Server-Side Rendering Migration Program Playbook

Migrate a client-rendered SPA to server-side rendering for better first paint, SEO, and core web vitals. Baseline vitals, isolate browser APIs, migrate routes incrementally with streaming and caching, and guard against hydration regressions.

Difficulty

Advanced

Phases

Total Duration

23 weeks

Roles

Server-Side Rendering Migration Program

Client-rendered single-page apps ship a blank shell first and render in the browser, which hurts first paint, SEO, and core web vitals on slow devices. This playbook migrates such an app to server-side rendering (SSR), where the server returns meaningful HTML and the client hydrates it.

SSR is not free: it adds server infrastructure and a hydration boundary that introduces a new class of bugs. The program is justified when measured vitals or organic-search visibility are business-critical.

Phase-by-Phase

Assessment and Goals. Baseline current web vitals with field data, audit code that assumes a browser (window, document, localStorage), and set explicit rendering targets per route type: static, server-rendered, or streamed.

Framework Foundation. Adopt an SSR-capable framework (Next.js, Nuxt, or similar). Isolate browser-only APIs behind guards so they do not run on the server. Establish a unified data-fetching layer that works in both environments.

Route Migration. Migrate routes incrementally behind the strangler-fig pattern, starting with high-traffic, SEO-sensitive pages. Add response streaming and edge or CDN caching. Resolve hydration mismatches as they surface; they are the dominant SSR defect.

Performance and Launch. Tune core web vitals, validate that crawlers see complete content, and stand up real-user monitoring so regressions are caught in production.

Team and Roles

An architect owns the rendering strategy and caching model. Frontend engineers migrate routes and fix hydration. DevOps provisions the SSR runtime and CDN. Product prioritizes routes by traffic and search value.

Risks and Mitigations

Hydration mismatch: enforce identical server/client data; add hydration assertions in tests.
Infrastructure complexity: prefer managed edge runtimes over self-hosted Node where possible.
Performance regression: gate merges on a web-vitals budget.

Success Criteria

Largest Contentful Paint and Time to First Byte improve against baseline, all critical pages pass core web vitals, and organic search visibility holds or improves.

Tooling

Use an SSR framework, a CDN or edge runtime, a cache layer such as Redis, real-user-monitoring, and a CI web-vitals budget check.

See a real scan run

A replay of the actual CLI running against our test repositories — live progress, real findings, a genuine DriftScore. Nothing executes in your browser.

Replay

demo@vibgrate — bash

❯ npx @vibgrate/cli scan

╭──────────────────────────────────────────╮

│ Vibgrate Drift Report │

╰──────────────────────────────────────────╯

── node-turborepo (node) .

Runtime: >=18.0.0 (6 majors behind)

Frameworks:

Turbo: 1.13.4 → 2.10.12 (1 behind)

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

Dependencies:

1 current 1 1-behind 3 2+ behind 1 unknown

── @repo/admin (node) apps/admin

Frameworks:

TanStack Query: 5.102.5 → 5.102.5 (current)

React: 18.3.1 → 19.2.8 (1 behind)

React DOM: 18.3.1 → 19.2.8 (1 behind)

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

Vite: 5.4.21 → 8.2.2 (3 behind)

Dependencies:

3 current 9 1-behind 3 2+ behind 4 unknown

── @repo/api (node) apps/api

Frameworks:

Express: 4.22.2 → 5.2.1 (1 behind)

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

Vitest: 1.6.1 → 4.1.11 (3 behind)

Dependencies:

7 current 5 1-behind 3 2+ behind 4 unknown

── @repo/web (node) apps/web

Frameworks:

Next.js: 14.2.35 → 16.3.3 (2 behind)

React: 18.3.1 → 19.2.8 (1 behind)

React DOM: 18.3.1 → 19.2.8 (1 behind)

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

Dependencies:

2 current 6 1-behind 3 2+ behind 5 unknown

── @repo/config (node) packages/config

Frameworks:

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

Dependencies:

2 current 2 1-behind 5 2+ behind 0 unknown

── @repo/database (node) packages/database

Frameworks:

Prisma: 5.22.0 → 7.10.0 (2 behind)

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

Dependencies:

1 current 0 1-behind 3 2+ behind 1 unknown

── @repo/types (node) packages/types

Frameworks:

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

Dependencies:

0 current 0 1-behind 1 2+ behind 1 unknown

── @repo/ui (node) packages/ui

Frameworks:

