So what was weird exactly? react is not JS. nextjs is not js..... same way spring boot is not java. JS is the way it is. Most of it complainants has issues as they usually come from synchronose language and when JS (its true power) uses its async nature, they can't comprehend it and think its weird, why would it do so. If your rational is that its slow, you should probably use assembly to write the most optimal code. If you want a high level language then JS brings most paradigm than competing languages. If you argue to want all features high level, low level and speed go for C++.