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Polypane VS Next.js

Compare Polypane VS Next.js and see what are their differences

Polypane logo Polypane

The browser for ambitious web developers that want to 5× their quality and efficiency.

Next.js logo Next.js

A small framework for server-rendered universal JavaScript apps
  • Polypane Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-08-04

Developing and designing just got easier. The most powerful browser for web developers. Available on all platforms.

Polypane shows your site in multiple viewports at once and keeps them all in sync while you work.

Develop responsive websites and apps twice as fast and get better results, because you wont be skipping screen sizes and wishing for the best.

Build higher quality websites, whether you use Wordpress, React, Angular, Svelte, Bootstrap, Drupal or any other CMS, library or framework.

Polypane has the right tools built-in for developing, debugging and testing, like devtools extensions, live reloading, accessibility testing and more.

  • Next.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-19

Polypane

$ Details
paid Free Trial $9.0 / Monthly (Individual user)
Platforms
Windows Mac OSX Linux Chrome OS
Release Date
2019 May

Polypane features and specs

  • Multi-View Testing
    Polypane allows developers to view and test their website in multiple screen sizes simultaneously, making responsive design testing more efficient.
  • Live Reloading
    The application supports live reloading, which means any changes made to the code are instantly reflected in the preview panes without needing to refresh manually.
  • Developer Tools Integration
    Polypane integrates seamlessly with common developer tools and frameworks, enhancing the workflow for developers who use tools like React, Vue, and Angular.
  • Accessibility Checks
    Built-in accessibility tools help ensure that web pages comply with accessibility standards, making it easier to identify and fix issues.
  • Performance Insights
    The software provides performance metrics and recommendations, aiding developers in optimizing load times and overall performance.
  • Collaboration Features
    Polypane includes features designed for team collaboration, such as the ability to share previews and feedback with team members.
  • Dark Mode
    A dark mode option is available, offering a more comfortable viewing experience for developers who prefer it or work in low-light conditions.
  • Customizable Layouts
    Users can customize the layout of the panes to better suit their workflow, offering a flexible user experience.

Next.js features and specs

  • Server-Side Rendering (SSR)
    Next.js supports SSR, allowing pages to be rendered on the server-side before being sent to the client. This results in improved SEO and faster initial page loads.
  • Static Site Generation (SSG)
    Enables pre-rendering pages at build time, which can further improve performance and scalability while allowing for dynamic generation when needed.
  • API Routes
    Next.js allows you to build API endpoints directly in the application, simplifying the process of creating back-end services and endpoints.
  • File-Based Routing
    Offers a simple file-based routing mechanism where the file structure maps directly to the app’s routes, making it easier to manage and understand.
  • Automatic Code Splitting
    Automatically splits code at the page level, reducing the initial load time and improving performance by only loading necessary JavaScript.
  • TypeScript Support
    Built-in support for TypeScript, allowing developers to use static type checking and other TypeScript features easily.
  • Developer Experience
    Provides a great developer experience with features like fast refresh, hot reloading, and detailed error reporting.
  • Rich Ecosystem
    Benefiting from the rich ecosystem of the React community and integrating well with other libraries and tools.
  • Internationalization
    Built-in support for internationalization helps developers build multilingual applications with ease.
  • Community and Support
    Strong community and extensive documentation provide ample support and resources for new and experienced developers alike.

Possible disadvantages of Next.js

  • Learning Curve
    The robust feature set of Next.js can present a steep learning curve for developers who are new to React or server-side rendering concepts.
  • Configuration Overhead
    Although Next.js aims for simplicity, complex projects may still require significant configuration and customization.
  • Performance Overhead
    SSR can introduce additional server load and latency compared to static site generators, especially under high traffic conditions.
  • Deployment Complexity
    Deploying Next.js applications that leverage SSR or API routes may be more complex and could require more sophisticated server infrastructure.
  • Vendor Lock-In
    If heavily relying on Next.js-specific features, moving away from the framework to another solution could require significant refactoring.
  • Bundle Size
    Without careful optimization, client-side bundle sizes can become large, negatively affecting the application’s performance.
  • Build Times
    For large applications, build times can be significant, impacting the development cycle and deployment times.
  • Dependencies
    Next.js introduces its own set of dependencies and tooling, which might complicate version management and compatibility with other tools.

