Match the tool to the need: "For a marketing site I would use Next.js with static generation. For an internal dashboard, client-side rendering is fine because SEO and initial load time matter less."
SSR benefits: better SEO, faster first contentful paint, works without JS. Trade-offs: increased server load, hydration complexity, slower time-to-interactive, no access to browser APIs during render. Strong candidates discuss Next.js/Remix, static generation vs SSR, and streaming with React Server Components. They should know when SSR is overkill (internal dashboards) and when it is essential (content sites, e-commerce).
Tests architectural decision-making. Candidates who always or never choose SSR lack judgment. Those who consider the specific requirements (SEO, performance, complexity budget) make better decisions.