I’ve found SSR is best when it’s just _one_ way data might be loaded in an app. If I use SSR at all it’s to initialize a page. You’re right that you need a separate API either way. I would think of the SSR host as a backend specifically for your web application. It shouldn’t do anything from a data standpoint that can’t also be accomplished via XHR, but it may layer some other things (like auth/cookies) on a top to provide a better/more secure web experience.