Analysis of Polypane

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Polypane is an excellent tool, especially for professionals who need precise control over design and responsiveness testing. It can significantly streamline the process of developing and testing web applications, making it a worthwhile investment for serious developers.

Why this product is good

  • Polypane is highly regarded for its robust feature set tailored for web developers and designers. Its standout features include synchronized browsing across customizable viewports, detailed accessibility testing, and live reloading. Polypane’s focus on responsive design and accessibility makes it a comprehensive tool for developing web pages that look and perform well across different devices and meet modern web standards.

Recommended for

    Polypane is particularly recommended for web developers, front-end developers, UX/UI designers, and accessibility specialists who require an integrated environment for testing different screen sizes, resolutions, and accessibility features in a cohesive manner.

Analysis of Next.js

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Next.js is considered a good framework. It is admired for its flexibility, developer experience, and ability to deliver high-performance applications. Its continuous updates and community support further enhance its standing as a reliable choice for building web applications.

Why this product is good

  • Next.js is a popular React framework known for its server-side rendering, static site generation, and API route features. It is built by Vercel and provides an optimized development experience with a focus on performance and SEO advantages. Its easy integration with various backends, built-in support for TypeScript, and capability to handle dynamic and static content efficiently make it a strong choice for modern web development.

Recommended for

  • Developers building SEO-friendly web applications
  • Teams focusing on performance optimization
  • Projects requiring server-side rendering or static site generation
  • Applications needing routing and API integration out of the box
  • Developers looking for a robust framework with TypeScript support

Polypane videos

Polypanel Competition Results!

More videos:

  • Demo - Polypane Demo

Next.js videos

Next.js: The React Framework - JS Monthly - July 2019

More videos:

  • Review - Gatsby vs Next.js: Which does SSG Better?

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Polypane and Next.js)
Developer Tools
5 5%
95% 95
Browser Testing
100 100%
0% 0
Web Frameworks
0 0%
100% 100
Website Testing
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Polypane and Next.js

Polypane Reviews

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Next.js Reviews

Top 10 Next.js Alternatives You Can Try
Next.js is a well-known platform most of you utilize to build a responsive website. However, if you are annoyed by its limited features, consider Next.js alternatives because flexibility and faster loading speed are always the top concerns of every developer. For this reason, you might need to read this article to explore the top 10 Nextjs Alternatives for the exciting world...
20 Next.js Alternatives Worth Considering
When it comes to building modern web applications, finding the right framework can be a game-changer. Next.js is often a top choice, but there are several Next.js alternatives worth considering.
10 Best Next.js Alternatives to Consider Today
For those who have been accustomed to the benefits of React Next.js, keeping an eye on the latest version is crucial. Next.js's continuous improvement and updates in Next.js enhance its capabilities, ensuring developers can access cutting-edge features and optimizations. Whether starting a new project or maintaining an existing Next.js website, staying informed about the...
9 Best JavaScript Frameworks to Use in 2023
Next.js uses JavaScript and React components to create the UI. Next.js is influenced by React Router, Webpack, Node ecosystem, and community libraries. The feature that sets Next.js apart from other frameworks is its ability to automatically generate pages based on the file system structure of the project. For example, if there is a _posts folder in the root directory,...
Source: ninetailed.io
JavaScript: What Are The Most Used Frameworks For This Language?
Some of its top features include server-side rendering, automatic code splitting, client-side routing, built-in CSS support, static site generation and API routes. Overall, Next.JS is a powerful and flexible framework that provides developers with a simple and intuitive way to build complex React applications with ease. It is widely used in the React community and has a...
Source: www.bocasay.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Next.js seems to be a lot more popular than Polypane. While we know about 1074 links to Next.js, we've tracked only 39 mentions of Polypane. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Polypane mentions (39)

