Why Your React App Shows a Blank Page (And How to Fix It)

Introduction

One of the most frustrating problems when working with React JS is opening your app and seeing… nothing. No error message. No UI. Just a blank page.

This issue happens frequently, especially after deployment or routing changes. In this article, we’ll explain why React apps show a blank page, the most common causes, and how to fix them step by step.

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What a “Blank Page” Usually Means in React

A blank page usually means:

• React failed to render the UI

• JavaScript error stopped execution

• Routing or build configuration is broken

Most of the time, the issue is not React itself, but how the app is configured.

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1. JavaScript Error in the Console

The first thing you should always check is the browser console.

How to Check

• Open the app

• Right click → Inspect

• Open the Console tab

If you see a red error message, React stopped rendering.

Common Examples

• Cannot read property of undefined

• Unexpected token

• Module not found

Fix

• Read the first error, not the last

• Fix syntax or logic issues

• Reload after fixing

👉 A single JS error can completely block rendering.

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2. React Router Not Configured for Production

Routing issues are one of the top causes of blank pages.

Common Problem

Your app works locally, but after deployment:

• Home page works

• Other routes show a blank page or 404

Why It Happens

React Router uses client-side routing, but the server doesn’t know those routes.

Fix (Example for Nginx)

location / {
  try_files $uri /index.html;
}

This tells the server:

“Always serve index.html and let React handle routing.”

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3. Wrong base or homepage Configuration

If your app is deployed in a subdirectory, React may look for assets in the wrong path.

Example Issue

Your app is deployed at:

https://example.com/app/

but React still tries to load assets from /.

Fix (Vite)

export default defineConfig({
  base: "/app/"
});

Fix (Create React App)

"homepage": "/app/"

Wrong base paths often result in:

• Blank page

• Failed JS/CSS loading

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4. Build Files Not Loaded Correctly

If JavaScript files fail to load, React cannot run.

How to Check

• Open Network tab in DevTools

• Reload the page

• Look for:

  • 404 errors

  • Failed .js or .css files

Fix

• Make sure build folder is uploaded correctly

• Ensure server points to the correct directory

• Check file permissions on the server

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5. Error in index.js or main.jsx

React starts rendering from a single entry point.

Common Mistakes

• Wrong root element ID

• File import errors

• ReactDOM not mounting correctly

Correct Example

const root = ReactDOM.createRoot(
  document.getElementById("root")
);
root.render(<App />);

If #root does not exist in index.html, nothing will render.

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6. Environment Variable Issues

Environment variables often behave differently in production.

Common Issue

• App works locally

• Blank page in production

• No obvious error

Why It Happens

• Environment variable is missing

• Wrong prefix (VITE_, REACT_APP_)

• Variable undefined causes runtime error

Fix

• Double-check .env files

• Confirm variables exist in production

• Avoid assuming variables are always defined

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7. Strict Mode Revealing Hidden Bugs

React Strict Mode can cause effects to run twice in development.

This can expose:

• Bad side effects

• Incorrect assumptions in code

While Strict Mode does not affect production, it often reveals issues early.

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8. Using Browser Cache After Deployment

Sometimes the app is fixed, but users still see a blank page.

Why?

• Old JS files cached by the browser

• New build references files that don’t exist locally

Fix

• Hard refresh (Ctrl + Shift + R)

• Clear cache

• Use versioned builds (default in modern bundlers)

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Step-by-Step Debugging Checklist

When facing a blank page:

1. Check browser console

2. Check network requests

3. Verify routing configuration

4. Confirm build paths

5. Test with a simple component

6. Inspect production environment variables

Following this order saves a lot of time.

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Why This Happens So Often in React

React gives flexibility, but with that comes responsibility:

• Routing is manual

• Deployment matters

• Server configuration is critical

Most blank page issues come from environment differences, not React itself.

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Conclusion

A blank page in React is scary, but rarely mysterious. In most cases, it’s caused by routing, build paths, server configuration, or simple JavaScript errors.

Once you understand where React can fail, fixing these issues becomes straightforward. With the right debugging approach, you can resolve blank page problems quickly and confidently.