Next.js 16 vs Hono + htmx

Next.js 16

VPS (Bun)

The React meta-framework running on Bun runtime. Built by Vercel, Next.js supports SSR, SSG, ISR, and streaming—all configured per-route. This variant uses Bun runtime for potentially faster startup times and request handling. The App Router architecture brings React Server Components, nested layouts, and Server Actions. While Bun support for Next.js is unofficial, it works in practice and offers a comparison point for runtime performance. Ideal for teams wanting to benchmark Node.js vs Bun performance with their Next.js applications.

Hono + htmx

VPS (Node)

Ultrafast web framework meets hypermedia. Hono is a tiny (14KB), ultrafast web framework that runs everywhere—Node, Bun, Deno, Cloudflare Workers, AWS Lambda. Combined with htmx, it enables dynamic UIs through HTML-over-the-wire. htmx extends HTML with attributes for AJAX, CSS transitions, and WebSockets—no JavaScript framework required. Server responses return HTML fragments that htmx swaps into the page, keeping all logic server-side. This approach produces the smallest bundles possible while maintaining interactivity. Perfect for developers who want simplicity, or teams exploring the hypermedia renaissance.