IMO the big value add from React and friends is all of your rendering logic is in the same language and the same code base. I do not want to go back to templated HTML from Ruby/Java/PHP/whatever combined with ad hoc JS to handle whatever parts need to be dynamic. If you know your UI can be almost completely static (like with HN) then the trade-off from the old way is acceptable. But if you don't know where your site's going to go because you're a startup then it's hard to buy into old school SSR. NextJS, when done right, can be an acceptable 3rd option.