Hello, amazing developer! 👋

Today we are going to talk about something that may seem small at first glance, but is actually super duper important for building fast, reliable, and professional websites: image components.

And not just any image components, we're putting Next.js's Native Image head-to-head against the newer, shinier, Rust-powered Image RS.

You might think, "How different could two image components really be?". Well, sit tight, because the difference is not just big, it's game-changing when you actually dig under the surface.

This post will explain, in simple words, why Image RS completely wins, with real facts, benchmarks, and a few good laughs along the way.

Let's get started!

⚔️ Who Are The Competitors?

🥊 Next.js Image

Next.js Image is part of the popular React-based Next.js framework. It's been around for a while and is trusted by thousands of developers across the world. It does a good job of optimizing images automatically, helping with SEO, and improving page loading speed by lazy-loading images. It's very good when you are already working in a JavaScript and React environment, and it makes handling images much easier than doing it manually. It's reliable, it's solid, butt, at the end of the day, it is still limited by JavaScript and its natural problems (we'll talk about that later on).

🥊 Image RS

Image RS is something special. It's a brand-new image component built specifically for Rust-based frontend frameworks like Yew, Dioxus, and Leptos. It runs inside the browser through WebAssembly (Wasm), meaning it's written in Rust, then compiled into blazing fast binary code that the browser can run directly.

That means you are not using slow JavaScript, you are using the godly power of Rust, the language famous for being blazingly fast, reliable, and efficient. With Image RS, you don't just get a component that looks good, you get raw, unmatched performance, fine-grained control over how the image behaves, and less memory usage.

It's like upgrading from a scooter (Next.js Image) to a rocket ship (Image RS).

🧠 Why Image RS Wins

Let's break it down point by point. You'll see exactly why Rust + Wasm is a total game-changer.

Native Rust + Wasm vs JavaScript

First, let's talk about how the two components are built.

• Next.js Image runs inside the browser using JavaScript, the traditional way websites have worked for years.
• Image RS runs using WebAssembly (Wasm) compiled from Rust, meaning it acts much closer to how native applications behave.

This matters a lot.

JavaScript is a dynamic, garbage-collected language, full of garbage. It's flexible, but it has a lot of overhead. Every time you load new images, update the DOM, or interact with elements, JavaScript engines need to manage memory dynamically, which sometimes leads to random performance issues, also known as jank.

Meanwhile, Wasm is strict and predictable. Rust code running inside Wasm manages memory very efficiently and doesn't need a garbage collector. This means no random pauses, no unexpected memory bloats, and super stable performance, even under heavy loads.

When your app grows, and you start loading hundreds or thousands of images, this difference becomes massive.

✅ Clear Advantage: Image RS

Built-in Image Optimization: Both Are Good (Kind Of)

Here, both Next.js Image and Image RS have strong features. They both offer:

• Automatic resizing of images depending on the screen size.
• Lazy loading images so they only appear when the user scrolls near them.
• Smart decoding of images in a way that doesn't block page rendering.
• Placeholder blurring, so users see a nice blur before the full image loads.

These features are must-haves today because they dramatically improve page speed and user experience. In this case, both components are equally great when it comes to basic optimizations.

🤝 Result: Tie

Fine-Grained DOM Control: WASM Takes the Crown

This is where Image RS starts pulling ahead strongly.

With Yew and Wasm, you have fine-grained control over every single DOM node. You can directly manipulate how each image behaves, how it loads, how it resizes, or how it triggers callbacks, all with the speed and safety of Rust.

Next.js Image, however, is tied deeply to React's virtual DOM. The virtual DOM is smart, but it's also a layer of abstraction that gets in the way when you need precise, large-scale updates.

If you need to load, say, 10,000 images, Image RS can handle it smoothly and efficiently by updating the real DOM surgically.

Next.js will struggle because updating the virtual DOM becomes very expensive and slow at this scale.

🏆 Clear Winner: Image RS

JS/Wasm Payload Size: Both Keep It Tight

One big concern in web development today is bundle size, you don't want users downloading megabytes of JavaScript just to open a simple page.

Luckily, both Next.js Image and Image RS are optimized for small payloads:

• Next.js uses tree-shaking and code-splitting to send only the code you need.
• Yew compiles Rust code into tiny Wasm binaries that are often smaller than equivalent JavaScript.

Either way, you're not going to overload your user's internet connection.

🤝 Result: Tie

📈 Real Benchmark Time.

We actually measured everything using Lighthouse, and the results speak for themselves.

When Loading 10 Images (small scale)

At small sizes, both are lightning-fast. You won't notice much difference if you are only loading a few images. Both are perfectly smooth and reliable here.

When Loading 10,000 Images (huge scale)

Once we crank up the scale, the story changes:

• Image RS keeps its cool. Scrolling stays buttery smooth, memory usage is controlled, and the page is still responsive.
• Next.js Image completely falls apart. Lighthouse couldn't even finish auditing because the page became too slow and unresponsive.

✅ Image RS uses less memory, scrolls faster, and behaves like a professional athlete.

❌ Next.js Image lags, stutters, and breaks under the pressure.

🧪 Why Wasm + Rust Crushes JS + React

Technical reason in simple words:

• Rust gives tight, efficient control over memory.
• Wasm allows direct execution without needing garbage collection.
• No surprise pauses, no random memory leaks, no hidden costs.

Meanwhile, JavaScript has to:

• Constantly check and clean up memory.
• Handle garbage collection pauses unpredictably.

That's why Rust+Wasm simply outperforms JavaScript at any serious scale.

🎯 The Verdict

✅ If you care about speed, reliability, future-proof apps, and developer happiness, then Image RS is the clear winner.

✅ If you want your app to handle not just today's needs but tomorrow's massive data scales, Rust + Image RS is the way to go.

✅ If you want less pain, better performance, and cleaner code, the answer is simple.

🚀 Final Thoughts

Next.js Image is good, for small apps where JavaScript's overhead doesn't show. But if you're dreaming big? If you're building modern apps that scale? If you want buttery-smooth UX no matter what? Then Image RS isn't just an option. It's the obvious next step.

So don't let your users suffer slow load times and laggy scrolling. Give them the Wasm experience they deserve. 🚀

opensass / image-rs

🖼️ Image Component for WASM frameworks.

🖼️ Image RS

🎬 Demo

Framework	Live Demo
Yew
Dioxus	TODO
Leptos	TODO

📜 Intro

Image RS is a highly optimized, feature-rich image component built for WASM-based frameworks like Yew, Dioxus, and Leptos. It offers lazy loading, blur-up placeholders, fallback image handling, responsive layouts, and full ARIA accessibility.

🤔 Why Use Image RS?

The following features make Image RS a must-have for modern WASM apps:

1. 🚀 Performance Optimized: Smart lazy loading with IntersectionObserver and fallback strategies.
2. 🎨 Advanced Layouts: Responsive, Fill, Intrinsic, Fixed, Stretch, and ScaleDown layouts.
3. 🧩 Accessibility First: Full ARIA attribute support to build inclusive UIs.
4. ⚡ Interactive Events: Callbacks for loading completion and error handling.
5. 🖼️ Visual Enhancements: Blur placeholders and fallback images for seamless loading UX.

Yew Usage

Refer to our guide to integrate this component into your Yew app.

🧬 Dioxus Usage (TODO)

Refer to our…

View on GitHub

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Together, let's move the web beyond JavaScript, and into something that actually compiles.

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