page on every route. Due to the page availability after the code execution, CSR websites work on their own. These websites create the URL for each page visited by the user.

How does CSR work?

• The server receives a data request at the specified URL when the user types the URL in the address bar.
• For the first time, the client requests that the server send static files, such as HTML and CSS, to the client’s browser.
• JavaScript will be downloaded by the client browser after the HTML content. By connecting to JavaScript, the HTML files initiate loading by displaying developer-defined loading symbols. In this case, the user cannot access the website.
• After the JavaScript is downloaded, content is created dynamically.
• The user can now view the web content.

What Type Of Rendering Does Google Prefer – SSR or CSR?

Well, Google always emphasized one thing – that its crawler must be able to access your content. Although with changing times, Google’s crawler has become more advanced to process JavaScript and diligent content more efficiently, SSR is still considered better for Search Engine Optimization (SEO). As per Google’s updated guidelines for 2025, here are some points we can keep in mind.

• Content that is pre-rendered is indexed more easily. This is because the SSR ensures the immediate visibility of the HTML content to Googlebot wherever it visits your site.
• CSR works, but it demands a careful setup. If your website is heavily dependent on JavaScript, you must ensure that all key elements load correctly within Google’s crawl window.
• Hybrid or dynamic rendering is now being used more commonly than ever. Many modern websites nowadays use both SSR and CSR combined. But, it depends on several factors like user device, connection speed, and the type of visitor, whether it is human or a bot.

So, which among these is better for what? To determine this, you need to take into account your SEO needs, but also how your website works for users and delivers value. Take into consideration the project you’re working on, and how your chosen method of rendering will affect your ranking on SERPs, plus its impact on user experience. In a general sense, CSR is considered better for dynamic websites, while SSR is better suited for static websites.

Deciding On Which Method To Choose For Website Rendering?

If you are in confusion about which method to choose, let us help you with that by taking a few factors into consideration.

• Content Refresh Frequency: You need to update your content frequently if your website has dynamic information. In this case, CSR is recommended. Or, you can choose CSR for specific landing pages, and SSR for others. This also proves effective for content marketing.
• Platform Considerations: CSR technology is generally more expensive to maintain. Also, there are fewer options for ready-made plugins or additional solutions available. You need to take the plugin ecosystem into consideration before deciding on which rendering method to choose.
• Website Functionality & Purpose: Sometimes, if you can’t decide on which method to choose, you can opt for the hybrid mode of rendering. Yes, you can implement both SSR and CSR within a single website or even webpage. As an example, you can use SSR for product description pages as they are static and need to be indexed quickly on search engines. On the other hand, you can use CSR for user account pages as they don’t need to be ranked on SERPs. Also, the CRS approach is considered better for user experience (UX).

So, we can say that both server-side and client-side rendering are popular approaches used for website rendering. You need to decide on this at the starting stage of product development.

Conclusion

The choice between server-side rendering (SSR) and client-side rendering (CSR) largely depends on your website’s specific needs and goals. SSR offers advantages in terms of SEO and fast content indexing, making it ideal for static websites. On the other hand, CSR is better suited for dynamic applications that require frequent content updates and improved user interactivity. Many modern websites leverage a hybrid approach, combining the strengths of both methods to enhance performance and user experience. Ultimately, it’s crucial to evaluate factors like content refresh frequency, platform considerations, and user demographics to select the rendering method that aligns best with your objectives, ensuring optimal performance and enhanced visibility in search engine results. Obelisk Infotech, as an expert digital marketing agency, specializes in website design services and knows well such technical aspects that work behind the scenes to make the website fully functional. To know about our services in detail, do visit our LinkedIn.