Difference Between Blazor WebAssembly (WASM) and Angular SSR
Blazor WebAssembly (Blazor WASM) and Angular Server-Side Rendering (Angular SSR, typically
implemented with Angular Universal) are two different approaches to building modern web
applications.
Feature Blazor WebAssembly Angular SSR (Angular Universal)
Rendering Type Client-side rendering (CSR) Server-side rendering (SSR)
Slower (downloads .NET runtime & Faster (pre-rendered HTML from
Initial Load Time
assemblies) the server)
Performance After Fast (runs in the browser without server Requires server round-trips for
Load dependency) rendering updates
Excellent (fully pre-rendered
SEO Friendliness Poor (initially loads as an empty page)
content)
No (depends on server for
Offline Support Yes (runs entirely on the client after load)
rendering)
Dependency on
Uses .NET and C# Uses TypeScript and JavaScript
.NET
Good for smaller apps, but large apps Better scalability as content is
Scalability
require optimizations pre-rendered
Interoperability Can use JavaScript via JS Interop Fully JavaScript-based
Good for SPA-like apps, but large initial Fast initial load, but requires
User Experience
payload server connectivity
Pros and Cons
Blazor WebAssembly
Pros:
• Runs entirely on the client-side after loading.
• Supports offline scenarios (since it's a full client-side app).
• No need for an active server after the app is loaded.
Cons:
• Slower initial load time due to downloading the WebAssembly runtime and .NET
assemblies.
• SEO is weak because content is dynamically generated on the client.
• Needs JavaScript interop for advanced browser functionalities.
• Large bundle size, which can affect performance.
Angular SSR (Angular Universal)
Pros:
• Better SEO since pages are pre-rendered on the server.
• Faster initial page load, as users receive rendered HTML directly.
• Good for large applications that require indexing by search engines.
• Improves performance on low-end devices, since rendering happens on the server.
Cons:
• Increased server load since rendering happens on the server.
• No offline support since content depends on server rendering.
• Complex setup (requires a Node.js backend).
• Slower user interactions than a pure SPA, as some updates require server round-trips.
Which One is Better?
It depends on the use case:
• If you need SEO & fast initial load → Go with Angular SSR.
• If you want offline support & .NET stack integration → Go with Blazor WebAssembly.
• If you're building a static PWA → Blazor WASM can be better.
• If you're developing a high-performance, scalable app → Angular SSR is preferable.
Final Thoughts
As a technical team leader, I strongly recommend adopting Angular SSR (Server-Side
Rendering) for our large-scale, dynamic system to ensure optimal performance, scalability,
and SEO.
After evaluating both Blazor WebAssembly and Angular SSR, it is clear that Angular SSR is the
superior choice. Its server-side rendering capabilities allow for faster initial page load times,
better search engine optimization (SEO), and improved user experience, making it ideal for
applications with frequent content updates and high traffic demand. Unlike Blazor WASM, which
relies on client-side processing and can suffer from longer load times and weaker SEO, Angular
SSR effectively balances server and client workloads, enhancing overall system responsiveness
and reliability.
Therefore, based on these factors, the final decision is to proceed with Angular SSR. This
approach will ensure long-term success, delivering a high-performance, scalable, and SEO-
friendly system that meets the demands of our project and users.
Abanoub Rafaat
Technical Team Leader
