React-Router: No Not Found Route?

React-Router is a powerful library for routing in React applications. It allows you to define routes and render different components based on the current URL. However, one common issue that developers face is how to handle routes that do not match any defined routes. In other words, what should happen when a user tries to access a non-existent page?

By default, React-Router does not provide a built-in “Not Found” route. When a user tries to access a non-existent page, React-Router simply renders nothing. This can lead to a poor user experience as it leaves the user wondering what went wrong.

Fortunately, there are a couple of ways to handle this situation and provide a better user experience. Let’s explore two possible solutions:

Solution 1: Redirect to a Not Found Page

The first solution is to redirect the user to a dedicated “Not Found” page when a route does not match any defined routes. This can be achieved using the Redirect component provided by React-Router.

Here’s an example of how you can implement this solution:


import { BrowserRouter as Router, Route, Switch, Redirect } from 'react-router-dom';

function App() {
  return (
    
      
        
        
        
         // Redirect to the "Not Found" page
      
    
  );
}

In this example, we define three routes for the home, about, and contact pages. If none of these routes match, the user will be redirected to the “/not-found” route, which can be a separate component rendering the “Not Found” page.

Solution 2: Render a Not Found Component

The second solution is to render a “Not Found” component directly when a route does not match any defined routes. This can be achieved using a catch-all route at the end of your route configuration.

Here’s an example of how you can implement this solution:


import { BrowserRouter as Router, Route, Switch } from 'react-router-dom';

function App() {
  return (
    
      
        
        
        
         // Render the "Not Found" component
      
    
  );
}

In this example, we define three routes for the home, about, and contact pages. If none of these routes match, the catch-all route with the NotFound component will be rendered.

Both solutions provide a way to handle non-existent routes in React-Router. Choose the one that best suits your application’s requirements and user experience.

I hope this article helps you handle the “No Not Found Route” issue in React-Router. Happy coding!

React-Router: No Not Found Route?