Server Side Rendering With React React Router And Express

Server-side rendering (SSR) is a technique that involves generating the initial HTML of a web application on the server itself before sending it to the client. This approach can have significant advantages in terms of performance and search engine optimization. In this article, we will explore how to implement server-side rendering using React, React Router, and Express.

To begin with, let's understand the basic concept of server-side rendering. When a user navigates to a website, the server processes the request and sends back the HTML to the client's browser. With SSR, the server generates the HTML with the initial state of the application, which can improve the website's SEO by making it easier for search engines to crawl and index the content.

First, you need to create a server using Express, a popular Node.js web framework. Install Express by entering the following command in your project directory:

npm install express

Next, you should set up a basic Express server to handle requests and render the React components:

const express = require('express');
const React = require('react');
const { renderToString } = require('react-dom/server');
const App = require('./App');
const server = express();

server.get('*', (req, res) => {
  const html = renderToString();
  res.send(html);
});

server.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server is running on http://localhost:3000');
});

In the code snippet above, we require the necessary modules, define a basic React component `App`, and use `renderToString` to convert the component into an HTML string. The server listens on port 3000 and responds with the generated HTML for all incoming requests.

Now, let's integrate React Router to handle client-side navigation on the server. Install React Router by running the following command:

npm install react-router-dom

Modify the server code to include React Router:

const express = require('express');
const React = require('react');
const { renderToString } = require('react-dom/server');
const { StaticRouter } = require('react-router-dom');
const App = require('./App');
const server = express();

server.get('*', (req, res) => {
  const context = {};
  const html = renderToString(
    
      
    
  );
  res.send(html);
});

server.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server is running on http://localhost:3000');
});

With React Router integrated, the server-side rendering now supports client-side routing and can render the correct components based on the requested URL.

In conclusion, server-side rendering with React, React Router, and Express can enhance the performance and SEO of your web applications. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can implement SSR in your projects and provide a better user experience for your visitors.