Question 1

How to use preact-render-to-string with Express.js?

Accepted Answer

Import the render function and use it in an Express route to generate HTML from a Preact component, then send it as a response. The README provides a clear example where a component is rendered and wrapped in an HTML5 document for server-side delivery.

Question 2

preact-render-to-string vs React's renderToString: which should I use?

Accepted Answer

For Preact projects, preact-render-to-string is optimized and lightweight with full feature support. For React projects, stick with React's own SSR libraries like react-dom/server, as preact-render-to-string is specific to Preact's ecosystem.

Question 3

Does preact-render-to-string support lazy loading components?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it supports Suspense and lazy components when using preact/compat, via the renderToStringAsync function. The README shows an example where lazy components are rendered asynchronously, with fallbacks handled during loading.

Question 4

How to handle errors in preact-render-to-string rendering?

Accepted Answer

Enable error boundaries by setting options.errorBoundaries = true, as described in the README. This allows Preact to catch rendering errors using getDerivedStateFromErrors or componentDidCatch, providing graceful error handling in server-side contexts.

Question 5

Can I stream HTML with preact-render-to-string in Node.js?

Accepted Answer

Yes, use renderToPipeableStream from the stream-node module for Node.js environments. The README includes a code example with callbacks like onShellReady for incremental streaming, though note it's an early implementation.

Question 6

Is preact-render-to-string production ready for large apps?

Accepted Answer

It's stable for basic SSR and widely used in the Preact community, but the streaming features are marked as early-stage, so exercise caution in production for streaming-dependent applications. Check the GitHub repo for issue tracking and updates.

Preact Render To String

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