Unable to load SPFx webpart after deploy

Question

Dear Community,

I’m encountering an issue with my SPFx web part. It works perfectly in the Workbench, but after deploying it to the Site Collection App Catalog and adding it to a SharePoint page, I get the following error (screenshot attached):

• Error: Something went wrong
• Console log: Could not load my-tasks-web-part in require. TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'id')

Has anyone faced a similar issue or knows what might be causing this?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

Hi @Umair Aslam ,

Good days!

This error is most commonly caused by a mismatch or omission in the component’s manifest data—often the “id” property (or another required property) isn’t defined or isn’t matching what SharePoint expects in production. In the local Workbench the files load from your development server (where paths, versions, and IDs are injected by the toolchain), but after deployment a missing or misconfigured “id” in your web part’s manifest will result in SharePoint’s module loader (require.js) trying to read a property (like “id”) on an undefined object.

Here are some troubleshooting steps and potential fixes:

1. Verify the Web Part Manifest

• Check the manifest file: • Open your web part’s manifest JSON file (typically located in the src/webparts/[YourWebPartName] folder, for example, MyTasksWebPart.manifest.json). • Confirm that the "id"
• Ensure no accidental modifications: • Verify that you haven’t accidentally removed or renamed required properties (like "id", "alias", or "componentType"). • Compare the manifest with a working development version if necessary.

---

2. Confirm the Build and Packaging Process

• Clean and rebuild:

gulp clean
gulp bundle --ship
gulp package-solution --ship

• This rebuilds your project for production.

• Inspect the generated package: • Open the generated .sppkg file (you can rename it to a .zip and extract its contents) and check that it includes your web part’s manifest and related assets. • Verify that the asset URLs (or CDN references) point to the correct location.

---

3. Check Module Registration and Loading

• Require.js configuration: • SPFx uses a module loader (require.js) to load your component. If the loader cannot find your module (for example, if the module name or alias is misconfigured), it may return undefined.
• Consistent Naming: • Ensure that the name you use when calling React.createElement() (or when registering your component) matches the alias and id defined in your manifest. • Double-check that your code does not depend on hard-coded paths that worked in the Workbench (running from localhost) but break when the solution is deployed.

---

4. Verify External Dependencies

• Library versions: • If your web part uses external libraries (such as PnP JS, Office UI Fabric, or other modules), check your package.json to ensure the correct versions are referenced. • In production, if an external library isn’t bundled correctly, your code might try to access properties (like id ).
• Externals and CDN settings: • If you have set up external references in your SPFx solution, confirm that the URLs in the configuration (for example, in config.json or in your manifest’s loaderConfig) are correct and accessible from the deployed environment.

---

5. Test with Cache Clearing and Re-deployment

• Clear Browser Cache.
• Remove and Re-add the Web Part.
• Check App Catalog Version: • Confirm that the latest version of your package has been successfully deployed to the Site Collection App Catalog. You might also re-upload your package with the -Overwrite option using PnP PowerShell if needed.

6. Add Diagnostic Logging

• Instrument your code: • Temporarily add console logs in your web part’s onInit() or render() methods to output key values such as the component’s id, properties, and context.

public onInit(): Promise<void> {
  console.log("Web Part ID from manifest:", this.manifest.id);
  return super.onInit();
}

• Wrap potential failure points: • Add try/catch blocks around code that accesses properties (like reading .id from an object) to log the full error and the context (which object is undefined). This helps pinpoint whether the error is occurring because the manifest wasn’t loaded or because of a runtime code issue.

---

7. Compare Workbench vs. Production Environment

• Different hosting contexts: • The SharePoint Workbench loads your assets from your local development server, where certain environment variables (paths, URLs, and context tokens) are injected automatically. In production, your assets are loaded from the deployed package or a CDN.
• Test in Multiple Browsers: • Confirm that the error is not browser‑specific by testing in different browsers.

I appreciate your patience and understanding.

Hope these can help.

Please do let us know if you have any further queries.

Kindly consider accepting the answer if the information provided is helpful. This can assist other community members in resolving similar issues.