React: 18.3.1 → 19.2.8 (1 behind)

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

React: 18.3.1 → 19.2.8 (1 behind)

Dependencies:

1 current 4 1-behind 1 2+ behind 1 unknown

── @repo/utils (node) packages/utils

Frameworks:

TypeScript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 behind)

Vitest: 1.6.1 → 4.1.11 (3 behind)

Dependencies:

0 current 1 1-behind 2 2+ behind 1 unknown

Tech Stack

Frontend: React, React DOM

Meta-frameworks: Next.js

Bundlers: tsx, Turbo, Vite

CSS / UI: Autoprefixer, PostCSS, Tailwind CSS

Backend: Express

ORM / Database: Prisma, Prisma Client

Testing: Vitest

Lint & Format: ESLint, ESLint Prettier, ESLint React, Prettier, typescript-eslint

Services & Integrations

Auth: JWT 9.0.3

Databases: Prisma 5.22.0

TypeScript

v5.3.3 · strict ✔ · MIXED · target: ES2022

Build & Deploy

Package Managers: pnpm

Monorepo: npm-workspaces, pnpm-workspaces, turbo

Product Purpose Signals

Frameworks: react, nextjs

Evidence: 177

Top Signals:

- [heading] Dashboard (apps/admin/src/pages/Dashboard.tsx)

- [title] Revenue Overview (apps/admin/src/pages/Dashboard.tsx)

- [copy] workspace:* (packages/ui/package.json)

- [copy] ./dist (packages/ui/tsconfig.json)

- [copy] ./src/index.ts (packages/ui/package.json)

- [copy] @repo/config/tsconfig-base.json (packages/ui/tsconfig.json)

- [copy] @repo/ui (packages/ui/package.json)

- [copy] #3b82f6 (apps/admin/src/pages/Dashboard.tsx)

Unknowns:

- No pricing or billing evidence found.

- No integrations/connectors evidence found.

- No route structure evidence found.

Security Posture

Lockfile ✖ · .env ✔ · node_modules ✔

Platform

Native modules: turbo

Code Quality

Files: 36 · Functions: 183 · Avg complexity: 2.62 · Avg length: 21.13 lines

Max nesting: 2 · Circular deps: 0 · Dead code: 0%

God files: apps/admin/src/pages/Products (448 lines)

Database Schema

postgresql · 8 models · 1 enum

Models: Address, CartItem, Category, Order, OrderItem (+3 more)

Findings (16 errors, 11 warnings)

✖ Node.js runtime ">=18.0.0" reached end-of-life on 2025-04-30 (latest: 24.0.0).

vibgrate/runtime-eol in .

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in .

✖ 60% of dependencies are 2+ major versions behind in node-turborepo.

vibgrate/dependency-rot in .

✖ @types/node is 6 major versions behind (spec: ^20.11.0, latest: 26.3.0).

vibgrate/dependency-major-lag in .

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in apps/admin

✖ Vite is 3 major versions behind (current: 5.4.21, latest: 8.2.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in apps/admin

✖ vite is 3 major versions behind (spec: ^5.0.12, latest: 8.2.2).

vibgrate/dependency-major-lag in apps/admin

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in apps/api

✖ Vitest is 3 major versions behind (current: 1.6.1, latest: 4.1.11).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in apps/api

✖ @types/node is 6 major versions behind (spec: ^20.11.0, latest: 26.3.0).

vibgrate/dependency-major-lag in apps/api

✖ vitest is 3 major versions behind (spec: ^1.2.1, latest: 4.1.11).

vibgrate/dependency-major-lag in apps/api

⚠ Next.js is 2 major versions behind (current: 14.2.35, latest: 16.3.3).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in apps/web

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in apps/web

✖ @types/node is 6 major versions behind (spec: ^20.11.0, latest: 26.3.0).

vibgrate/dependency-major-lag in apps/web

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in packages/config

✖ 56% of dependencies are 2+ major versions behind in @repo/config.

vibgrate/dependency-rot in packages/config

✖ eslint-plugin-react-hooks is 3 major versions behind (spec: ^4.6.0, latest: 7.1.1).

vibgrate/dependency-major-lag in packages/config

⚠ Prisma is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.22.0, latest: 7.10.0).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in packages/database

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in packages/database

✖ 75% of dependencies are 2+ major versions behind in @repo/database.

