Understanding the Unexpected block statement surrounding arrow body Error in React Apps

Get to know why you see the `Unexpected block statement surrounding arrow body` error in your React app and how to fix it easily with this guide!
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/68009681/ asked by the user 'Will' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/10836598/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/68009789/ provided by the user 'Juviro' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/9326994/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Understanding the Unexpected block statement surrounding arrow body Error in React Apps

As a newcomer to React, you might encounter various errors that can be a bit frustrating. One common issue is the "Unexpected block statement surrounding arrow body" error, especially when you're using tools like ESLint. If you're working on your first app and are curious why this is happening, you've come to the right place.

The Problem

In your React application, you have a simple Header component set up with styled-components. Here's a snippet of your code:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

While everything seems to be working perfectly in the browser, running ESLint exposes a problem with your code structure.

Understanding the Error

The error message you encounter indicates that your ESLint configuration is set to prevent arrow functions from using a block body when they can simply return a value directly. When ESLint sees this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

It believes that you'll simplify your code, making it cleaner and more efficient.

The Solution

To resolve this error, you can modify your component to use an implicit return, which eliminates the need for curly braces and the return statement. Let’s adjust your existing function.

Change the Header Component

Instead of:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Update your Header component to this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Key Benefits of This Change

Cleaner Code: Removing unnecessary block statements results in shorter, more readable code.

Compliance with ESLint: When you follow these guidelines, you prevent ESLint from generating warnings or errors, making your development smoother.

Modifying Your ESLint Configuration (Optional)

If you'd prefer to keep your original structure, you can modify your ESLint configuration. Open your .eslintrc.json file and adjust it accordingly. However, we recommend embracing the cleaner code approach as demonstrated above.

Here’s a snippet of your ESLint configuration for reference:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

By keeping this setup and restructuring your components as suggested, you can avoid the error while also adhering to best practices.

Conclusion

Encountering errors like the "Unexpected block statement surrounding arrow body" can be daunting, especially when you're just starting. By following the simple changes outlined above, you can resolve this issue efficiently and ensure that your React components adhere to better coding practices.

Happy coding, and enjoy your journey with React!