  • 🚪 Don’t Lock Users Out: A Practical Guide to Accessibility for Devs
    We also need to talk about Source Order vs. Tab Order—they’re more different than you’d expect 👀. Source Order is the sequence of nxodes inside their parent in the DOM. Tab Order is the sequence of focusable nodes navigated using the Tab key. If a focusable element lacks tabindex, it follows a depth-first traversal of Source Order (visualized conceptually as a traversal path). Want to visualize Source Order?... - Source: dev.to / 22 days ago
  • 22 Unique Developer Resources You Should Explore
    URL: https://polypane.app What it does: A browser tailored for developers, enabling real-time testing and previewing of responsive designs. Why it's great: Test your site on multiple screen sizes simultaneously for smoother cross-device optimization. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • Show HN: Linkpreview, see how your sites looks in social media and chat apps
    That's pretty cool! Get ready to keep these up to date monthly or become obsolete quickly. One of the downsides of tools like this is that your URL needs to be available online so if there's an issue, your iteration loop is quite long. In Polypane [1] I've built social media previews that work with any local URL but also let you overwrite that URL for the social media that display those. I built (and frequently... - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • Polypane 20: Browser features and performance
    The address bar in Polypane can match URLs and page titles based on fragments. So you can type po blo 20 to get to e.g. https://polypane.app/blog/polypane-20-browser-features-and-performance/. - Source: dev.to / 12 months ago
  • Tools that keep me productive
    I had heard about Polypane before and I think I may have tried it a few years ago, but nowadays, It's a must for frontend. It helps you build out responsive, accessible apps with all kinds of goodies. Curious about it? I hung out with the creator of Polypane on a live-stream earlier this year. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
View more

Next.js mentions (1074)

  • I replaced Next.js for my application with this module 🔥
    But I want to say that this topic is clearly not new in 2025, I will not reveal anything supernatural here. HTMX and Alpine.js have already fully proven to everyone that this is not nonsense. I am just retelling everything, but with one interesting remark - this is the HMPL template language which is better than the previous two in some tasks. Next, I will describe why and how it will help you replace Next.js. - Source: dev.to / 14 days ago
  • How to add markdown to a Next.js project
    This article assumes the reader is a developer that knows their way around Markdown, TypeScript, React.js, and [Next.js] https://nextjs.org/). Familiarity with Tailwind-css would also be useful. - Source: dev.to / 16 days ago
  • The Rise of Hybrid Frameworks
    The popularisation of SSR among frontend developers can be largely attributed to the widespread adoption of frameworks with server-side rendering. These frameworks provide an elegant integration of SSR with modern JavaScript libraries and frameworks like React and Vue.js. Next.js, for instance, has become a de facto choice for many React developers seeking to leverage SSR's benefits without sacrificing the... - Source: dev.to / 16 days ago
  • Angular: Beyond the fog #1
    My only true recommendation would be to prefer React for mobile or SSR applications, as community projects (Expo for mobile and Next.js for SSR) are more mature and easier to set up. - Source: dev.to / 26 days ago
  • Generate Git action CI/CD pipeline using Amazon Q CLI
    This is a Next.js project bootstrapped with create-next-app. - Source: dev.to / 27 days ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Polypane and Next.js, you can also consider the following products

Sizzy - The browser for designers and developers

Vercel - Vercel is the platform for frontend developers, providing the speed and reliability innovators need to create at the moment of inspiration.

Responsively - Develop responsive web-apps 5x faster!

React - A JavaScript library for building user interfaces

LT Browser by Lambdatest - LT Browser is a free dev friendly browser for developers and testers. You can see mobile view of website on different screen sizes and resolution on 50+ pre installed view ports. You can build, test and debug your website faster then ever.

Nuxt.js - Nuxt.js presets all the configuration needed to make your development of a Vue.js application enjoyable. It's a perfect static site generator.