Server-side rendering (SSR)
Also known as SSR · Pre-rendering · Server-rendered content
Delivering the page's core text and markup in the initial HTML response, so it is readable without executing client-side JavaScript.
What it is
Server-side rendering produces the full HTML of a page on the server (or at build time as static pre-rendering) so the meaningful content arrives in the first response. This contrasts with client-side rendering, where the initial HTML is a near-empty shell and JavaScript fetches and paints the content in the browser. Hydration can still add interactivity on top of server-rendered HTML.
Why it matters
Many AI crawlers and agents do not execute JavaScript, or do so inconsistently and with delay, so content that only appears after JS runs may be invisible to them. Server-rendering core text ensures answer engines, LLM fetchers, and traditional crawlers all see your actual content, which is a prerequisite for being read, indexed, and cited.
How to verify
Run curl -s https://example.com/page and confirm the raw HTML contains the real headings and body copy rather than an empty <div id="root"></div> shell. You can also use view-source in the browser or disable JavaScript and reload; if the page goes blank, content is client-rendered only.
How to fix
Adopt SSR, static site generation, or pre-rendering (for example Next.js, Nuxt, Astro, or a pre-render service) so the core content is in the initial HTML. If a full rewrite is impractical, add server-rendered fallbacks or a pre-render layer for bots, and avoid hiding primary content behind client-only data fetches.
Related terms
- Page performanceHow quickly and smoothly a page loads and becomes interactive, commonly measured by server response time, HTML weight, and Core Web Vitals.
- Markdown content negotiationServing a clean Markdown representation of a page when a client requests it via the Accept: text/markdown header.
- No Placeholder TextVerifying that no lorem ipsum, TODO notes, or obvious dummy copy remains on the homepage or other key pages.
- JSON-LDJSON-LD is a JSON-based format for embedding machine-readable structured data in a page using a script type="application/ld+json" block. It is Google's recommended way to describe entities like organizations, products, and articles.
Official references
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Put this into practice.
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