Fix: 404 Error On Jazinski.com Subpages

Nov 13, 2025 by Admin 40 views

Hey guys,

We've got a bit of a head-scratcher on our hands, but nothing we can't solve together! It seems some users are running into a 404 error when trying to access specific subpages on the Jazinski website (jazinski.com), like the /services page. Instead of seeing the awesome content we've prepared, they're greeted with the dreaded "Page Not Found" message. Let's dive into what's causing this and how we can get it sorted.

Understanding the Issue

The main problem is that when a user tries to directly access a subpage (e.g., https://www.jazinski.com/services) by typing the URL into their browser or clicking a direct link, the server doesn't know how to handle that request right away. This is more than likely happening because of how react-router-dom is configured on the site. Let's break this down:

Client-Side Routing: React Router is a client-side routing library. This means that the routing logic (i.e., what component to display for a given URL) lives in the user's browser, not on the server. When you navigate around the site using React Router's <Link> components, everything works smoothly because React Router intercepts those clicks and updates the content without needing to ask the server for a new page.
The Initial Request: However, when you directly request a subpage, the browser sends a request directly to the server. The server receives this request and, without the proper configuration, it doesn't know that /services should be handled by React Router. It simply looks for a directory or file named services on the server, and when it doesn't find it, it throws a 404 error.
Why This Happens: This issue commonly arises in Single Page Applications (SPAs) built with frameworks like React. These applications rely on client-side routing to create a seamless user experience, but the server needs to be configured to play nicely with this setup.

Potential Solutions

Alright, so how do we fix this? There are a few different approaches we can take, each with its own trade-offs. Let's explore the most common and effective solutions.

1. Server-Side Configuration (Recommended)

The ideal solution is to configure the server to redirect all requests to the index.html file. This way, when a user requests https://www.jazinski.com/services, the server serves up the main index.html file, which then loads the React application. React Router then takes over and renders the correct component for the /services route. The specific configuration will depend on the server you're using (e.g., Apache, Nginx, Node.js). Here's a general outline:

Apache: If you're using Apache, you can typically add a .htaccess file to the root directory of your website with the following content:
```
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
  RewriteEngine On
  RewriteBase /
  RewriteRule ^index\.html$ - [L]
  RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
  RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
  RewriteRule . /index.html [L]
</IfModule>
```
This tells Apache to redirect all requests that aren't for existing files or directories to index.html.
Nginx: For Nginx, you'll need to modify your server block configuration. Here's an example:
```
server {
  location / {
    try_files $uri $uri/ /index.html;
  }
}
```
This tells Nginx to first try to serve the requested URI as a file or directory. If that fails, it falls back to serving index.html.

Node.js (Express): If you're using Node.js with Express, you can use the express.static middleware and a wildcard route:

const express = require('express');
const path = require('path');
const app = express();

app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, 'build')));

app.get('/*', (req, res) => {
  res.sendFile(path.join(__dirname, 'build', 'index.html'));
});

app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server listening on port 3000');
});

This serves all static files from the build directory and then handles all other requests by sending the index.html file.

2. Using Hashbangs (Less Recommended)

An older approach is to use hashbangs in your URLs (e.g., https://www.jazinski.com/#/services). The hashbang (#!) tells the browser not to send the part of the URL after the # to the server. Instead, it's used by the client-side application (React Router) to handle the routing. To implement this, you'd need to configure React Router to use hash-based routing. However, this approach is generally discouraged because it's less SEO-friendly and can lead to a less pleasant user experience.

3. `<BrowserRouter>` vs `<HashRouter>`

React Router provides two main types of routers: <BrowserRouter> and <HashRouter>. The <BrowserRouter> uses the HTML5 History API to create clean URLs without hashbangs (e.g., /services). This is the preferred approach, but it requires the server-side configuration described above. If you're currently using <HashRouter>, switching to <BrowserRouter> and configuring the server is the best way to go.

Implementing the Fix

Okay, let's get practical. Here's a step-by-step guide to implementing the recommended solution (server-side configuration):

Identify Your Server: Determine which server you're using (Apache, Nginx, Node.js, etc.).
Access Server Configuration: Gain access to your server's configuration files. This might involve logging into your hosting provider's control panel or directly accessing the server via SSH.
Modify Configuration: Based on your server type, implement the appropriate configuration as described above.
Deploy Changes: Save the changes to your server configuration and deploy them. This might involve restarting the server or reloading the configuration.
Test Thoroughly: After deploying the changes, thoroughly test the website by directly accessing various subpages (e.g., https://www.jazinski.com/services, https://www.jazinski.com/about, etc.). Ensure that you're no longer seeing the 404 error.
Clear Cache: If you're still encountering issues, try clearing your browser's cache and cookies. Sometimes, old cached data can interfere with the new configuration.

Important Considerations

SEO: Using clean URLs (without hashbangs) is generally better for SEO. Search engines can crawl and index your pages more effectively.
User Experience: Clean URLs are also more user-friendly and easier to share.
Security: Ensure that your server configuration is secure and that you're following best practices for web server security.

Conclusion

Solving the 404 error on subpage navigation is crucial for providing a seamless user experience and ensuring that your website is properly indexed by search engines. By configuring your server to work correctly with react-router-dom, you can eliminate this issue and create a more robust and user-friendly website. Remember to choose the solution that best fits your needs and infrastructure, and always test thoroughly after making changes.

Let me know if you have any questions or if you'd like me to elaborate on any of these points. I'm here to help you get this fixed!