MDX setups that compile content at build time, cache results, and lazy-load heavy components tend to be the fastest.
MDX, or Markdown with JSX, powers many developer docs and content sites. Improving MDX performance involves optimizing how you compile MDX, how you bundle and deliver the resulting code, and how you structure content and components. This article offers up-to-date, actionable strategies for modern frontend stacks that rely on MDX.
Build-time compilation and caching
Maximize speed by offloading work to the build step and leveraging caches so users never wait for MDX to be parsed in the browser.
- Choose a fast MDX compiler such as mdx-bundler (which uses esbuild) over Babel-based loaders to reduce compile times.
- Precompile MDX content during the build process and persist the compiled output as ready-to-render code instead of compiling on every request.
- Enable and leverage build and CI caches so unchanged MDX files don’t recompile on every run.
- Prefer static site generation (SSG) or Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR) in frameworks like Next.js to avoid rebuilding entire sites and to serve pre-rendered pages quickly.
By moving work to build time and using caches, you cut the amount of work the browser must do, leading to faster page loads and quicker iteration cycles for authors.
Bundle size and runtime rendering
Reduce the JavaScript that clients have to download and parse, and minimize runtime work when MDX content is shown.
- Split MDX content into smaller files and lazy-load heavy components with dynamic imports to keep initial bundles small.
- Use lightweight MDX components via MDXProvider and avoid shipping a large set of inline components in every MDX file.
- Limit the number of MDX files loaded on a single route and apply route-level code-splitting to avoid large single bundles.
- Prefer server-driven or build-time rendering of MDX content over client-side in-browser compilation to reduce runtime overhead.
These practices shrink the amount of JavaScript shipped and parsed, improving first paint and time-to-interactive for users.
Tooling and content strategy
Choosing the right tools and structuring content can have a meaningful impact on MDX performance without sacrificing authoring flexibility.
- Upgrade to MDX v2 and use fast bundlers such as mdx-bundler or @mdx-js/loader with esbuild to speed up compilation.
- Minimize the plugin chain used during MDX processing; disable or defer heavy remark/rehype plugins at runtime and keep them lean during build.
- Keep MDX content lean and composable: favor simple, reusable components and isolate complex interactivity behind dynamic routes or separate components.
- Leverage modern framework features (e.g., Next.js ISR, static rendering, or server components where applicable) to avoid unnecessary re-renders and re-compilation.
Thoughtful tooling choices and a lean content design can yield noticeable performance gains while preserving the authoring experience MDX provides.
Summary
MDX speed hinges on build-time work, caching, and careful management of bundle size and interactivity. By compiling MDX at build time with fast tooling, caching results, splitting content, lazy-loading heavy components, and favoring static or incremental rendering, you can achieve faster MDX-driven sites without compromising developer ergonomics or content flexibility.