vibgrate/dependency-rot in packages/database

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in packages/types

✖ 100% of dependencies are 2+ major versions behind in @repo/types.

vibgrate/dependency-rot in packages/types

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in packages/ui

⚠ TypeScript is 2 major versions behind (current: 5.9.3, latest: 7.0.2).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in packages/utils

✖ Vitest is 3 major versions behind (current: 1.6.1, latest: 4.1.11).

vibgrate/framework-major-lag in packages/utils

✖ 67% of dependencies are 2+ major versions behind in @repo/utils.

vibgrate/dependency-rot in packages/utils

✖ vitest is 3 major versions behind (spec: ^1.2.1, latest: 4.1.11).

vibgrate/dependency-major-lag in packages/utils

╭──────────────────────────────────────────╮

│ Top Priority Actions │

╰──────────────────────────────────────────╯

1. Upgrade EOL runtime in node-turborepo

End-of-life runtimes no longer receive security patches and block ecosystem upgrades.

./.

>=18.0.0 → 24.0.0 (6 majors behind)

Impact: −10 drift points (runtime & EOL)

2. Fix security posture: no lockfile found

Without a lockfile, installs are non-deterministic. Run the install command to generate one and commit it.

Missing: package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, or yarn.lock

3. Upgrade Vite 5.4.21 → 8.2.2 in @repo/admin (+2 more)

3 major versions behind. Major framework drift increases breaking change risk and blocks access to security fixes and performance improvements.

./apps/admin

Vite: 5.4.21 → 8.2.2 (3 majors behind)

./apps/api

Vitest: 1.6.1 → 4.1.11 (3 majors behind)

./packages/utils

Vitest: 1.6.1 → 4.1.11 (3 majors behind)

Impact: −5–15 drift points

4. Reduce dependency rot in @repo/types (100% severely outdated)

1 of 1 dependencies are 2+ majors behind. Run `npm outdated` and prioritise packages with known CVEs or breaking API changes.

./packages/types

typescript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 majors behind)

Impact: −5–10 drift points

5. Reduce dependency rot in @repo/database (75% severely outdated)

3 of 4 dependencies are 2+ majors behind. Run `npm outdated` and prioritise packages with known CVEs or breaking API changes.

./packages/database

@prisma/client: 5.22.0 → 7.10.0 (2 majors behind)

prisma: 5.22.0 → 7.10.0 (2 majors behind)

typescript: 5.9.3 → 7.0.2 (2 majors behind)

Impact: −5–10 drift points

╭──────────────────────────────────────────╮

│ Architecture Layers │

╰──────────────────────────────────────────╯

Archetype: nextjs (80% confidence)

Files classified: 24 (11 unclassified)

Folders classified: 8

apps/admin/src presentation 100% 4 files

apps/admin/src/pages presentation 100% 2 files

apps/api/src/middleware middleware 100% 2 files

apps/api/src/routes routing 100% 2 files

apps/web/src/app presentation 100% 4 files

apps/web/src/app/products presentation 100% 2 files

apps/web/src/app/products/[id] presentation 100% 1 file

packages/ui/src presentation 100% 6 files

Unclassified source (sample): 11

presentation 15 files drift ████████████████████ 100 risk high

routing 4 files drift ████████████████████ 100 risk high

middleware 2 files drift ███████▍░░░░░░░░░░░░ 37 risk moderate

config 2 files drift ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 0 risk none

shared 1 file drift ████████████████████ 100 risk high

╭──────────────────────────────────────────╮

│ DriftScore Summary │

╰──────────────────────────────────────────╯

DriftScore: 66/100

Risk Level: HIGH

Projects: 9

Classified: 8 nano · 1 micro · 0 small · 0 standard

Billable: 0.42 · 9 detected → 0.42 billable projects (micro-project pricing)

0.1 micro · 0.32 nano

These fractions add up across repositories, then round down to whole billable projects.

Score Breakdown

Runtime: ████████████████████ 100

Frameworks: █████████▏░░░░░░░░░░ 46

Dependencies: ██████▏░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 31

EOL Risk: ████████████████████ 100

Scanned at 2026-08-26T09:08:28.481Z · 7.1s · 286 files scanned · 56 workspace files · 27 dirs

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Server-Side Rendering Migration Program Playbook

Server-Side Rendering Migration Program

Phase-by-Phase

Team and Roles

Risks and Mitigations

Success Criteria

Tooling

Category

Tags

See a real scan run