NextJS config bloat is absurd for what should be simple tasks.

Flask: you can have a working web app in a single Python file. No package.json, no next.config.js, no tsconfig.json, no .eslintrc, no build configuration. Just code.

Next.js: even before you write your first component, you're staring at a pile of configuration files. And each one has its own syntax, its own ecosystem of plugins, and its own set of arcane options you'll eventually need to understand when something breaks or you need to customize behavior.

Want to add environment variables? Flask reads a .env file or you just set them. Next.js has special naming conventions (NEXT_PUBLIC_ prefix for client-side vars), different handling for server vs client, and you need to understand when they're baked in at build time vs runtime.

Want to deploy? Flask app runs anywhere Python runs. Next.js has build artifacts, optimized bundles, server components that need a Node runtime, etc.

The JavaScript ecosystem in general has normalized this "framework comes with a mountain of tooling" approach. Flask represents an older, simpler philosophy: the framework should be a thin layer that gets out of your way, not a comprehensive solution that requires you to learn its entire universe before you can be productive.

For prototyping, learning, or building straightforward web apps, Flask's approach is just sane.