Debug the React white screen of death
A white screen (or blank page) in React typically means the app crashed during rendering without a visible error. This is often caused by uncaught exceptions, missing error boundaries, or a broken build output.
Error messages you might see
Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map')Uncaught Error: Minified React error #130Why this happens in AI-generated code
Accessing properties on undefined data
AI-generated code often chains property access (data.items.map) without null checks, crashing when API responses are empty or still loading.
Missing error boundaries
AI tools rarely generate error boundary components, so a single rendering error in any child component crashes the entire application tree.
Incorrect default export
AI-generated files sometimes use named exports where a default export is expected, causing the framework to render undefined instead of a component.
How to fix it
Add null checks and loading states
Always check that data exists before rendering: use optional chaining (data?.items?.map) and render loading/empty states when data is undefined.
Wrap components in error boundaries
Add React error boundary components at key points in your component tree to catch rendering errors and display fallback UI instead of a blank screen.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I find what's causing the white screen?
Open your browser's developer console (F12) - there will almost always be a JavaScript error logged there. The stack trace will point you to the component that threw the error.
Why does the white screen only happen on certain routes?
The crash is likely in a component specific to that route. Each route renders different components, so the error is isolated to the component tree for that page.
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