Choosing Server Actions for Internal Operations
Why I chose Server Actions over API Routes for credit operations in AuthorAI, and when I still use API Routes.
When building AuthorAI's credit system, I had to decide between Next.js Server Actions and traditional API Routes.
Why Server Actions: - End-to-end type safety without manual type definitions - Less boilerplate for simple mutations - Better integration with React Server Components - Simpler mental model for form submissions
When I Still Use API Routes: - Stripe webhook handlers (need standard HTTP interface) - Public APIs that external services might call - Complex middleware requirements
Decision: Used Server Actions for internal credit operations (deduction, balance checks) and API Routes for Stripe webhooks. This gave us type safety where it matters most while maintaining flexibility for external integrations.
What I'd change: Nothing yet. The hybrid approach works well. Server Actions handle 80% of our internal operations, and API Routes handle the edge cases where we need HTTP flexibility.